Unsolicited swing advice

I've been on all sides of this equation. In my experience, most tips I've received have been based on what the person giving the tip has been working on. Sometimes they were relevant. Sometimes they were not. In my experience, most golfers don't have much of a grasp of how to make a golf ball do what they want...but many think they do.

As my game has progressed I get fewer and fewer tips. That's to be expected. The last tip I got was a year and over 80 rounds ago. A 16-handicap golfer said they thought I was standing too close to the ball when putting. That wasn't it, but I thanked them none-the-less.

I could give tips every time I go to the range. Walk down the bays with mats and you'll likely hear "scuff-click, scuff-click, scuff-click" on every swing on most bays. Most golfers will do this through a whole bucket of balls, then do the same the next time there, and the next, and the next. What is the sound I described? It's the sound of the club hitting the mat then the ball. You can get away with this somewhat on a flat mat on the range. On the course? Not so much.

I seldom give advice to random people. When I do, I am very careful about how I approach them. If I can, it usually starts with some small talk. Then I'll say something like, "I noticed something about your swing that might help you. Would you like to know what it is?" I always keep it simple.

If someone asks for help or a lesson and we're getting together specifically for that purpose, that's different.

Then there is the scenario of someone here on a forum like this asking for help. Most of us at least want to help each other and most interactions go well. But here are some of the scenarios that we can smile about.

The Impossible Task Request - "I am soooo inconsistent with my swing. Can someone share a tip that will make me consistent?
The Not Enough Information Request - "Things will be going great and then all of a sudden I make a swing and the ball goes OB left or into the woods. How can I stop this?"
The I Could Help if Only You Gave Me a Clue Request - "About 5 times a round I hit a duck hook and it's killing my round. Please help! I uploaded this video of my swing. This shot was straight down the middle."
The What I Really Want Is the Magic Pill - The request seems normal enough, but as posters ask questions to diagnose the problem and offer solutions the person asking for help seems to lose interest or complains that the proposed solutions are too hard, not reasonable, or they want something that takes less of a commitment.
 
I hate unsolicited advice. I've never freely offered it but I do remember a handful of occasions, and only when said playing partner is terribly frustrated, saying something like, "I may have a suggestion that could help but only if you'd like to hear it."

Close to 50/50 I guess on who wants to hear it and I more than understand because I've both declined and accepted previous similar offers to myself in the past.

One was a THP member and he politely declined. Later in the round, he holed out from the fairway!! So what the heck did I even know in the first place???
 
McLovin;n8095844 said:
since joining thp, i ate a big piece of humble pie and realized that i’m not as good as i thought i was, and i have no business being the blind leading the blind. it’s embarrassing that i thought i knew anything at all lol

but dammit all if it’s not hard to bite your tongue when you see someone struggling. i have to constantly remind myself how much i dislike receiving unsolicited advice when i’m struggling, so other people probably feel the same way.


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I don't consider myself good enough to give advice, but whenever I see (almost always young, strong guys) hold their driver so far away at address that they have to stretch with all they've got to reach it...it's REALLY hard not to give advice.
 
When I was a junior golfer there was an older gentleman, along with an adult that knew my skills, that came down to the range and watched me hit balls after they had several drinks. The older gentlemen encouraged me to stick with the game because I would break 100, then 90, then 80 before I knew it. The older guy couldn’t see through his drunkenness that I was hitting the ball consistently well while the adult I knew was embarrassed. The older (and drunk) gentlemen didn’t realize I was a five handicap (maybe he was seeing double). That’s the last time I paid attention to unsolicited advice.


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I try to keep an open mind. There have been times when unsolicited advice was very helpful to me and sometimes even when it's not there has still been a lot of upside. I've had PGA Pros (didn't know they were) offer advice on a couple occasions and their advice was golden. Some golden advice from regular golfers too. I've of course also received advice that wasn't a good fit for me but still the interactions remained cordial, lots of Q & A/back n forth etc which led to meeting some of my regular golf buddies. I've enjoyed their freindship and passion for golf as well as being invited numerous times to play at their private clubs.
 
Happened the other day while at the range. Just doing my thing and working on something my teacher has me doing. An older gent was setting up and then walked over, saw me hit one shot and then asked if I watch the pga pros on TV, I said yes and he then did a practice swing and asked me what did I see, I'm like what? He again asked what did I see as he does this again, I've got no idea until he taps his right foot and says I've been teaching the game for 40 years and this is your finishing pose, balanced over to your left hand side. He goes on to tell me do do a practice swing and feel it.

I'm actually working on a few things so politely said no, my teacher is over there and I am working on his advice, this guy wouldn't have it and again told me to do a practice swing and again I refused. I guess he got the message and walked off with his arm out straight and his hand up.

Its not over, he goes and gets his balls to hit, I walk towards him as he comes back and said I wasn't being rude at his request, its just I am working a a few things my teacher has me doing and with out a word he carries on walking past me and flips me the finger, yup the finger.

And I thought I was being rude, though if this guy is teaching I can only hope those that he teaches have better character than this fool, no introduction, only watches on shot, feels the need to offer advise when none was needed and then because he was put out he becomes a Richard. What kind of person does this?
 
Blame Me;n8879858 said:
Happened the other day ... And I thought I was being rude, though if this guy is teaching I can only hope ... What kind of person does this?
The kind who've made themselves irrelevant as teachers because they have no people skills, are bitter about it and blame everyone else, and then lurk at ranges trying to recruit (steal) clients
 
I don't give people swing advice unless asked (or they're asking anyone).

That said, the other night I was at the range and I noticed a guy a few stalls down struggling mightily. I mean, he couldn't get the ball in the air at all. He hit a large bucket and maybe got 15% of the balls airborne. It was absolutely painful to watch. I could see all sorts of problems with his swing, like playing every club off his front foot. As I was leaving, I interrupted him and asked if he was struggling (to make sure he wasn't working on something with a coach). He told me he was a brand-new to the game and was really struggling and frustrated.

I gave him a piece of paper with Shawn Clement's name written on it, told him a little bit about why I thought watching his instruction would help, particularly if he wasn't in a position to take lessons. I bid him good day and good luck with it and left.

I'm hopeful that pointing him in the direction of great instruction has helped his progress.
 
I’ve rarely had people offer advice, as you can see from my avatar pic that JB took I clearly know what I’m doing, lol. If you consider being old and fat and still using the same basic swing I used to used when I did long drive comps 20 years ago.

Most that do tell me I should shorten my swing, duh.

At my home course most evenings there’s a guy on the putting/chipping green that my boys and I call Chi-Chi. I think he thinks he is him. Seems nice enough but the rare times he’s not giving “lessons” he can be seen chipping and putting. He should spend more time doing that than instructing as he’s not good. I’ve seen some interesting techniques being “taught”. I’ve largely avoided him, the only time he approached me I was there with my sons. He watched my middle son, who has the best touch I’ve ever seen (yes I’m bragging, but it’s also true-I’m honest about my own kids abilities) I’ve seen in someone outside of the professionals. He asked me “you want to know what he’s doing wrong?”. I politely declined and pointed to his 3 chips that formed about a foot triangle around the cup and said that we were happy with those results.

Ive even seen Chi-Chi move his lessons to the range once he finds his mark, lol. I’ve witnessed him shank 3-4 in a row when trying to demonstrate the proper way to do something.

I asked the people working there if they knew him and they said something to the effect that he’s just a nice older guy that wants to help others. Ok. If they’re ok with it then I guess I am too.
 
People who give advice just want to help others - which is not the worst thing in the world. And I have received some useful advice. But there are some us who cannot be helped much with a simple tip, drill, or swing thought. (For that matter, there are some of us who cannot be helped through professional lessons.)

The thing that sometimes strikes a nerve is when one's advice is considered so universal and absolute that it will help anyone and everyone. A bit off-topic, but the Youtube videos that claim anyone can break 100 (or 90, or 80...) by making a few specific simple changes crack me up. My favorite is "you'll never improve with those negative thoughts" which I hear from a co-worker a lot. While it's true that negative can be harmful, positive thinking (delusions of grandeur?) isn't a cure-all for poor swing mechanics and high scores.

Finally, we all have different targets for the level of golf we'd like to play as well as weaknesses preventing us from getting there. What it takes for someone with real ability to reach scratch may not be applicable for someone who struggles to play bogey golf.
 
The Time I Didn't Follow My Own Advice

I don't offer advice on the course. Not even when asked. In my experience, trying to make a change during a round has several potential outcomes--and they are all bad. Then there was that one day I didn't follow my own advice. I mean REALLY didn't as in I gave advice to a guy on the 1st tee.

He made a mighty swing and crowned the ball making a big pop up to center field. He immediately vented on how this has been a chronic problem and he was totally frustrated and clueless on what to do. From what I saw, the problem appeared to be one thing about how he set up to the ball and how high he teed his ball. So I asked him if he'd like to know what I saw. Boy did he. So, with all the caveats that I'd only seen one swing blah-blah-blah, I suggested he try two specific changes. He shot his lifetime best that day by about 5 strokes, and of course, couldn't stop thanking me.

I was just as shocked as he because usually these kind of problems are like peeling an onion.
 
My cousin is probably the worst golfer in Ohio, I don’t think he could break 200 so when he and I play lots of times we’ll play scramble format. He’ll occasionally kick in a putt that’ll count for our score but I can only recall using one of his other shots one time. He’s as likely to miss a ball sitting on the ground with an iron as he is to make contact.

I’ve asked him before (when on the range-never on the course) if he’d like a tip. He’ll literally set up at a 45 degree angle to the FW for his drive. It still starts right of center and keeps heading that way. He tees his iron shots as high as he does his driver, lol.

He doesnt want any advice so nones given. It’s hard to watch but he has fun out there and that’s what’s important. He’s definitely not slow either. He might be if forced to play his own ball just from all the hacking, but in general he just steps up and whacks away.
 
I usually get "You've got a beautiful practice swing....your swing at the ball is nothing like it." I usually chuckle and respond with "If you could use my practice swing with a ball in front of me, I'd probably be on the Tour with the pro's!" Which is BS but most take it as sarcasm and we have a good laugh.
 
Hahah I think proper lessons would screw up my swing. I have a built system. I once had a pro tell me I load very well in a club fitting. I told him, "really", I do not even know what that means. Then he started talking about a bunch of stuff I did not understand the golf swing. Dude know more than me. I just got my clubs and kept doing my thing. I do not think I could every practice enought, I hate the driving range. I have a basic few swing thoughts, low and slow, and try to hit the best shot I can. I just do not play enough golf to make lessons worth it.
 
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