It Was the Best of Advice, It Was the Worst of Advice

I was recently asked about the best and worst golf advice I have everreceived.

Worst advice? That’s easy. Anything that is deemed “unsolicited” is the most dreadful advice in the history of golf.

Read that again. I’m not saying advice isn’t offered with the best of intentions. But “intentions” don’t matter if you are screwing up someone’s golf swing.

Can’t help yourself? Then simply ask for permission before the verbal floodgates open. If the person hesitates for even a millisecond, be on your merry way. In most cases, those who are practicing on the driving range are already working on a specific swing thought. And I can’t count the number of times I’ve had students working on a very specific part of their swing, only to have Harry (plumber by day, golf “expert” by night) interject a totally random (and detrimental) swing thought.

The next golf lesson is spent undoing the mayhem Harry set into motion, as well-meaning as he was.

I have had my share of “Harrys” throw advice at me, too, but my favorite was when I was diligently dialing in my baby cut shot … with a good amount of success, I might add. As my practice session was nearing the end, a very confident UPS driver, still in his uniform, sauntered over and stood in my periphery.

Interestingly, this was the same guy who spewed some colorful language when his shots catapulted from the rails dividing the hitting bays. When I looked up, he announced that he could “cure my slice.” I tried to explain that I was actually working on that specific shot because I was playing a golf course the next day that required many left-to-right approach shots and I was trying to diminish the amount of sidespin so my ball would land softer and stop quicker.

He stood there briefly, feverishly nodded his head like he could totally relate and walked away as I offered a “…but thank you anyway.”

Now, good golf advice? That is more difficult to come by, but there is still plenty of it. However, what one person deems to be “the best advice ever” might be considered just “meh” to someone else. I was recently discussing this very topic (good vs. bad golf advice) with my brothers.

PHIL: I still remember something you told me when we were kids.

ME: You mean when I warned you to stop wearing those lame polyester golf pants to school?

PHIL: (pause) Um … no. And those were cool. (Then we laughed and laughed.) Anyway, you told me to be more strategic in placing my golf bag when I put it down to hit a shot. You pointed out that I was putting it behind me for some reason, and after I hit a shot I would have to turnaround and walk back to my bag. You showed me that if I set it down a few feet in front of me instead, it was easier to simply walk straight to it after my shot. I know it sounds absurd, but at 11 years old it was a bigger deal than it seems right now. And I never forgot that. Even today when I’m using a golf cart, I think about the best place to park before I hit my shot, and it’s because of what you said that day. Even though it sounds like something small, it ultimately helps my rhythm, and that’s a big deal.

So clearly, golf advice doesn’t necessarily have to be profound for it to be effective and helpful. But as a golf professional, I would be remiss if I did not share advice that has made the biggest impact with my students. About 90 percent of golfers are too rigid, muscles are too tight and they try to “hit” the ball instead of simply allowing the club to swing.

Combine that with a tempo that is way too fast, and you have a recipe for an inconsistent (and often disappointing) golf swing. The next time you set up to the ball, take a deep breath and pay attention to any tension you might have in your hands, wrists, forearms or shoulders. Relax as much as possible. And then when you make your swing, try to exert only 80 percent of your potential power (aka: slow down).

By relaxing and slowing down your golf swing, all the moving parts will be working more in unison. Tempo and timing are improved, and the odds of solid contact go up by about 1,000 percent.

And I can’t sign off until I share one last piece of advice: If you are struggling with your golf swing, see your local PGA or LPGA Golf Professional instead of trying to figure things out on your own. Trust me.

What is deemed to be “good advice” will vary from player to player. Ask yourself: What is some of the best advice you have received? Do you still follow that advice? If not, why? Sometimes all we need to do to get back on track is remember what was working in the past and implement that again, even if it initially seems less than impressive.