Internet instruction is all the rage, but is it the best place to learn? As our podcast legends agree, the rabbit hole is worth exploring. (Maybe.)
Gary McCord: Peter, something insane is happening in golf: YouTube instruction videos. Once you start watching, you can’t stop. It’s a rabbit hole.
Peter Kostis: At one time, teachers made a living giving real lessons. Now, there are new methods, basically fueled by marketing and money. And because people are making money, they’re putting random tips out there, yet the average golfer has got a 0.002 percent chance of picking the right tip for their problem.
GM: Yep.
PK: Gary, I do go online, generally with a glass of red wine and at night, and look at this stuff. I’m going to say it right now: 10 percent of it is good, 10 percent of it is quite good and 30 percent probably won’t do anyone any harm. The rest? Just miserable. You end up getting a glimmer of hope until you go out there and hit balls and then you realize this stuff doesn’t work.
GM: So where does it go from here? Are we stuck in a “quick fix” mentality for good?
PK: It’s like those ads that say you can lose 20 pounds next week. In golf, it’s become gain 20 yards tomorrow. Gosh, if I could do that, I’d be playing on Tour, even at my age!
GM: One thing that I did get from YouTube golf lessons — and helped me actually restructure my swing — was the stuff from Mac O’Grady. That’s good stuff.
PK: There are multiple ways to learn a motor skill, like swinging a golf club. Two primary ones are visual and kinesthetic. Looking, watching and feeling. And that’s how you play golf primarily, right? You use your eyes and your feel and off you go. So I have no problem with people looking. I have a bunch of Sam Snead [pictured] sequences on my phone. I love his swing. Looking at swings is a great way to learn. While you can’t really copy them, I think it’s good to mimic their flow, rhythm and effortlessness. Just absorb. If you improve the rhythm of your swing, you can improve a lot of different things. That’s where I think the internet really does the most good for the average golfer. Watch Nicklaus. Weiskopf. Hogan.
GM: Agree.
PK: Anybody can tell you what you’re doing wrong. Only a few people can tell you what to do that’s right. That’s what makes a great teacher. If YouTube learning is your thing, at least ask around to sort out what’s good and what’s not.
GM: It’s a new world. In the meantime, I’ll continue down the YouTube rabbit hole. I’m hooked.
PK: I’ll be right behind you.
PGA Tour coach Peter Kostis and former Tour player and golf personality Gary McCord riff on all things golf in their podcast “Off Their Rockers.” Subscribe and watch for free at Youtube.com/@kostismccord.
