If you spend much time in the golf world, you’ve probably seen a lot of the different swing systems in the golf magazines and on the Golf Channel. Jim Hardy is well known for his One Plane and Two Plane swings. Some people have worked with Model Golf. PGA Tour player DJ Trahan’s father Don has just released his Peak Performance Golf Swing program, which is a really unique concept. Some of you may be Natural Golfer’s, some of you may have watched the “AJ Reveals the Truth about Golf” videos. How about Stack and Tilt?
Some instructors favor a “big muscle” version of the swing. Some like Jim Flick favor a swing that utilizes the hands and the swinging of the club. There’s a lot of different ways to present and learn the game.
A good instructor will have at least an understanding of all of these swing models. I receive a lot of questions about aspects of all these different swing models, and want to be able to discuss them intelligently. Does the instructor need to teach all these methods…no way. Most good instructors have sifted through a lot of information, and learned from a lot of great teachers. They keep what they like, and discard the rest. They do however, keep studying and staying abreast of new ways of swinging and playing.
Ask your potential instructor if they teach by one of these models. Ask if they are familiar with your method if you are using a specific one. Most good instructors will be able to help you, regardless of your individual swing model choice, or they will be able to refer you to a local colleague that has more in-depth knowledge.
Share the techniques you are using. If it’s something you grabbed from TV or a magazine, discuss it with your instructor. If they’re good, they can answer your questions and make sure that you are headed in the right direction.