Using Your Brain for a Change - The Art or Learning
If you're serious about getting the most out of yourself, your game, and any lessons you take I encourage you to finish this article to get a clear understanding of your innate learning style.
What do I mean by learning styles? You have your own way of learning that is decidedly different than mine.
I understand this and am skilled at tapping your individual style so that you can learn in a way that supports you.
Not my teaching style.
Does this make sense? The problem is with the "one size fits all" approach that so many golf instructors and mental game coaches use.
They are attempting to have their students/clients conform to their teaching style! This leads to all kinds of needless issues for you in your skill development.
Have you noticed this is what the traditional education system does as well? It's called rote learning.
Their position is: "We spoon feed you the pabulum WE know is right for you.
And it is YOUR responsibility to figure out how to swallow it!" I am as serious as a heart attack with this.
Yet as you know if you've frequented my website, I don't simply raise a pile of questions and leave you hanging.
You'll have practical tools to make the changes you need.
Not what I want you to need.
Technical and Natural Learning Ok, there are two fundamental approaches to learning.
Technical and Natural.
These terms aren't carved in stone so don't get attached to the labels.
It's the learning we're after.
The technical learner prefers to use the left brain approach.
Enjoys the "how" questions and all the nuances of learning.
They do best with specific things to think about along the way and put in their game.
This without question is the predominant approach of the modern golf world.
Training aids, 1000's of technical "tips" for your game.
The Natural approach is more right brained, creative.
These people prefer to get a "sense" of what they're learning.
Without being encumbered by any technical details.
These people would destroy their chances of playing well if they went to David Leadbetter.
You must take the time to ask yourself which approach truly resonates with you.
Don't allow yourself to buy into the golf establishment that incessantly promotes the technical side of learning.
It is killing the games of half the golfing public! Neither approach is inherently better than the other.
Yet one is far worse than the other to you if you're on the wrong path! Each has their benefit to people and the natural learner can of course benefit from some technical teaching.
Yet not at the expense of their need for simple pictures and kinesthetic experience of what they are learning.
And the technical players perform at a far higher level when they learn to "let go" of their conscious mind with all its details on the swing and simply "play" golf.
Not "think" golf swing.
Make Sure You're On the Right Learning Path for You I am not overstating this.
If Lee Trevino attempted to follow Ben Hogan and try to use the techniques he promotes Lee would have had a career as a caddy, not the sensational player he was.
Lee is a "play by feel" learner and Ben is clearly technical and "pound it from the ground up" proceedural player.
So please do yourself a life changing favor and determine which approach suits you the best and follow it.
There are golf instructors out there that understand this.
Yet usually it's the ones who have been around a long time.
In terms of mental game training I teach both ways.
My approach is to employ both siders of the brain, not just one! It's kind of silly to imagine most people are being taught and are learning with only one side of their brains.
I can literally guarantee your learning will accelerate after applying the strategies in my system.
And every golf lesson you ever have will have more power to you.
Your ability to integrate what you're learning will increase.
You'll make your instructor look like a genius! But it's all because you took the time to find a teacher who can instruct the way YOU need to learn, not how THEY want to teach.
This is a very powerful distinction, wouldn't you agree?
What do I mean by learning styles? You have your own way of learning that is decidedly different than mine.
I understand this and am skilled at tapping your individual style so that you can learn in a way that supports you.
Not my teaching style.
Does this make sense? The problem is with the "one size fits all" approach that so many golf instructors and mental game coaches use.
They are attempting to have their students/clients conform to their teaching style! This leads to all kinds of needless issues for you in your skill development.
Have you noticed this is what the traditional education system does as well? It's called rote learning.
Their position is: "We spoon feed you the pabulum WE know is right for you.
And it is YOUR responsibility to figure out how to swallow it!" I am as serious as a heart attack with this.
Yet as you know if you've frequented my website, I don't simply raise a pile of questions and leave you hanging.
You'll have practical tools to make the changes you need.
Not what I want you to need.
Technical and Natural Learning Ok, there are two fundamental approaches to learning.
Technical and Natural.
These terms aren't carved in stone so don't get attached to the labels.
It's the learning we're after.
The technical learner prefers to use the left brain approach.
Enjoys the "how" questions and all the nuances of learning.
They do best with specific things to think about along the way and put in their game.
This without question is the predominant approach of the modern golf world.
Training aids, 1000's of technical "tips" for your game.
The Natural approach is more right brained, creative.
These people prefer to get a "sense" of what they're learning.
Without being encumbered by any technical details.
These people would destroy their chances of playing well if they went to David Leadbetter.
You must take the time to ask yourself which approach truly resonates with you.
Don't allow yourself to buy into the golf establishment that incessantly promotes the technical side of learning.
It is killing the games of half the golfing public! Neither approach is inherently better than the other.
Yet one is far worse than the other to you if you're on the wrong path! Each has their benefit to people and the natural learner can of course benefit from some technical teaching.
Yet not at the expense of their need for simple pictures and kinesthetic experience of what they are learning.
And the technical players perform at a far higher level when they learn to "let go" of their conscious mind with all its details on the swing and simply "play" golf.
Not "think" golf swing.
Make Sure You're On the Right Learning Path for You I am not overstating this.
If Lee Trevino attempted to follow Ben Hogan and try to use the techniques he promotes Lee would have had a career as a caddy, not the sensational player he was.
Lee is a "play by feel" learner and Ben is clearly technical and "pound it from the ground up" proceedural player.
So please do yourself a life changing favor and determine which approach suits you the best and follow it.
There are golf instructors out there that understand this.
Yet usually it's the ones who have been around a long time.
In terms of mental game training I teach both ways.
My approach is to employ both siders of the brain, not just one! It's kind of silly to imagine most people are being taught and are learning with only one side of their brains.
I can literally guarantee your learning will accelerate after applying the strategies in my system.
And every golf lesson you ever have will have more power to you.
Your ability to integrate what you're learning will increase.
You'll make your instructor look like a genius! But it's all because you took the time to find a teacher who can instruct the way YOU need to learn, not how THEY want to teach.
This is a very powerful distinction, wouldn't you agree?