I read a quote today that said ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I’m sure they were working every day to build it.”
Similarly the same holds true with your golf game … you can try any sort of golf tip or training aid or magic potion you can get your hands on … but you will only succeed and see improvement with a little sweat and effort on your part.
Everyday I’m bombarded with emails about the latest and greatest techniques, DVD’s, training aids, etc. I personally enjoy these emails as I get the opportunity to forward ‘the good ones’ onto my Instructors to show them what Golfers are being seduced with each day.
Improving your golf game takes effort – even GMS can’t waive a magic wand over your head and give you a 100% perfect golf swing. Yes, we’ll absolutely help you to improve your swing and have you hitting the golf ball better … but you better be prepared to work while with us.
That’s one of the issues that make the 30 minute golf lesson pretty much a worthless effort towards seeing improvement. How much can be accomplished in 30 minutes? Yes, it’s easy to find a couple of bad things in someone’s swing in that time … however those issues are most likely just a couple of the easily seen symptoms (compensations) that are feeding off the ‘cause’.
In a weird way, it’s like a doctor misdiagnosing a patient. For example: Lyme Disease (from a tick) is often misdiagnosed as being a non fatal issue such as the flu or mono (Mononucleosis). So the patient is given a prescription for medicine to “cure” those minor issues. However, the patient gets worse and worse as the Lyme Disease spreads through the body.
This misdiagnosis happens to millions of Golfers every year as they seek help for their golf swing … but because “the pro at my course is really good” … the Golfer continues to work on what they were told even after not seeing reliable improvement. And after 6 weeks of still not getting it — they often put the blame on themselves to say “maybe it’s just me. Maybe I just can’t get it.”
In that limited amount of time (30 minutes), all that can be found in your swing are the ‘symptoms’ you’re experiencing when you go to hit a golf ball. So the Instructor helping you says: “Henry, I see what’s happening in your golf swing. On your downswing you’re starting with your hands and you’re swinging from the outside to in and coming across the golf ball. That’s why you’re slicing your Driver.”
Wow, it’s celebration time as you found the reason for your frustration! Or is it really a time to celebrate?
No … it’s probably time to run away as fast as you can because you have been misdiagnosed by an Instructor who can’t see past the compensations (symptoms) to find the true ‘cause’ of your inconsistency.
Because that Golfer’s problem in the swing isn’t the “over the top” move … it most likely starts before he/she even gets to the top of their swing. Outside in or “over the top swings” don’t just happen … they are caused by other issues. You can’t fix “over the top” by specifically working on stopping “over the top”.
Now this isn’t to totally skewer other Instructors – it’s also the system of trying to help someone in 30 minutes. With so many connecting parts involved in your golf swing, those time limitations will not allow an Instructor to dig deep enough into your golf swing. I know the situation all too well as an Instructor that many years ago attempted to teach within the confines of the 30 and 60 minute golf lesson.
The Instructor needs to find something quick, within your first 5 swings before you ask: “so Marc, do you see anything in my swing?” Because if the Instructor doesn’t have an answer … the Golfer is going to think the Instructor doesn’t have the skills to help you. So the Instructor needs to find the first thing he/she sees in your golf swing.
However, what’s the first thing anyone sees? Well … your symptoms and compensations are the easiest to spot. So the Instructor goes to work for the next 6 weeks (because you bought a 6 lessons series for the price of 5) working on trying to fix what he/she diagnosed. But during those 6 weeks, you never seem to correct your swing except for a few swings here and there.
Inconsistency still reigns
Why? Because you can’t fix the compensations until you fix the ‘cause’. Fixing the ‘cause’ first is the only way to permanently fix these ‘symptoms’. So at the end of your 6 weeks of lessons – you’ve injected your golf swing with the incorrect medicine (more compensations) that is creating even more frustrating inconsistency!
To improve takes effort. That effort isn’t limited to a little bit of practice … it also may include the effort of traveling to see the best Instructor you can afford … rather than thinking your local Pro is skilled enough or has the program in place to help you.
If you want to improve – make the effort to find the true cause of the inconsistency in your swing. And trust me … just as “Rome wasn’t built in a day” your golf swing can’t be found in a series of six – 30 minute lessons (3 hours)!
Go ahead, Be a Player!
Regards,
Marc Solomon – Your Instructor For Life