Basics For Those Golf Basics
Glen Osborne
Basics For "Those Golf Basics"
A Gap in Golf Instruction?
In early 2004 I read an Internet article which contained the statement that "golfers are desperately looking for golf instruction".
Hold on here! There has been some of the finest instruction for any sport provided in current golf teaching. For someone to make the above statement, it would seem ludicrous. I mean, there are some tremendous golf teachers out there. They rank from those who you see on the Golf Channel to those terrific gals and guys who you know at your nearby golf course.
But, the above statement hints that something is not working. Well, I have a good idea what is not working and what should work. (Notice, I did not say that I KNOW what is not working.)
I will be introducing you to some new and vital golf tips and golf instruction from this website. You will NOT be learning a whole new method of swinging the golf club. This will not be some "revolutionary" golf swing theory. What I will show you are some fundamentals of golf swing movements which will prepare you for the golf swing ideas presented in current theories of golf instruction.
I have had experience as a physical education teacher from Grades 1 to 9. In one year I saw the full development from a struggling Grade 1 student learning basic athletic movements all the way to fluid-moving Grade 9 students (nearly a full-grown adult). And, within that one year I quickly learned how to develop that final fluid movement throughout all the 'in-between" growing stages.
(By the way, this is an experience that all Golf Pros should go through to learn the deepest levels of teaching in their profession.)
I know the difficulty people of any age have in trying to learn NEW body movements for any sport. Come to think of it - I know that same difficulty for people of all ages when they try to learn anything from how to safely cut a slice of roast beef to how to correctly type out an email message to send to their family or friends.
I've played most sports - except lacrosse. I am still learning new concepts of how to correctly move for the sports that I use to play. (A young lacrosse player showed me some moves that are part of the golf swing. Aha! Didn't know that did you?)
That is the key! You have to be willing to learn new concepts. Even the new concepts of Natural Golf and Gravity Golf, to name two, seem to miss the concept of basic body movement from which "the basics of golf" can be taught.
The Golf Teaching Pro industry has very good "teaching stuff".
But, there is SOMETHING MISSING!
Many people try to play golf and too many of those give up.
A possible answer: Golf instruction has originated from people who have "figured" out how to do that which is good for their own golf game. Because no other starting point was available, mimicking the successful golfers and following their advice has been the starting point for beginners or struggling golfers.
I was taught how to teach athletics from a man who loved soccer. I had never played soccer until I met him in university. I not only became a good soccer player - I became a good teacher of soccer and any other sport.
That man taught us how to teach during the process of teaching us how to play the game and learn the skills. And, since he was preparing us to "go forth" and teach little children, he also showed us how to teach to various levels of physical and mental development.
I have discovered that everyone who wants to learn how to swing that "stick" to smack that "little white ball" has to learn some simple Grade 1 type of movements.
Guess what! Those simple movements do not have to be golf- related movements.
I have made a point of trying to find ways of relating common, everyday life skill movements to the golf swing. I have tried to relate the movements in a lot of other sports to the golf swing movements. My conclusion? Everyone has already learned something in their life which will help them learn an effective way to hit the golf ball.
If you have ever tried to cut thin slices off a roast beef you know that a certain skill or attentiveness is required. You need to have precise movements and a "whole lot of no movements" to do that job without cutting your finger off.
Silly analogy, I know. But, the connection is that controlled movement along with absolute non-movement is important for anything we do. That includes the golf swing.
Basic Teaching Concepts
What I teach is basic body movement which is controlled for the precision needed as you teach your mind and body how to handle a golf club.
I make people believers that they have the talent to enjoy this sport even though they may have been given the idea that they were not athletes or were too uncoordinated to do any sports. I have always transformed these people within 5 minutes of my first lesson.
You will learn, from my golf lesson modules, new information which will teach you how to prepare to move and then how to move during your golf swing. My methods work quickly because they teach people how to make simple athletic movements. I could charge a high price for each module. The information is valuable. But, I am here to support the whole golf industry. I want you to start with what you will learn from my modules and then progress on to more advanced golf instruction, buy green fees, buy golf clubs, etc. from the established golf pros and golf courses.
Fire in the Hole
Why am I stepping into a "fire of controversy" that awaits me?
Oh yes! I have been challenged for what I do in golf instruction. But, I know something new! It brought me golf students from outside the local area where I set up shop to teach local golfers. There are a number of nearby Golf Pros offering their services. Some of my students had taken lessons from these Pros in the past. But, they came to me to learn some missing elements in golf instruction.
In my first year I taught 115 registered students an average of 5 lessons each. As word spread of my teaching, golfers of various levels came to me for 1 to 3 lessons. There were less than 10 registered students in the previous year.
No golf Pro was available in that town. I said to people, "I can do that." I got involved to fill the gap. I am a teacher, more specifically, a teacher of athletics. I have patience. I was what a lot of people wanted for their first try at learning to golf or fix some problems with their current golf game. I made a lot of money for nearby golf businesses by starting people into golf with an enthusiastic desire to enjoy being on golf outings with their friends and families.
I have no intention of becoming "the great wizard" of something new in golf instruction.
But, here I am! Giving you a new way of learning how to play golf which simply gets beginners learning how to do a good golf swing very fast. Many of these people just want to be able to get a few good golf hits at the company "beer and food" celebration type of scramble golf tournament.
A number of my students have come back to me saying that they "had a hoot" at their company golf tournament. They met new business clients, they met new friends, they found a new way to drink beer and swallow kaviar (whoops!), or whatever. They were there because somebody (like me) gave them some golf lessons which sent them on the way to enjoy their company party.
And, because they were new to golf they had to look into getting some golf equipment and find places to golf. The result? The golf pros, who did not get the lesson money, got other golf related expenses from these new golfers.
I toiled at this for about $10.00 per hour just to see wonderful people of all ages get a gentle start into an activity which I have a great passion for.
I am happy that I got involved.
I am content that I came up with some new ideas to teach golf to people who want to quickly learn if they can hit a golf ball some of the time like those great golfers we see on television.
Surprising Techniques
For your early interest I do teach a putting method which is a miniature version of the full swing and almost every other swing in-between. How simple golf can be if you can practice putting and, at the same time, actually practice parts of your full swing.
For your interest I do have a golf lesson which gets new or struggling golfers hitting the ball like good golfers within 30 minutes in their first lesson. The only times I have failed at doing this is when we just had such a good time chatting about things during the 30 minutes that it just took longer to go through my lesson.
Here is something really new. My next article in this series leading toward my golf instruction modules is:
One Wrong Thought Causes Sooooo Many Of The Bad Hits You See And Do
Here is another important thought. My teaching will lead you into various golf swing methods which you see advertised. Three of these are the Traditional Swing, The Natural Golf Swing, and Gravity Golf. My original goal was to make it easier for you to learn the traditional swing used by most golfers. When I finally got to see books and videos of the other two methods I discovered that I was teaching elements of these swing concepts.
More articles are listed on my Home Page
Copyright by Glen Osborne April 2004
About the author: Glen teaches his golf program for Ladysmith, BC, Canada Parks & Recreation email: artcomment@basicbodymovementforanygolfswing.com http://basicbodymovementforanygolfswing.com
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