AS A FULL-TIME GOLF INSTRUCTOR
for almost 15 years, I have learned that communication
is the key when it comes to helping students understand
their inconsistent swing motions. Most golf instructors
teach only the swing model they understand. More
experienced teachers can instruct you with a variety
of stroke patterns based on very general swing flaws,
but top-notch instructors have the ability to teach
any type of stroke pattern relative to your swing's
flaws. Some can even offer instruction within your
own type of communication and learning style.
To practice this type of teaching, I've chosen
to utilize Homer Kelley's The Golfing Machine,
a book that has evolved through six editions over
the years. The Golfing Machine teaches an infinite
number of swing patterns and allows me, as the
instructor, to have total freedom within the laws
of physics and geometry to do whatever I deem
necessary to correct the student's swing flaws.
The book simplifies how and what you should work
on as a teacher or a player, and can help you
to better understand the fundamentals of a consistent
golf swing.
Usually when The Golfing Machine is mentioned
in golf circles, one common criticism arises.
The book is often critiqued as too hard to read
or having principles outside the normal bounds
of golf instruction. Despite the technical language,
the book is unlike any other swing trainer or
instruction tool on the market. It offers a million
different solutions, not just one right way of
swinging your golf club.
From the seven different types of plane-angle
shifts possible to the three types of clubface
motions through the ball, The Golfing Machine
can be used as a guide to help you break down
your swing into distinct parts. It can also explain
why the swings of Moe Norman, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino
and Tiger Woods look and act totally different,
yet still produce ball flights that are regarded
as some of the best ever.
Although Kelley was an engineer by trade, he
spent 28 years crafting this golf instruction
masterpiece, which was first published in 1969.
By breaking down the swing into pieces, the book
enables readers to assemble their "stroke patterns"
into what matches up with their individual swing
goals. All the stroke patterns have positives
and negatives. Your role as a player is to take
ownership of your motion and learn everything
about your selected stroke pattern because it
will dictate your level of scoring potential in
the future and how to correct your swing when
it goes awry.
A lesson with The Golfing Machine will not require
that you do only one thing or else. It simply
suggests that your swing is personal, a work of
art and science in progress. While other instructional
books and articles offer quick fixes for certain
problems, they might not help your current game
because you may not have a stroke pattern that
needs that type of remedy. So be careful and choose
your teaching pro wisely. Make sure you ask why
a swing change is necessary and what others might
work as well. Then and only then will you be able
to decide how to adopt that change. Remember,
it's your swing, your game and your money.
