copycats don't play

Guys, If I had the ability to post what I mean to say in the correct manner, I would hope that i may be helpful to some members here. I dont seem to be articulate enough in my postings to get the messages across. Anyway, what I do say is from the heart and hope that I may progress in my methods of explanation (whether they be right or wrong!) As for those who are posting from books or mags, "whatever keeps you happy"

Robert,

I have found you an important contributor to the site and have considered your views clear to understand and making a good contribution.

In general we gain our golfing knowledge through a number of mediums, lessons, practice, books, videos, seeing others, playing the game, trial and error etc etc, none of them are wrong if they work. I think most people speak from the heart and are genuine in their efforts.

Please keep contributing Robert, we learn from each others experiences wherever they come from.

perhaps this is a jekyll and hyde type thing, where one of us who is helpful and friendly has to post a negative vib post under a pseudonym.

I personally have found everyone's posts to be helpful.

I have been thinking about this (in the stupor of not sleeping with a screaming kid).

TID has a point - albeit a small one, and the rest of the post is way off base.

The point he makes is that there are members passing off book knowledge as their own knowledge. IOW, he's stating that it's not personal experience backing the statement, but rather book knowledge.

I'll concede that point - there's a ton of it out there. (In fact, I love the quote "copy one author and it's plagarism, copy a bunch and it's research").

That said, which teacher was not first a student? And which student hasn't opened a textbook in the search for knowledge? Certainly there are teachers out there (Harmon, Leadbetter, the late Penick) who have a ton of experience with which to draw on to teach. However, I highly doubt they've never read a book, or listened to another instructor, and without the experience to back it up, put the lesson or the teaching into play.

This is how teachers learn. This is how we all learn. We try things. We hear of new things, and see if we can make them work.

TID, I suspect that based on your post, you must be a completely self-taught golfer. I applaud you for getting your handicap down that low without ever watching another golfer swing, or listening to a piece of advice, or searching for knowledge on how to better yourself. I realise that you haven't posted in 3 days, but you may see this.

I'm sorry that your view is so myopic and that the point you made (while a decent one) was lost when it was delivered from so high a place.

__________________
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter - www.pcsgep.com
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

I have learned a lot from books, not only golf but many things in life, without them I would be mentally impoverished. I grew up in a time without the Internet, video, CD, DVD and for a large part even television, books took me to places and gave me knowledge that has filled my six decades with something special.

Regarding Golf: I love the game, even at my age I cannot play, improve or learn enough. I have taken many many lessons over many years, I use the range at least twice a week, play the course and practice what I preach. I have gained so much from reading about those great players and coaches like Hogan, Jones, Vardon, King, Snead, Faldo, Leadbetter, Harmon, Pelz, Bradley, etc etc, I don't regret a single chapter.

Passing their experience and teachings as my own! Not my own, or theirs, they all learned from others, saw further by sitting on the shoulders of giants, that's what I do and I am not ashamed to admit it.

I do also play a reasonable game of golf and work on the knowledge I gain to assist in improving my game, I like to pass on some of that knowledge to others when they ask for advice, it keeps me off street corners and from smoking behind the bike sheds. Beware though! I learned some of it in books.

__________________
Best Regards
Brian

________________________________
Funny o'l game!

My knowledge of the golf swing is primarily derived from books (and DVDs) written by golf teachers and/or professional golfers. Everything I wrote in my online review of the golf swing, and every opinion I post in this forum, is essentially book-derived. I don't have any original ideas on the golf swing. I simply try to rehash the wisdom of those golf teachers/players as clearly as I possibly can, whenever I write "something" about the golf swing.

Jeff.

Lat I checked this wa a public forum. Take the information you want, leave the rest.

By the way, I know everything now. I charge only $25 for my one paragraph swing fixes. Personal lessons will require air flight and expenses and a charge of only $175 per hour. Send me a private message for details.

Other topics by TID on other boards:

Too many cooks follow recipies and pass it off as their own.
Too many clubhead designers create heads from an open model and pass it off as their own.
Too many college professors teach curriculum in their courses and pass it off as their own.
Too many police officers enforce the laws and pass them off as their own.
Too many politicians pass legislation and pass it off as their own.

Too many GTO members use avatars of Jon Luke Picard and pass it off as their own.

I've heard that they hide all kinds of facts in books.

To advocate not reading books about a topic...seems like a giant step back in time.... to the age of cave pictorials, songs, stories and dance past down generations.

Let’s face it, the written word has been more of a help than a hindrance.

As far as someone passing on knowledge as their own...well that would be plagiarism wouldn't it in an academic sense. In a sport sense, citing references while imparting knowledge or showing someone how to do something would be a waist of time, let alone just plain funny...

Can you imagine some American grid iron coach explaining the historical references to each play while coaching... It would be like be hilarious...

__________________
SumoSid
"Moments of Greatness followed by Moments of horror."

I wonder how much longer till he reincarnates on here under a different name, when he does it will be the fourth that I am aware of. Or maybe we will get lucky and three strikes and he is out.