Are Those Golf Magazine/Digest Articles Written For You?

After taking a two week vacation and being extremely busy when I got back, I had a pile of Golf Magazine and Golf Digest's sitting on my counter waiting for me to read. I had four magazines in all which I read all in one night. I love reading these magazines and articles, but not so much because I learn about golf techniques but because I know many of my students and club members are reading those same articles.

The great thing about being an educated instructor is I have a very strong filter for information. I am able to take a magazine article, read it, and apply it to a student that has that exact flaw. Sometimes I'll read an entire magazine and find nothing helpful, but every month I'll have a handful of members come up to me and explain to me what they read (which is the same thing that I read) and it is very interesting to hear how they interpret the information.

The magazines are very popular because they take great instructors and have them give a simple lesson on a very general topic so that viewers can have something to think about. However, the average golfer will take this advice and immediately apply it to their own game no matter how it affects them or their current golf swing and assume the advice will only help.

During my golf article binge I found 3 articles written on very similar subjects that all had a different approach to the correct technique and all had different fixes and drills. After reading the third article I thought to myself, how can an average golfer possibly sift through all this information and find what is correct for them. More likely will be that this golfer doesn't even understand that the three articles are talking about the same part of the golf swing and will end up trying ALL the drills and fixes at once. Then they are breaking good habits to add bad ones just because they read some information about it.

I read as much about the golf swing and am always learning and training myself (just as you do in your job) to stay on top of the game and the techniques of golf. Part of my job as your golf instructor is to be your personal filter for all the information you read, hear or see. Good instructors have a vivid memory for golf swings and I can probably remember yours much better than you think, so if you have any questions about a reading or piece of advice from an article, I can help you filter that information so you don't have to be confused or developing bad habits for no reason.

Having knowledge is great, but in golf you need to have the ability to know that not every piece of advice is correct and not every magazine article is written for you! Be aware of that and make sure you check with your pro before you make any changes in your swing.