Golf Instruction: A Shrink’s View of Golf Teaching

I think this is worth sharing from a student's standpoint of finding a good instructor and an instructor's standpoint of being educational.

Posted on December 17, 2014
Psychotherapy
(Reprinted from PGA MAGAZINE, 3/1/08)

A lot has been written by golf professionals about what amateurs need to do to improve, but we read little from amateurs about what PGA professionals need to do to become better instructors. As a psychotherapist, I’ve always been interested in how people change. So, when I’ve gone to see a golf instructor – and I’ve seen many – I pay close attention to what works and what doesn’t. And, it’s no surprise that, just as therapy varies widely in its effectiveness, so too does golf instruction. Much of it is bad; occasionally it’s good.

The problem with ineffective golf instruction, as with ineffective therapy, is that the recipient often blames himself or herself for a failure to improve. In each situation, the client needs help – sometimes desperately – and is willing to put him or herself into the care of a professional. Because of this dependency, a great deal of authority is conferred on the professional. The person seeking help is eager for approval and is usually not in a position to accurately judge his or her helper. Poor outcomes usually lead to demoralization and self – blame.

Since I’ve spent a fair amount of time as both a helper and a person seeking help, I’ve reached some conclusions about what makes the learning process work, conclusions that I think might be of value to both teaching professionals and the average golfer. But before I spell out what makes a good golf teacher, I want to add a caveat: most of my difficulties as a golfer have nothing to do with my instruction. I’ve had enough good instructors to know how to improve. But, like most amateurs, I don’t practice or play nearly enough. As a result, I’m a 16 handicap player with an eight handicap swing!

In my view, good golf teachers share with good therapists the following traits:

1) They listen to what the client/student wants from the session.

Too often, instructors want to teach what they know without first finding out what the student is really there for. The best teachers try to figure out if the student primarily wants a quick fix, an adjustment that will help him or her have a more enjoyable round that day, or a plan to reconstruct his or her swing over the long haul. There’s nothing wrong with going to a PGA professional to get a “tip” that temporarily corrects a swing flaw, even if that tip is really only a compensatory adjustment for a deeper problem. A good teacher will tailor the instruction to the agenda of the student.

For example, I was once was about to leave for a special golf outing, and was fighting a frustrating slice. I went to a teacher and explained the situation. He told me to significantly close my stance, almost as if I was setting up to hit a big hook. This tip enabled me to play several rounds on my trip from the fairway rather than the woods. In that instance, the teacher understood that I wasn’t going to work with him over time to correct my more fundamental problems.

Too often, a student seeks help for one particular thing, not intending to sign up for a major overhaul, and is told that the problem ultimately derives from several fundamental problems at the core of his or her swing, problems that can only be addressed by a series of lessons over time. Like therapists, golf teachers can be correct but not helpful.

2) They learn to speak the client’s language

Some students are left-brain thinkers who respond best when the teacher explains his or her suggestions intellectually, offering the student the theory guiding instruction. Other students learn best through visual demonstrations, either computer – aided, or modeled by the instructor. And still other students need to primarily feel the changes in their own bodies. While everyone hopes to eventually combine these three modalities, it is essential that the instructor quickly adapt his or her teaching style and drills to the idiosyncratic learning styles of the student.

A friend and I once took lessons from the same golf instructor. He was great with my friend because he gave a lot of technical instruction – which satisfied my friend’s thirst for mechanical details – but the identical instruction was frustrating to me because I work best when I have a clear visual image of the “correct” way to do something. For example, I would have gotten more benefit from watching my instructor illustrate the correct move, or by watching a professional on a tape or computer, then from being told about it. It seems obvious that people learn in different ways but too often golf instructors present their instruction in a “one size fits all” manner.

3) They accurately assess what the client is able to take in.

Like changing someone’s self – defeating thinking in therapy, changing muscle memory in someone’s golf swing is difficult and has to be done with great patience and reasonable expectations. When making his first major swing change in 1998, Tiger Woods reportedly hit 1100 balls per day, most of them under the corrective guidance of a skilled coach. When amateurs like me take a lesson, we might hit a bucket or two of balls and then take a swing change to the course, only to become frustrated when the results are inconsistent. Golf instructors often give their amateur students too much information, too many ideas, too many corrections, instead of making one clear change at the time.

Recently, I was taking a lesson from a terrific teacher who was working with my tendency to pull the ball. He suggested that I experiment with feeling that my body was moving from “low to high” in the downswing and follow through in order to keep myself more behind the ball. It felt strange, but I worked on this the entire hour. He said very little about anything else. He told me not to worry about hitting the ball thin or even if I found myself hitting fades. I gradually began to get this feeling more ingrained and stopped pulling the ball.

In the stall next to us, however, was another instructor working with a high-handicap student. The instructor was talking incessantly. He was telling the person all about the golf swing, about swing planes, weight shifts, and balance. The student was clearly overwhelmed. Golf instructors need to learn that sometimes “less is more.”

4) They provide a clear and explicit “treatment” plan.

Whether they’re driving a car, doing therapy, or trying to change their golf swing people like to know where they’re going. Golf instruction often fails when it is presented in a scattergun fashion, with no systematic game plan. Further, too often the golf coach doesn’t remember what the student was working on in the previous session and reinvents the wheel each time. Let’s face it – there is always something wrong with my golf swing. At any given time a teacher could look at my swing and point out several problems. However, a good teacher has a plan, an intuitive and logical strategy for helping me improve over time.

I used to see a teacher who knew a lot about the golf swing but each time I saw him, it was clear that he had no memory of what we’d worked on two weeks before. He would look at my swing and whatever occurred to him first was what we would work on. It was always something important, but I rarely had a sense that we were building a swing, that there was a method to this madness. Students feel comforted and inspired when they know where they’re going and when they feel that their instructor has a plan for getting there.

As in psychotherapy, the primary mistake the golf teachers make is putting their own theories ahead of figuring out what the student or client needs. I know from both ends of the relationship that there is a natural inclination in helpers to feel insecure about their expertise and authority. In response to this, the process becomes subtly focused on demonstrating what the teacher knows rather than what the student needs. From the point of view of the student, it’s easy when they are suffering – whether in life or on the links – and put themselves into the care of a professional. Invariably, they blame themselves if they don’t make progress. Unfortunately, often the problem lies with the professional. Sometimes the professional needs their help in getting on track.

Here are some ways to become a better teacher:

1) Ask your students to try to tell you how he or she learns. Coax them to be as explicit as possible. For example, have them tell you if they prefer technical details or simply a few images. Such minimal information will inform you how best to work with that particular student.

2)   If you sense the student is not finding a lesson helpful, acknowledge that fact in a way that includes your own possible culpability and ask if he or she would like you to try to combat the problem from a different angle because this one isn’t working.

3)   Tell them they may or may not get better right away after one or two lessons, but that they should know whether or not there is a good fit between the two of you. If not, don’t hesitate to recommend another instructor who might be a better fit.

4) Ask them to tell you what they like about your style and what is most effective in getting through to them. This also provides reinforcement about how they learn best.

5) Remind them that they can’t blame the instruction if they don’t practice or play much and are not getting better!

There are a lot of good golf instructors out there, and I’ve seen my share of them. They are worth their weight in gold. Ultimately it’s the student’s responsibility to take control of his or her learning. And it’s the teacher’s job to figure out how best to make that happen.

What Bobby Jones Had to Say Still Applies Today

Either Bobby Jones was ahead of his time or this philosophy got lost as the years went by.

I read a lot of the writings and thoughts of the greats of the past because I believe their message is still effective today and that the future of golf instruction is in learning to teach better.  Not in learning more "what to teach."  It appears that Bobby Jones knew over 70 years ago something that is now being learned, or relearned about how people of all ages learn to swing the golf club.  The science behind human learning is slowly seeping into golf instruction.

They learn primarily with their eyes and not their ears! 

There are sub-groups under that -  visual, auditory, read-write, and kinesthetic, but we primarily learn with our eyes.

Without getting too deep into the rabbit hole of neuroscience, the Holonomic brain theory supports that people learn motor skills not by linking a progression of positions together like line-by-line computer code, but instead by storing the entire movement as a neural 3-D hologram.  In other words they learn from watching.  

It appears that Stewart Maiden and Bobby Jones understood this.

Bobby wasn't a big proponent of teaching the golf swing.  Bobby learned the game by playing and observing the pro at his club, Stewart Maiden.  Maiden did not spend time on the practice tee giving Bobby swing instruction.  In fact, Bobby claimed that, to the best of his knowledge, Maiden never allowed himself to be drawn into a discussion about the golf swing.  To Stewart Maiden, golf was all about striking the wee ball.  Bobby might have been convinced to write about the swing, but I suspect he did so with mixed emotions.  He was not a man who believed in playing the game in a mechanical way.  He was not a fan of what he called, "rigid adherence to prescribed routine," in the teaching and learning of the golf swing. 

Bobby wrote: "Even if a person may not have begun to play golf at an early age, I believe that he may gain much by emphasizing naturalness in his learning processes. I think he has the right to convince himself that an effective golf swing can be made without rigid adherence to a prescribed routine and that there is room for differences in physical structure and capabilities. No matter how nearly equal in performance the top-rank players may be, yet they are as recognizable by their swings as by their faces.

"What the average golfer needs more than fine spun theories," Bobby wrote, "is something that will give him a clearer conception of what he should try to do with the clubhead... When we speak of sound method or good form, we mean nothing more than that the possessor of either has simplified his swing to the point where errors are less likely to creep in and he is able consistently to bring his club against the ball in the correct hitting position."

If You are Considering Taking Golf Lessons.....

Finding a Good Instructor/Coach

The major reason it is difficult to find good golf instruction today is that instructors/coaches are not ranked by results.  The PGA, Golf Digest, no one does this.  What we need is an “Angie’s List” for golf professionals.  This may be why only 2 out of 17 golfers take lessons.  I’m sure it is at least a factor.

At this point word-of-mouth is all we have.  If you are thinking of taking lessons, you need to do some research before you pay your hard earned money to someone.  The good ones will have no problem with this.  If they are offended by your questions then move on.  You would be wasting your money with them anyway.

Here are a few points to consider before signing up with someone:

• If they try to sell you a package up front there is a problem.  If they haven’t spent any time with someone how can they possibly have any idea how many lessons you will need.  Packages are not bad unless you are being asked to sign up for one initially.

• If they do split screen video comparing your swing to some tour player and proceed to point out how many things are wrong in your swing you need to ask for your money back.  This is what is generally referred to as “Let me show you how many ways your swing sucks” school of instruction.

• The real red flag is do they teach a method?  Every instructor should have a method of teaching but should never teach a method.  It’s like saying “One size fits all”.  No method fits everyone.  People and golf swings are individual.

• They spend a lot of time talking about how much they know and how good a player they are.

• They don’t spend any time asking about your goals, medical problems, and swing thoughts.

Here is some things you can expect from a good instructor/coach:

• Introduction. Students are often intimidated by teaching professionals, so he or she will try setting the student at ease and developing a rapport prior to the session. This leads to more effective communication between the teacher and the student.

• They will want background information. This information includes: Previous golf and sports history; previous injury history; ask about physical limitations; occupation; previous instruction history; goals for golf.

• They will want specific golf information. This includes: examination of the golfer's equipment; ball flight characteristics; determining how far the golfer hits each club; strengths and weaknesses in the various aspects of golf; practice habits; motivation for playing golf (i.e., competition vs. hobby vs. spouse activity, etc.); motivation for taking golf lessons.

• A good instructor will form a personal relationship with you and be personally interested in your success.

• There is even a trend now among the good one ones to offer monthly and yearly rates for unlimited help since people learn more effectively in frequent, short sessions.

The real art of instruction is figuring out what is integral to each players swing and knowing that you should not try to change that.  You have to work around it and help them become the best they can be with the fundamental swing they have.  If you know someone who does this, please let me know.  I want to promote them to everyone.  I already have my list of teachers.

There is good news though.  There is a growing number of instructors out there that will help you simplify what you need to do and will help you maximize your swing and ability – not remake your swing in their image of what they think it should like.  It’s just difficult to find them because they don’t get much publicity.

Word of Caution

One word of caution – if you try to go it alone, keep this in mind that it is going to be incredibly difficult .  If you google golf instruction, golf tips, how to fix a slice, etc. you will get a huge selection.  One reason for this is that these people are in it for the money and not to primarily concerned with helping golfers.  You are bombarded by emails and infomercials telling you that if you buy this DVD or training aid, this book, etc. your game will dramatically improve and each one is telling you a different secret.  They have tour players and ex-tour players swearing its some type of breakthrough.  I hate to tell you, but virtually all of them are all scams.  Nobody has the secret because there is no secret.  They are simply trying to make money off you regardless of what they tell you in their video.  Anyone that appears on the first page of google results has an ulterior motive or they wouldn’t go to that much trouble to get that highly ranked.

If you have questions or would like to get in touch with me just leave a comment.

Golf Instruction Has Become Too Complex

In the battle of simplicity vs. complexity, simplicity wins, every time. We gravitate toward products and services that eliminate complexity from our lives, and we rail against the things that complicate matters and make us feel stupid.

Back in the days of the three-martini lunch, golf instruction was simple and appealing. Back then 90% of the clubs were private and as a country club member you had a pro at your disposal. He’d work with you on the driving range, play with you, coach you to get better, and monitor your progress.

It was a personalized, one-on-one experience.

No two lessons were the same. He worked with the swing you had, and helped you build the skills you needed to score well on the golf course. Accountability was built in… You’d practice because you knew the pro was keeping an eye on your progress.

But those days are gone.

Today, less than 5% of all golfers have a relationship with a golf pro. Surveys have shown that the number of golfers that think lessons could help them is around 15 out of 20.  The interesting thing is that only about 2 out every 17 are taking lessons.  Maybe we should think about why that is…

Is it because most lessons are totally intimidating, especially for women. Is it because most instructors make them way too complex!  The most common response from golfers is that either they didn’t get better or their buddies that took lessons didn’t get better.

It is a rare instructor who sends the student off with fewer than five or six “things to work on.”  According to Phil Mickelson, even the tour gurus are often guilty of over-instruction. “Can’t you just give me one thing to work on?”

Often it’s a checklist of a dozen mechanical issues that the average guy can’t possibly grasp, much less incorporate into his game. The more technical the lesson is, the worse it gets.

Group lessons are often ineffective because a statement made in the group will be interpreted differently by each member of the group.  Most golf schools are especially ineffective because the student is taught by several different instructors, each giving them different things to work on.  Common complaints include: “I came back worse than when I started.” “It was just way too technical.” “He didn’t give me anything positive, it was all about what I was doing wrong.”

Much of today’s technology only seems to help the most analytical, I want to know it all type learners; Maybe one half of one percent of the golfing population. And yet, instructors routinely use it to analyze every position and point out every flaw.

More often than not, it’s just confusing and demoralizing for the student.

In an issue of Golf Digest, Jim Flick, one of the top five teachers of all time, wrote an article that sums up the problem with modern golf instruction:

“A lot of today’s teachers are enamored with what works for the tour pros, and they give the same information to their higher-handicap students… In general, trying to swing like most of today’s tour pros will make the average golfer – say a 5 handicap or higher, – only worse.”

Rather than working with the student’s natural swing, today’s teachers tell everyone to emulate or copy whatever tour player swing is in favor at the time..

They bottom line is that if the golf industry is going to turn things around, the methods of instruction HAVE to change.  We’ve got to make it less complex, enjoyable and fun.  The focus needs to be on the most effective ways people actually learn.  For instance people tend to respond much more favorably to train instead of practice.  We practice law and medicine, but we should train to improve our golf.  Training involves trying and learning from your successes or failures.  Training also involves coaching instead of teaching.

That is my take on things from The Golf Cave for today.  You can see more of my thoughts on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/samadams46 or Twitter at https://twitter.com/SamAdam5346

The Best Way To Learn Golf Is Science Based and Easier

This article falls into that category of "I am not anti technology.  I am just pro science."  This was written some time back but thought it might be worth re-posting.

Some parts of this article come from another article titled Mirror Neurons and Athletes: Learning by Watching.

Mirror neurons are a white-hot topic in neuroscience right now, and have been put forward as potentially being integral to our ability to learn skills via imitation.

Athletes do this sort of thing all the time–they become experts at watching the actions of others and then assimilating those movements, strategies and skills into their own competitive arsenals.

Related article on Kinetics:

Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that respond equally when we perform an action and when we witness someone else perform the same action. They were first discovered in the early 1990s
One of the things that sets human beings apart is our ability to learn from each other.  I can watch you do something, remember it, and then use that technique or skill later for my own benefit.  We take this as trivial, but the ease with which we watch, process and recreate others’ actions has profound consequences, and not just for athletes.  Athletes do this sort of thing all the time–they become experts at watching the actions of others and then assimilating those movements, strategies and skills into their own competitive arsenals.

What we’re observing here are “mirror neurons”, neurons that are activated both when you do something, as well as when you watch something, so they effectively act as a mirror for the observed action.  Mirror neurons are a white-hot topic in neuroscience right now, and have been put forward as potentially being integral to our ability to learn skills via imitation, use language as a communicative tool, and sense what others are thinking and feeling (“theory of mind”).  But exactly how mirror neurons work, and what skills or abilities they are involved with, are still a matter of active debate.  But the evidence is building, and mirror neurons have recently been directly observed in the lab. This study at UCLA not only observed mirror neurons, but also found a subset of brain cells that appeared to actually inhibit activity, possibly to stop the subjects from actually carrying out the task that they were watching, and that their mirror neurons were imitating:

For those who want more information on this wonderfully simple concept, then read on……………..

I will say up front that those that are heavily invested in the latest technology will scream about this, but it is science and it’s time is coming.

Modern technology can help you improve, but it will be difficult and take a long time.  This science indicates there is a way to get better quickly with a lot less effort.

The science of Human Kinetics has known for years that humans learn by doing, correcting, and doing again.  They have also known and stated that too much instruction inhibits the ability to learn.

To put it simply, you don’t need the latest in technology to provide extensive data, video analysis and an understanding of bio-mechanics to learn to dance of ride a bike.  This information only makes it more difficult than it should be.  It actually gets in the way of how people actually learn.

Mirror Neurons

The latest scientific evidence involves a term “mirror neurons” which was first discovered about 10 years ago.  It deals with our ability to mimic what we see.  It has been used in other sports for years, but is just now finding its way into golf.

For years learning to play golf was simple.  All of the great players of the past such as Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, etc. learned by watching good players.

In the more modern era, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, and Arnold Palmer all developed their very individualistic swings without the help of technology.  Tiger Woods watched his father and other good players as a child, and didn’t get into technology until after he left Butch Harmon.  Now we have Jordan Spieth’s coach talking about it.

With the advent of high speed photography, everything started to change and instructors started focusing on analyzing and teaching positions rather than swinging the club effectively as a whole.
The more technology has developed with the advent of launch monitors and 3-D imaging the more focused we have become on angles, planes, positions and numbers.  Consequently golf has become more and more difficult for the average person to learn.

We finally have a tool to make it easy, but it require changing the way most instructors teach which will not be easy, but it offers an opportunity to help us grow the game rapidly.  The reason most cited for quitting golf or not taking it up is that it is so difficult to learn.

Maybe not much longer.

That's all from the Golf Cave for today.

Should Golf Instructors Specialize?

I was having an interesting conversation with a friend about golf instruction and teachers and he brought up a really interesting point that got me to thinking, which is usually a dangerous thing.

He said, “Golf instruction is the only profession that doesn’t have specialist.”  Hmmm…….

Other Professions Do

Years ago if you had a medical problem you went the doctor and he was a general practitioner.  You went to him for almost everything initially.  Now days if we have a rash we go to a dermatologist, etc.  Back then if you needed an operation you went to a surgeon.  Now days if you need an operation you go to a surgeon that specializes in that part of the body like neurosurgeon or cardio vascular surgeon, etc.

If you need legal advice you go to an attorney that specializes in that field such as divorce, personal injury, labor law, etc.

There was a time when school teachers taught all the subjects.  Today they all have specialties such as math science, English, etc.

Golf instruction has apparently never evolved to that point.

Why Not Golf Instruction?

I know that most everyone claims to be able to teach all types of students, but that is like the teacher that teaches all subjects.  You are going to be much better at some than others.  I know a lot of teaching professionals and there is only a handful that I would trust enough to send students of all levels to.

I also know that most think by saying I teach everybody that they have a chance to reach more potential students, but it often ends in over promising and under delivering.

Something I have learned after 40 years of teaching at all levels is that children learn differently at different ages and they learn totally different than adults.  People that did not learn to play golf as a child need to be taught differently than people that did.  Teaching women is totally different than teaching men.  They learn completely differently.  Working with elite players is a vastly different experience than working with an average golfer.

I can break it down even farther by saying some are better at certain aspects of the game like hitting driver, or short game, or putting than they are at others.

I also learned over the years what my strong suits are and where I am weakest.  I am naturally better teaching the average golfer the full swing because that is what I enjoy the most with the short game a close second.  Can I help golfers in all aspects?  The answer is YES, but putting is my weakest area.

The Point

My point here is why not specializing?  Specialist in every profession get to charge more.  You also are setting yourself apart from the masses for marketing purposes.  Very few are doing it so you are going to get people’s attention if you do.

For the golfers out there, would you be interested in going to a specialist?

This week’s food for thought from the Golf Cave.  Tell your friends about The View From The Golf Cave.

A Key to Why Some Golf Instructors Are Successful

Why Some Golf Instructors Are Successful

I have been researching the topic of why some golf instructors are successful and why others struggle for some time now.  I have also been trying to figure why the great instructors of the past and present were so much better than others that knew as much about the golf swing as they did and had great results before the age of technology.

Many of you may already be aware of this and I have suspected it for a long time.  I just never took the time to research it and I can’t find where anyone has talked or written about it.

Before I go any farther, I need to give my definition of “successful.”  By successful I mean truly helping people to improve their games over time.  I do not mean having a full appointment book only because you have great marketing skills and can constantly bring in new students.  I also don’t mean people that have a great success rate on the lesson tee and two days later their student is no better or maybe even worse than before.  Almost any teacher should be able to do that.

I have also spent a lot of time on learning more about how people actually learn complex motor skills and reading a lot of Michael Hebron’s posts about the role of the brain in the learning process.  I have also paid particular attention to the posts and comments of golf professionals whose opinions I really respect.

I have read countless comments by teachers that say they are successful therefore their methods or theories are the way it should be done.  My strong sense and appreciation for logic tells me immediately that this is not necessarily true.

The one common denominator I have found is a trait that all good/great teachers past and present share is highly developed communication skills.  They are natural communicators.  What they are teaching is not nearly as important as how they are teaching it.

That really registered on me when I read a line in Michael Hebron's opening statement to a conference he where was speaking; “Throughout this conference keep in mind that information does not produce good learning any more than paint produces good art.” Buying more brushes and paint are not going to make you a better artist.

No matter how much knowledge you have or how many certifications you have attained, if you cannot communicate well you are going to have limited success.

Here are a few keys I have picked up:

• Build the relationship first – always!

• Have empathy for your students – here is a link on the importance of empathy in learning

• Know what you are talking about – this is about depth of knowledge not breadth.  As Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know the subject well enough.”

• Listen more than you speak – great communicators listen more than they speak.

• Focus on understanding what the other person is saying - focus your mind on listening and understanding.

• Open your mind to new ideas – never stop learning.

• Never tell them more than the absolutely need to know - talking a lot just to cover all the points is counterproductive.

• They never talk down to their student for any reason – it is one the most damaging things a teacher can do.  This is entirely different than speaking with security and confidence.

If I could give a young teacher any advice today it would be to focus on learning to be a good communicator and learn how people actually learn early in your career.

I know that a lot of people out there will say I’m wrong or don’t know what I’m talking about or I am just "old school", but I hope some of you are open minded enough to take some of it to heart. 

My Favorite Golf Quotes

Here is a collection of my favorite golf quotes that I hope you enjoy.  There are so many of these that I have divided them into three categories: Humor, Life, and Instruction.  Hopefully you will pick up something that is useful to you in one of the three categories.  The instruction is particularly informative.

Humorous Golf Quotes

"The golf swing is like sex. You can't be thinking about the mechanics of the act while you are performing it." Dave Hill

"Golf is a fascinating game. It has taken me nearly 40 years to discover that I can't play it." Ted Ray

"My swing is so bad; I look like a caveman killing his lunch." Lee Trevino

"They call it golf because all the other four letter words were taken." Ray Floyd

"Don't play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty." Harry Vardon

"Golf's three ugliest words: Still your shot." Dave Marr

"If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death." Sam Snead

"If I had cleared the trees and drove the green, it would have been a great shot." Sam Snead

Golf quotes that also apply to life

"One of the most fascinating things about golf is how it reflects the cycle of life. No matter what you shoot - the next day you have to go back to the first tee and begin all over again and make yourself into something." Peter Jacobsen

"The older you get, the stronger the wind gets; and it's always in your face." Jack Nicklaus

"Success in golf depends less on strength of body more on strength of mind and character." Arnold Palmer

"Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies." Bobby Jones

"A kid grows up a lot faster on the golf course. Golf teaches you how to behave." Jack Nicklaus

"I never learned anything from a match that I won." Bobby Jones

"As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round." Ben Hogan

"Concentration comes out of a combination of confidence and hunger." Arnold Palmer

"A bad attitude is worse than a bad swing." Payne Stewart

"Of all of the hazards, fear is the worst." Sam Snead

Golf Instruction Quotes

"Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course... the space between your ears." Bobby Jones

"I get as much fun as the next man from whaling the ball as hard as I can and catching it squarely on the button. But from sad experience I learned not to try this in a round that meant anything." Bobby Jones

"This is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win." Ben Hogan

"Nobody asked how you looked, just what you shot." Sam Snead

"If there is one thing I have learned during my years as a professional, it is that the only thing constant about golf is its inconstancy." Jack Nicklaus

"The mind messes up more shots than the body." Tommy Bolt

"Be decisive. A wrong decision is generally less disastrous than indecision." Bernhard Langer

"Forget the last shot. It takes so long to accept that you can't always replicate your swing. The only thing you can control is your attitude toward the next shot." Mark McCumber

"Golf is a difficult game, but it's a little easier if you trust your instincts. It's too hard a game to try and play like someone else." Nancy Lopez

"You can talk about strategy all you want, but what really matters is resiliency." Hale Irwin

"You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about." Bobby Jones

"Golf is not a game of great shots.  It's a game of accurate misses." Gene Littler

"Most fine putters are putters subconsciously.  Putting is a phychology, not a system." Mickey Wright

"The Ultimate Judge of your swing is the flight of the ball." Ben Hogan

"Play every shot so that your next one will be the easiest one you can give yourself." Billy Casper

"If you can't hit driver, don't." Greg Norman

"Golf is a game of finding what works, losing it, and finding it again." Ken Venturi

"Many shots are spoiled at the last instant by efforts to add a few more yards." Bobby Jones

"No good player ever swings as hard as he can.  Power is a matter of timing , not overpowering the ball." Arnold Palmer

"When you're playing poorly, you start thinking too much. That's when you confuse yourself." Greg Norman

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented."  Arnold Palmer

I just have to add a few final quotes from great teachers

“Golf tips are like aspirin. One may do you good, but if you swallow the whole bottle you will be lucky to survive. “ Harvey Penick

“A pretty girl will always have the toughest time learning to play golf, because every man wants to give her lessons.”  Harvey Penick

“Looking up is the biggest alibi ever invented to explain a terrible shot. By the time you look up, you've already made the mistake.” Harvey Penick

“I compare the pressure of a golf shot with making an extra point in basketball. The player starts from a full stop, and that rim doesn't move.” Harvey Penick

Last but not least is one of my all-time favorites:

“Golf is like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart.”  Arthur Daley