BUCK’S TIPS

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The Concepts of Cause-and-Effect

STORY BY BUCK MAYERS

The most overlooked flaw to instruction from my perspective is asking one very simple question before you start each lesson. “What are your concepts of the golf swing and impact?“ Once we have established what they are attempting to do, now we have to discern if their concepts are good ones or need a little tweaking, and are they really doing what they think?

Every motion (cause) produced with our body or club and every thought (cause) has certain reactions (effects) to the ball flight (effects). To be successful, we must have a clear understanding of the concepts of cause and effects.. The golfer’s confusion abounds from this neglect and lack of understanding. These basic principles to the laws of motion are simple but rarely learned, seen, felt, and seldom practiced with purpose.

Whether it’s old-school/digging in the dirt

- ball flight or new school/technology – use of video, 3-D, Trackman, Swing Catalyst data to see and measure, or a combination of both, golf instructors have better armed themselves with more tools in their box to simplify coaching. It’s the coaches job to communicate the “keep it simple silly” approach to the what, when, how, and where.

Ideology, systems, methods, and opinions sometimes dominate the “how“ to teach. In learning, if we are better listeners, we now know ““what“ to teach and better serve the client with the best strategy to get better sooner. Understanding the concepts of cause-and-effect is the first step. We all miss it and hit poor golf shots. Learning why it’s not that complicated. We all can miss it just a little better, because golf is not a game of perfect.

Buck Mayers is the Director of Instruction at Escondido Golf & Lake Club and can be reached at buckmayersgolf.com