Do you listen to the teaching pro when...

[Jack Pearsall]

their swing is god awful looking?

I once asked a new to me teaching pro to hit a few balls so Jack could see his swing. He was annoyed at the idea and bristled visibly. He asked me why. I told him Jack Pearsall likes to know what prejudices a teacher brings to the swing they teach, or something super kewl like that. I could see his eye-balls rolling...so, I now insist on seeing his swing. He hits it beautifully, lovely swing. He goes on to help me for a numerous months. Worked out great.

I would not have worked with him beyond that lesson had I not found his swing pleasing.

Is this a reasonable thing, in your incredible golf estimation, for Jack Pearsall to do?

[larrybud]

Not a bad idea if they guy is still in his prime, but Larrybud has known several old teachers that probably couldn't hit out of their shadow, but it doesn't make them bad teachers. But if they are still physically able, Larrybud doesn't like the idea of having a better swing than their teacher.

[slim16er]

slim16er  would. You can kind of relate it to the old riddle: There are two dentists in town, one with perfect teeth and one with horrible teeth. Which dentist do you choose?

The one with horrible teeth b/c he is the one who does the work on the guy with perfect teeth. Make sense?<br><br><br><br>edit: so slim16er could continue the theme<br>

[devinsolar]

Devinsolar thinks this is completely fair, as devinsolar believes every person should be able to decide what pro they want lessons from. Their criteria for selecting is up to them.

[Pepperturbo]

It sounds like Jack P limits his judgment to how perr-dee the instructors swing is. I'll go ya one further, the instructor has to be able to match or beat my score over 18 with the perr-dee swing, before I'd consider him my instructor. Let me share why. The manner in which I make my decision has to do with my belief "a great many people theorize". They typically look for naive people to be their victims of complete swing change, ignoring what already exists. Why, a combination of reasons; they want to test out their theory and or can't measure what exists and know what aspects can be modified leading to overall improvement.

If he can't beat me, its fair guess he can't apply what he knows. If he can't or won't apply what he knows, he doesn't live by example, and / or he's not a really skilled instructor. Besides, how many times do we see a perr-dee sweet swing on the range, only to see the same person turn out to be a hacker on the course.

[Hoot151]

[quote name='Pepperturbo' timestamp='1332956372' post='4599425']
It sounds like Jack P limits his judgment to how perr-dee the instructors swing is. I'll go ya one further, the instructor has to be able to match or beat my score over 18 with the perr-dee swing, before I'd consider him my instructor. Let me share why. The manner in which I make my decision has to do with my belief "a great many people theorize". They typically look for naive people to be their victims of complete swing change, ignoring what already exists. Why, a combination of reasons; they want to test out their theory and or can't measure what exists and know what aspects can be modified leading to overall improvement.

If he can't beat me, its fair guess he can't apply what he knows. If he can't or won't apply what he knows, he doesn't live by example, and / or he's not a really skilled instructor. Besides, how many times do we see a perr-dee sweet swing on the range, only to see the same person turn out to be a hacker on the course.
[/quote]

That seems silly. It's widely known that the last thing golf instructors get to do with their time is play golf and they are aren't going to be sharp. I'm also pretty sure that every swing coach on the tour can't beat their students.

In other news, Hoot is laughing at this thread.

[greenglobs]

Completely reasonable. However, greenglobs believes if you weren't sipping on three fingers of Dalmore 62 while assessing his swing, that would be completely unreasonable.

[stiffdogg06]

What is up with all the third person? . stiffdogg06 doesn't like it.

[MichiganMike]

I think a similar thought every time I'm at the gym. I see a few fat personal trainers and mentally note they'll never be hired by me.

[againstthegrain]

[quote name='MichiganMike' timestamp='1332966397' post='4600567']<br />I think a similar thought every time I'm at the gym.  I see a few fat personal trainers and mentally note they'll never be hired by me.<br />[/quote]<br /><br /><br />

Makes sense if you're looking for a dietician.

[ben w]

which is better: someone with a decent swing (but not great) who can communicate and teach well, or someone with a perfect swing who has no teaching skills?

[ChipDriver]

[quote name='Jack Pearsall' timestamp='1332952859' post='4599029']
I once asked a new to me teaching pro to hit a few balls so Jack could see his swing. He was annoyed at the idea and bristled visibly. He asked me why. I told him Jack Pearsall likes to know what prejudices a teacher brings to the swing they teach, or something super kewl like that. I could see his eye-balls rolling...so, I now insist on seeing his swing. He hits it beautifully, lovely swing. He goes on to help me for a numerous months. Worked out great.

I would not have worked with him beyond that lesson had I not found his swing pleasing.

Is this a reasonable thing, in your incredible golf estimation, for Jack Pearsall to do?
[/quote]


Reasonable - maybe. To me - it's more important that he has performed at a high level (and verify them) and can communicate. It also depends if you're a kinesthetic learner? Are you visual? or are you audible?

But if you're just trying to be like Trevino - for most folks I think that's fairly narrow minded. As long as the coach has verifiable experience or bona fides; has eyes and an ability to communicate it should be more than satisfactory. Butch Harmon won't hit a ball for you; neither will Jack Lumpkin. I bet Tiger Woods could teach you - but you won't look anything like him. By the same token, Arnie could probably teach you too - and you DON'T want to look like him. Heck Carrie Webb's former coach was in a wheelchair when she was the #1 player in the world.

More importantly - why would you even consider a coach or instructor without a referral? I'd suggest looking for a coach or instructor the same way you look for a doctor - ask someone who you think is a good player for the name of his instructor....and see what he says.

[Jack Pearsall]

Good insights provided. Thank you. Seriously, i am reconsidering my staid approach.

[size="3"][b]Good work,[/b] [i]great job![/i][/size]

[russc1597187869]

So I guess that most of you would turn down instruction from Bob Torrance

[umaynome]

I've seen a lot of people throughout my life who had beautiful swings.

(The next sentence is left as an exercise for the reader.)

[northgolf]

Northgolf has seen his share of beautiful swingers and a fair number of them never set foot on a golf course.

[junkfry]

Should I quit my lessons with Bob Toski?

[SurfinTurf]

[quote name='northgolf' timestamp='1332982824' post='4602385']
Northgolf has seen his share of beautiful swingers and a fair number of them never set foot on a golf course.
[/quote]

SurfinTurf and his wife really miss your parties.

[attachment=1093485:swingers.jpg]

[northgolf]

[quote name='SurfinTurf' timestamp='1332984994' post='4602691']
[quote name='northgolf' timestamp='1332982824' post='4602385']
Northgolf has seen his share of beautiful swingers and a fair number of them never set foot on a golf course.
[/quote]

SurfinTurf and his wife really miss your parties.

[attachment=1093485:swingers.jpg]
[/quote]


SurfinTurf

[dso1986]

i think the ball flight would be a better indicator than how the swing looks visually

[SurfinTurf]

[quote name='northgolf' timestamp='1332985644' post='4602785']
[quote name='SurfinTurf' timestamp='1332984994' post='4602691']
[quote name='northgolf' timestamp='1332982824' post='4602385']
Northgolf has seen his share of beautiful swingers and a fair number of them never set foot on a golf course.
[/quote]
SurfinTurf and his wife really miss your parties.
[attachment=1093485:swingers.jpg]
[/quote]
SurfinTurf
[/quote]
Let's share[i] the[/i] [b][i]LOVE[/i][size="3"][i] [/i]SOON!!!

[/size][size="3"]We brought a fruit basket[/size][/b][b][size="3"][size="3"]!!![/size]
[/size][/b]

[anth]

Anth is disappointed with how often Jack Pearsall slips in and out of third person ([i]that's what she said[/i]).

Jack Pearsall needs to be more consistent and worry less about other people's swings.

[stone71]

SurfinTurf made stone71 laugh out loud.

stone71 thanks SurfinTurf.

[Stretch]

[size=2]It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law, JP.[/size]

[StevenF]

[quote name='MichiganMike' timestamp='1332966397' post='4600567']
I think a similar thought every time I'm at the gym. I see a few fat personal trainers and mentally note they'll never be hired by me.
[/quote]

Isn't it crazy? How can a trainer not look like they train??

[SurfinTurf]

[quote name='Stretch' timestamp='1333013634' post='4604385']
[size="2"]It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law, JP.[/size]
[/quote]

Louis Sullivan, 1896. [size="2"]You're too high.

Here, have an apple. We brought a fruit basket.


[/size]