Golf Between Parent and Child…
As a parent of a golfer and a teacher of many junior golfers, I would like to share a perspective from both sides of the “aisle”. My daughter Phara Blair is an excellent golfer with a single digit handicap. She had a few lessons from Harvey Penick, and then I became her teacher after entering the teaching profession and Harvey was no longer with us.
I’m so grateful for an early quote from Davis Love III., who has had a successful and still continues his professional golf career. He learned golf from his father, Davis Love Jr. who was a nationally recognized golf instructor. Davis III said he never received instruction from his father unless he asked. If that formula worked for a successful father and teacher to a son and student, I decided to follow the same advice. A lesson was never given unless my daughter asked. I’m still her teacher today. She has won many tournaments and qualified for a national amateur tournament this past year.
The other valuable lesson was from Harvey Penick. As a student, of Harvey’s before my teaching career, I would often ask Harvey, “What am I doing wrong.” His reply: Why do you want to know?” My answer: “So I won’t do it again.” His reply: “Why don’t you do what I asked you to do and then you won’t do it again”. , A golfer can’t think of what do do and what not to do and execute a golf shot. This has been the most valuable lesson for my teaching career and one I would like to pass on to all parents. I follow the same advice when teaching adults as well as juniors.
The most successful students are those that concentrate on what to do in a golf swing instead of what not to do. As a teacher I encourage parents to observe their child’s golf lessons. The lessons are often as valuable to the the parent as to the student. I pass on Harvey’s advice to the parent and tell them if they can’t resist (and as a parent I know how difficult this can be) giving swing tips to their offspring they should only include) what to do and omit what they are doing wrong.
BP