Who to Watch-Rory or my odd Buddy?
Focus on Observation and Improve by Practice in Dyads
July 21, 2018 17:05 By Kiril Slatinski
Today’s amateur golfer is under attack. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram… TV coverage. Quick fixes, long-term programs. Swing analysis of Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas… and more comments over the top of all.
Can an average golfer perceive all this?
Can he digest it?
Can all this become a property of his golf game?
OK! The Observation is a powerful coaching method and while many coaches use it successfully, the club golfer fails big time when he/she is on his own in this endeavor.
What is Actually Happening?
The average amateur observes Demonstration of a skill from an elite expert – a vastly superior player in competence. And follows what? The swing style. The positions (left wrist at the top, knee flex, hips at impact… etc.), the “X-factor”!?!, the swing speed… all but the useful stuff. He/She tries to remember and incorporate motor patterns that are not suitable for him/her as an individual.
Good. So now What?
Some possibilities:
You may quit watch on Rory’s swing and online instructions.
You may stop play with and observe your Country Club champion.
You may never ask your golf partners to practice together.
Sorry, I’m not going that way:
First. I suggest succumbing and, giving up the quest for the Adam Scott’s finish position. There are fitness and time constraints for the average club golfer. It is near impossible to achieve the Tour Professional’s swing efficacy. It really is! Rather, focus on the performance outcome of those elite players. The decisions they make, ball flights they create in different situations and what impact properties causes those flights(cause & effect). Remember! There are as many swing styles as golfers are on the Planet. However, the efficient impact, quintessential for all good players, is subject to few simple factors. It is important that you educate yourself to recognize the effect of techniques applied in certain situations. Become more of a problem solver.
Second. Instead of observing an expert, pick a model, a golfer that is a little more advanced than you are. Hey, everybody has a friend with a handicap, couple digits lower than yours. Just because you can relate to that person more naturally (… than Tiger Woods), it would benefit your learning process.
Don’t stop there…!
Take a friend of the same skill level as you and go practice together. Set a goal, pick up a task and try to perform it. Observe each other and discuss.
In the coaching world, this is known as Dyadic Training or Dyad Learning.
Monitoring another golfer who is learning the same task is not the only benefit. Practice with another person interactively, could help to increase your motivation by adding competition to the situation. It can encourage you to set goals with a higher difficulty than when you practice on your own.
All dyad learning studies have shown that the combination of the ability to observe another student and have a verbal interaction with, during practice, can improve motor control education. At the same time, it allows two participants to train simultaneously.
A few Notes if you decide practice Observational and Dyadic:
Sett goals – specific and short-term. Determine to a task or a few.
Observe your golf partner performing the task. It will help you examine and avoid the mistakes he does.
Dialogue. People, talk to each other, discuss! It plays a vital role in the learning process. The tricky part here is to, focus externally (on the outcome of your movements), rather internally (on the movements themselves – style). The external focus has a substantial positive effect not only on Dyad Learning. If you have difficulties to direct the focus of the dialogue, then rely more on the observation.
Refer to a PGA Professional for help with the process. Let him explain to you the pros and cons of trying to copy Tour Professionals. Ask him to clarify the knowledge you gain on the Internet.
Benefits in a summary
For the golf player – Observation and Dyads make practice; more engaging by adding competitive detail, more diverting – means more fun. Do not underestimate the social effect of Dyad Learning
For Coaches – Even if these methods aren’t more superior than others, sometimes, those could be more efficient in terms of students’ participation and time management.
I found these two methods are easy going and produce good results. There are many advanced researches in Observational and Dyadic Training. If you consider trying, but need a reference point or wish to find more details of the topic, my contact form is at your service for a free consultancy.
