Opinion & Analysis

Making sense of the most difficult questions in golf instruction

Published

8 years ago

May 19, 2016

If you’re a GolfWRXer, there’s little chance you haven’t read at least a few instruction articles from Dennis Clark and Tom Stickney. They’re golf-instruction legends on GolfWRX, with a combined 57 years experience teaching the game and 8 million GolfWRX views… and counting.

The GolfWRX Editorial Team has the pleasure of working with Dennis and Tom almost every week as we assist them in crafting golf-instruction gold. This week, we thought we’d try a different format. We came up with the best questions we could think to ask them about golf instruction, and sent them the way of Clark, our resident PGA Master Professional, and Stickney, our very own Trackman Master. It made for an epic email chain, which became this incredible Q&A.

If you haven’t kept up on Clark and Stickney, do yourself a favor and browse through their Featured Writer Profiles to see what they’ve been writing about (here’s Dennis Clark‘s, here’s Tom Stickney‘s). Then make sure to read the Q&A below, in which Clark and Stickney help you navigate the maze the golf-instruction industry has become.

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WRX: OK Dennis and Tom, let’s start this Q&A off with a question that’s widely debated among our readers. Do swing mechanics matter, or is it all about consistency?

Tom Stickney: In my opinion, you cannot have long-term consistency without mechanical efficiency. You will always be limited by your mechanics, and it’s tough to work around poor mechanics at the higher-handicap level.

Dennis Clark: If by mechanics we are referring to the positions and motions that direct the golf club, of course they matter. But they are not immutable; they change from golfer to golfer. Consistent, solid impact stems from finding one’s own mechanics.

WRX: What comes first when you’re teaching a new golfer? Is it more important to help them score better or swing better in the beginning?

Tom Stickney: Personally, I first try to teach them to get the ball airborne each time in any way possible. After they can do this with some consistency, I then add one swing thought at a time. I try not to put any outcome goals on students at this phase so that golf remains fun at this point.

Dennis Clark: Well, when I’m working with a new golfer there is no such thing as “better” because there’s nothing that preceded it. I’m trying to teach them to swing period. I do that by first teaching a grip and a stance. There is nothing normal about holding a golf club or standing over a golf ball, so they have to get used to that. I agree with Tom that we have to get flight as early on as we can. If they continue to hit ground balls, they’re not going to stay with the game. Scoring does not even enter my mind with the new golfer.

WRX: When does scoring start to matter more than swing mechanics?

Tom Stickney: Anytime your score actually matters, but what you will find is that with poor mechanics you will have a miss that you are working to stop or you will not be able to hit certain types of shots. When this occurs, get around the golf course in the least amount of strokes possible. Then get to the practice facility and fix it.

Dennis Clark: I try to introduce scoring when my students can get their golf ball into the scoring zone, an area I consider 50 yards from the green, in the regulation number of strokes. If it is taking a player four or five shots to get to that area, scoring cannot be a concern… yet.

WRX: What technologies do you use in your teaching, and how often do you use them?

Dennis Clark: FlightScope, V1 Sports video and BodiTrak. I use FlightScope and BodiTrak often with skilled players, less often for higher handicaps and never for new players. Video for everyone, every lesson.

Tom Stickney: I use V1 Sports video and Trackman 4. Technology is in every one of my lessons, regardless of handicap level or age. It’s for my own benefit. I might not ever mention it or show the client the results unless it’s necessary, though. As the teacher, I feel I need all the information I can possibly get to make the best decision for my clients. I believe using technology is necessary for the teacher, so mistakes are kept to a minimum on my end.

WRX: What have you learned from technology, and how has it changed how you teach?

Tom Stickney: Technology has taught me how to better apply what I know from understanding the mechanics of the golf swing and how the body works while doing so. Secondly, it has helped modify any incorrect thoughts or ideas I had as I learned more about how the ball and club interact. Lastly, technology helps me to see instantly what’s going on, and from there I can use my experience, knowledge, and talent to make people better. It has accelerated my ability to help people improve and stops any arguments that might erupt between teacher and student, as all the information is right there.

Dennis Clark: It’s been a big help in the diagnosis part of the lesson for sure. Impact is much more clearly defined. The D-Plane, true path, centered contact, swing plane, are all quantified and illustrated scientifically. Guesswork is reduced to a minimum. What’s more, not only are certain impact factors more clearly defined, in some cases technology has dispelled certain misconceptions under which many labored in the pre-tech era. Having taught in both eras, I can say unequivocally, this time is better!

Technology has had little to no effect on my approach to teaching golf, though. While I believe my communication and correctional skills have improved, it has more to do with experience than technology. After I know all the data, I have to do something with it. Here, I’m leaving the science and headed into the art of golf instruction. Despite the all the revelations on the screen, I still have to use my eyes and my gut to teach golf. If I can’t sense where the student is at every moment, all the technology in the world is not going to help me. Working with different learning styles and personalities, using many ways of saying the same thing … I’m the same guy, I just know more.

WRX: How much variance is acceptable in golf-instruction technology? What we’re asking is, does an instructor need to have the most accurate technology, or can budget tools work, too? What about teachers who don’t have access to modern technology?

Tom Stickney: Anything is better than nothing. In regards to teachers who don’t use technology, there is no excuse not to have video or a basic launch monitor. These things have been made affordable through iPhone and iPad technology for under $5, and a basic launch monitor will run under $500. If you want to be the best, you have to take the steps to be the best if you are beginning in the business in today’s day and age. I worked extra hours, never took days off, taught free clinics, and gave my services away as cheaply as possible to afford the chance to teach golf for a living. Once I had a following, I took out loans in order to re-invest in my business and influence my success in this business. You are either serious about your teaching career or you are not. Every top teacher I know in the business today did the same thing.

Dennis Clark: Ditto. I agree with Tom 100 percent.

WRX: Does an aspiring golf instructor need to go to PGM school nowadays?

Tom Stickney: Not having your PGA Affiliation can hamper your ability to get hired at many golf courses.

Dennis Clark: If teaching is an aspiring golf professional’s passion, he/she needs to build a resume by getting their PGA affiliation and seeking the advice and guidance of an experienced instructor. You learn teaching from teachers.

WRX: What lesson or tip drives you crazy to hear it on the range or from another instructor?

Dennis Clark: Slow your swing down. Keep your head down. Take your pick!

Tom Stickney: Any lesson given by someone other than a teaching professional. Ninety-nine percent of the time the people teaching other people on the range are only seeing the results of previous swing flaws, not the cause of the flaw itself. You might think you know what you are doing, but most of the time your tips are harmful.

Dennis Clark: I’ll add to that. It takes a trained and experienced teaching professional to understand the dynamics of the swing. Others are simply passing on tips that they’ve heard or read, and hoping that they get lucky. Every lesson is different.

WRX: You both have been writing for GolfWRX for several years, published many stories and responded to many more comments. What’s the best piece of advice you can offer our readers to improve their golf games?

Tom Stickney: Have fun! Golf is a game, not a death march. Enjoy the process: read all you can on the internet, visit YouTube, google the top teachers, seek out the best teachers in your area. The information is out there for you to improve; it’s up to you to find it. Lastly, I sincerely thank each and every person who has taken the time to read what I have written on GolfWRX and responded positively or negatively. It is a true honor and blessing to have an outlet to reach out to the masses. I am very lucky.

Dennis Clark: Find a teacher you trust and with whom you’re comfortable. Ask questions. Understand why you’re being asked to do something, and don’t ever lose sight of the big picture when working toward a goal. Getting bogged down in details is a recipe for disaster. Never fix that which is not broken, and when you read or hear a “tip,” be certain it applies to your problem.

I have been uncommonly lucky to have forged a career in the game I love. Writing for GolfWRX has been a most pleasant chapter in that career. The satisfaction of hearing from a reader that something I suggested has helped them improve is truly gratifying. And if, through that progress, some are enjoying the game more, well, what a nice thought that is, too.

WRX: Thanks guys. Now back to teaching!

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again

Published

2 days ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.

Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.

Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”

Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.

“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.

Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.

“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”

“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”

As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.

In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.

“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”

Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.

Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:

Fairways Hit

1.) Louis Oosthuizen

2.) Anirban Lahiri

3.) Jon Rahm

4.) Brendan Steele

5.) Cameron Tringale

Greens in Regulation

1.) Brooks Koepka

2.) Brendan Steele

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Cameron Tringale

5.) Anirban Lahiri

Birdies Made

1.) Brendan Steele

2.) Dean Burmester

3.) Thomas Pieters

4.) Patrick Reed

5.) Carlos Ortiz

LIV Golf Individual Standings:

1.) Joaquin Niemann

2.) Jon Rahm

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Louis Oosthuizen

5.) Abraham Ancer

LIV Golf Team Standings:

1.) Crushers

2.) Legion XIII

3.) Torque

4.) Stinger GC

5.) Ripper GC

LIV Golf Singapore Picks

Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)

Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.

This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.

Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)

Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.

This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.

It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.

Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)

Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.

Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.

Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.

Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)

Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.

Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.

If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.

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Opinion & Analysis

Ryan: Lessons from the worst golf instructor in America

Published

2 days ago

Apr 30, 2024

Brendan Ryan

In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.

While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.

Here are some of my key takeaways.

Method Teacher

It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.

Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.

The Cult of Stack and Jilt

The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”

Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.

These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.

Fooled by Randomness

In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.

Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.

Practice

One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”

Sunk Cost

The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.

Cliches

Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.

The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.

This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting preview

Published

1 week ago

Apr 22, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.

TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.

Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.

However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.

Past Winners at TPC Louisiana

2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)

2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks

Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)

Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.

This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.

McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.

Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)

Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.

Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.

Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)

Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.

NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.

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