Yep…those of us who hold some sort of PGA of America credential must meet a minimum number of education and service hours during a given period. To that end, going to seminars is a way to earn credits. Does anyone in any profession really want to go to a seminar?  I know I sure don’t.  Especially when travel, hotel, food, etc. is on my own dime.

But…I always lean another new thing – something I’ve never heard before; something that makes sense; something exciting; something inspirational and motivating.

Bob Madsen, one of the world’s most renowned professional golf instructors was teaching us teachers more about how to teach. When he was discussing a lesson HE was taking from another pretty famous dude, Bob was telling us how he was asking his instructor question after question – and then even more questions – about every detail he could think of.  The instructor apparently became a bit un-nerved at the barrage of questions, leaned into Bob’s Personal Space, and said:

“If you wanna’ just do parts and pieces let’s go chop a chicken!”

Bob, like myself, wants players to be more attuned to the “WHOLE” picture, the whole feeling, the WHOLE sensation.  Only by understanding the WHOLE can you understand a PART of it.  By clearly understanding a part – AS IT RELATES TO THE WHOLE – you will be able to make sense of the mechanics that truly matter.

A lot of my time is spent  “un-teaching” players.  Most players are over-taught and most instructors over-teach.  There is no TRUE NEED to know most of the stuff that I hear – whether it’s from players or fellow teachers.  But hearing a cool thing at a seminar is a different story. Let’s never stop learning.  Something to think about.