The Hippocratic Oath doesn’t just apply to medical doctors or, at least, shouldn’t. Any time healers or helpers act for the health of their patient, they operate under an implicit guideline to “Do No Harm”. However, we’ve all seen the ambitious or conflicted reap rewards from trusting “patients”.

I know this seems combative, but we have an actual problem in the golf instruction industry, too. The majority of instructors could never pass an golf swing MCAT. Anyone with the slightest inkling to make money “Teaching” golf can hang up a shingle, find a soapbox, and begin selling their snake oil to the eager and ill golfer, using empassioned and distracting language.

Their’s is a rocky path lit by self-interest and deception. That is why this site is free. I want to set myself apart by writing about the Open Stance philosophy in hopes of reaching the world with the truth. And the truth is, if your instructor or teacher does not set you up open, or at least on parallel “tracks”, then they are guaranteeing your continued frustration and subscription to the mainstream narratives.

Anyone can teach adaptation. Adaptation’s only requirement is consciousness. The reason adaptation is so easy to teach is because we don’t need the help in the first place. It’s avoidance theory… we choose to distance ourselves from responsibility because doing so has no negative consequences. Therefore, instruction becomes a business negotiation – using empassioned speech and fear to get people to do what they could, just as easily, do for themselves. It’s a WIN-WIN with “The blind leading the blind”.

Foundational knowledge is what teachers provide and, for which, students are responsible. I could easily put together a cirriculum or test and measure golf knowledge – from putting, to chipping and pitching, to full swing. In fact, I already have.

However, adoption, as such, is tricky. Moreover, how would we institute true learning to validate the cirriculum with graduates? After all, the PGA of America currently has the market cornered on teaching “certification”. More on that later.

My entire point is that we can use old wood to build a new house, but it doesn’t make the house old. Likewise, you can freshen-up old language, spin a narrative, and prey on fear. However, snake oil won’t turn into holy water, no matter how unwitting your patient. Hence, instructors may be doing harm, simply by enabling avoidance.

Let’s not be hypocrites as we carry out our charge to heal the golfing world. The Hippocratic method of teaching golf means more than just not making someone’s game worse. “Do no harm” means compelling the student to take responsibility for their own improvement, built on a solid foundation… of set-up.

I understand instructor concerns that there is a financial risk in revealing the cure. However, I can tell you that watching my students’ fast improvement more than compensates for monetary gain. Once the Open Stance becomes synonymous with healing our golf swing, revenue will leave the “salesmen” and find the “Hippocratic” sage. Flip-flopping by the ambitious will be impossible, and will not go unnoticed.

Open your stance, and play golf.

John Wright – Founder The Open Stance Academy

https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/why-open-stance-controls-trailing-elbow/ https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/putting-wins/ https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/weakness-gives-birth-to-ambition/