I love it when a guy who's shooting over 100 asks if I'd like him to suggest something that would help me
Unsolicited gold advice- what’s your stance
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I won't give advice to strangers and don't want them to give advice to me.
I'll rarely give advice to my buddy's and it's only after they ask. And although I don't want advice from them, I'll listen to what they say and then try to ignore it. But it'll dig into my mind and hit me full force mid-backswing and I'll hit a ball into the woods.
It's best just to be quiet with the advice unless someone paid you for a lesson or asked specifically.
I'll rarely give advice to my buddy's and it's only after they ask. And although I don't want advice from them, I'll listen to what they say and then try to ignore it. But it'll dig into my mind and hit me full force mid-backswing and I'll hit a ball into the woods.
It's best just to be quiet with the advice unless someone paid you for a lesson or asked specifically.
Does listening to the pro giving a lesson in the spot behind you count? I felt like I owed him a few bucks. 
I was paired up with a fellla and somewhere around the 8-9th hole, after our “relationship” had developed, he mentioned I was getting a bit flippy with my wrists on the downswing. He wasn’t arrogant or anything and it kinda changed my focus a bit and helped.
I think if your first words to someone are “hey, you need to do this” then…meh, shut it. But if you’re kinda casually chatting about golf swings, then it’s fine.
I was paired up with a fellla and somewhere around the 8-9th hole, after our “relationship” had developed, he mentioned I was getting a bit flippy with my wrists on the downswing. He wasn’t arrogant or anything and it kinda changed my focus a bit and helped.
I think if your first words to someone are “hey, you need to do this” then…meh, shut it. But if you’re kinda casually chatting about golf swings, then it’s fine.
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I don't mind receiving unsolicited swing advice, but I would never give any without being asked.
Thing is, I just never know if the advice given might have merit or not.
My pat answer, if asked, is to tell the golfer to start with putting, and work their swing back to the tee box. This to help teach themselves to have a decent golf swing. 99% of the time, that ends the discussion right then, and there.
I hate someone trying to fix my swing, especially when I'm kicking their butt.
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Thankfully, I haven’t had that happen in a very very long timeI love it when a guy who's shooting over 100 asks if I'd like him to suggest something that would help me
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Here is the truth about this.
1. Most golf advice from regular folks on the range is bad advice.
2. Most golfers on the range think they know/understand more about the golf swing than they do.
3. There is tiny percentage of people at the range who actually know enough to give reliable advice...and most of them are certified instructors, or scratch or better golfers.
4. The reverse is not true. E.g. Just because you are a scratch player or a certified PGA Professional doesn't automatically mean you can teach. Many can't.
1. Most golf advice from regular folks on the range is bad advice.
2. Most golfers on the range think they know/understand more about the golf swing than they do.
3. There is tiny percentage of people at the range who actually know enough to give reliable advice...and most of them are certified instructors, or scratch or better golfers.
4. The reverse is not true. E.g. Just because you are a scratch player or a certified PGA Professional doesn't automatically mean you can teach. Many can't.
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We had a guy like that in a company league I played in years ago. This guy couldn't break 100 to save his life ON AN EXECUTIVE COURSE and would give unsolicited advice all round, every round.I love it when a guy who's shooting over 100 asks if I'd like him to suggest something that would help me
No.
Other than an instructor, there's only one person I'll seriously consider any swing advice from. He and I have golfed together for almost 15 years and have played well over a thousand rounds together (plus innumerable practice sessions on top of that). He's seen me play everything from PBs to complete meltdowns, and knows my game better than anybody else in the world (and vice-versa). He and I will give each other tips if we notice something bad has slipped in, but we have an understanding and we're both comfortable with that.
Other than a situation like that, I think unsolicited swing advice is awkward and I'm not a fan of it.
Other than a situation like that, I think unsolicited swing advice is awkward and I'm not a fan of it.
To be honest one of the best pieces of advice i've ever gotten was unsolicited
When i was 26-27 or so and still relatively new to golf, i was a 3-4 index but had a very strong grip and kind of a lot of patchwork things to my game. I was getting by on just natural ability basically.
I played a round with a guy who was a +1 or +2 at the time, and was a bit older than me. He pulled me aside after the round and gave me a lot of good tips, and basically told me i had the ability to be very good, but was limiting myself with how i played. I won't get into it all here but he was very helpful , and i remember it to this day. It inspired me to change a few things even if it set me back a year or so.
I actually looked him up a few years ago and we still have some common friends, and i asked one of them to thank him for me the next time they played together. I doubt he remembers me haha. But i thought maybe he'd think that was nice
When i was 26-27 or so and still relatively new to golf, i was a 3-4 index but had a very strong grip and kind of a lot of patchwork things to my game. I was getting by on just natural ability basically.
I played a round with a guy who was a +1 or +2 at the time, and was a bit older than me. He pulled me aside after the round and gave me a lot of good tips, and basically told me i had the ability to be very good, but was limiting myself with how i played. I won't get into it all here but he was very helpful , and i remember it to this day. It inspired me to change a few things even if it set me back a year or so.
I actually looked him up a few years ago and we still have some common friends, and i asked one of them to thank him for me the next time they played together. I doubt he remembers me haha. But i thought maybe he'd think that was nice
darthweasel
Well-known member
part of the issue is it is almost impossible to know what someone is working on.
For example, one thing I am currently working on is clubface control. And inspired by a Padraig Harrington video, I am going to extremes. So you might see me nearly clear the fence extreme left of the driving range on the first swing, and almost reach the parking lot far right with the next swing.
And you might think, "this very corrupt swing sucks. I can help with thiat."
You would be partially correct...I have a very corrupt swing. But those ball flights were intentional. The next one is likely wide, wide left...not as far as the first one, but certainly nowhere near anything that would be playable on a course, Followed by really wide right...again, not as extreme but still wide. Then left, narrowing it in, and so forth.
It will look like a complete hack in need of help. In truth it is a drill I am doing.
With that said, when someone offers advice, I generally nod, say thank you and press on. If they add more, I say something along the lines of, "Oh, that is the opposite of what my golf coach says,. Interesting. Might work but I will stick with him so I don't mess up what he is doing."
And I don't ever offer it to others so outgoing is not relevant for me
No.
No thanks,
If it is someone who know my swing, like an instructor, who passes by and gives me a tidbit, then sure..... but that is educated.
Random Joe on the range who thinks I should change something?
If it is someone who know my swing, like an instructor, who passes by and gives me a tidbit, then sure..... but that is educated.
Random Joe on the range who thinks I should change something?
100% dependent on who the person is. If it's somebody who I have gotten lessons from, if it's a respected teacher or a high level player I know, then I will listen. If it's some normie stranger, GTFO.
JohnnyBlueCup
New member
Never on the range, and usually never swing or technique thoughts. But I will act as a caddy sometimes when I'm paired up with strangers. General playing advice can be a natural part of the conversation. It's always positive, something like "you've been automatic with that draw all day, I think you could actually aim at the bunker to take it out of play." I'm also receptive to others' thoughts. Like a therapy session. You just need to talk it out. But I'd be annoyed if somebody started telling me about my hip rotation etc.
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I agree. My buddy that Inplay with 20 times a year will tell me “Hey you’re really quick today” to me that’s fine and I tell him “You’re hips ain’t firing today”, but yeah almost anyone else, it’s just annoying.
It’s not the end of the world, but no, I don’t think it should happen on the practice range with strangers.
We’re talking unsolicited… I wouldn’t want it from a teaching pro because that’s how they make a living. If they were kind enough to offer advice, I would want to at least buy them lunch or something.
I wouldn’t want it from a non-teaching pro because few people are qualified.
If we’re talking about a super frustrating practice when someone might ask something out loud like “I don’t know what the heck am I doing wrong.” I think some folks would ask “would you like some advice?” That would be different.
Of course their advice might be something like “you need to take up another hobby.”
We’re talking unsolicited… I wouldn’t want it from a teaching pro because that’s how they make a living. If they were kind enough to offer advice, I would want to at least buy them lunch or something.
I wouldn’t want it from a non-teaching pro because few people are qualified.
If we’re talking about a super frustrating practice when someone might ask something out loud like “I don’t know what the heck am I doing wrong.” I think some folks would ask “would you like some advice?” That would be different.
Of course their advice might be something like “you need to take up another hobby.”
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Interestingly, this thread was posted just a few days after one of only two times I ever gave a player advice on the golf course!
Noteworthy is:
Noteworthy is:
- The advice given was to my partner in league play, not between two dudes who don't know each other.
- As partners, we're supposed to help each other out.
- My partner was repeatedly hitting it fat because he was hitting it off his back foot.
- He expressed frustration and asked for my advice.
- In this case, I was 100% sure of the cause.
- The fix was easily implemented on the course (most changes aren't that way).
No. If I wanted to sit on the range and give swing advice I would have entered the PGA management program when I was younger to get paid to do it.
I have asked people questions about their swing during a match as a little mind game.
I have asked people questions about their swing during a match as a little mind game.
My thought, too.
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To a stranger. Absolutely not. If it’s one of my buddies and I’m doing something wrong I’m not going to be mad. But a stranger doing it so weird.
Almost never.
The exception is there have been times when you'll see people who have clearly never hit a ball before. They can't get the ball in the air. They top everything. You can sometimes see one thing which would make a HUGE difference and be the difference between them coming back or not. Brand-new players are typically way too intimated to ask for help.
The exception is there have been times when you'll see people who have clearly never hit a ball before. They can't get the ball in the air. They top everything. You can sometimes see one thing which would make a HUGE difference and be the difference between them coming back or not. Brand-new players are typically way too intimated to ask for help.