I was talking to a range pal about past instruction and swing talk he had experienced in his long golfing life. This guy was puring it and, when I complimented the sound he made, started telling me about some of the changes instructors wanted him to make after siccing a Flightscope on him. They said his path was too inside out and pressured him, without changing his set up, to hack across the ball in order to straighten it up.

He confided he couldn’t do it. I asked him if they suggested a ball position change to accommodate the instruction. He said there was no other suggestion. So I said, “Of course you couldn’t do it! NO ONE CAN DO IT without changing ball position!” In retrospect, I felt like I was too emotional in my response to his experience. But, the instructor giving him advice was from a central Florida teaching Mecca. How could anyone worth their teaching salt not know this!? What kind of instructor would suggest a swing plane can change without a concomitant ball position change. Did he not care about contact?

I felt for my range friend at this revelation. But, I knew he was a player from way back who was an athlete and not a sycophant. I decided to ask him the only important question about impact. It is a question with an answer only an experienced, practiced, pre-technology ball-striker would know… a question that is beyond quantitative analysis and cannot be faked with a searching answer. I asked him what he thought he most important part of impact? “Hitting the middle of the face”, he said. I exclaimed, “YES! That’s all that matters! You’d be shocked at how many top players don’t know that!” I started telling him about Bruce Fleisher and intention. Anyway, that discussion led me to this idea….

The next time you take a golf lesson, ask your instructor “Why” he or she is asking you to move in a certain way or do a certain drill. Consider it, and keep digging with another “Why”. If you can’t do it, my suggestion is that you may not want knowledge. You may only want instruction. Instruction is what experienced lesson-takers require when looking for a scapegoat when things turn sour with their game. It is all a club member needs for the rationalization and also… to get favors in the golf shop (Tee Times, Pairings, etc.). The secret is out, boys and girls.

Now, if the instructor EVER gets offended to your one type of question – LOSE THEM! You’ll be doing the earnest among them a huge favor – especially if you like them. The only people who want to answer the “Why” question are Teachers. Teachers convey facts and draw in all sides of a story to substantiate the message. They have done more research and devoted more thought to the truth underlying every answer to “What, Where, How, and When?” Think about The questions you have when you see a mechanic, carpenter, or a surgeon.

I think we need to be more honest when communicating with our hired experts. If you want to be sure you are getting the absolute truth in any business situation, we have to ask lots of questions. Otherwise, we are handing money to an ambitious someone who would otherwise spend their time fogging a mirror. Believe me, they are all around us. I understand this argument serves my purposes, but it doesn’t make my words any less true. You see, I was lucky. I had a student that wasn’t afraid to question my information. It only made me better.

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy