3Jack Apology To SliceFixer

[Richie3Jack]

I saw this interview on Gotham Golf Blog with Geoff Jones (aka SliceFixer) that can be found here:

gothamgolfblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/geoff-jones-aka-slicefixer-part-2.html

In the interview, Slice pretty much mentions that I regarded him as a 'method instructor.' From the tone of the interview, I think it's safe to say that Slice was agitated by it to some degree.

I've seen him teach live and I think he's a really great teacher. In fact, he made my top 50 instructors list and regardless of what happens here, he's going to make it again this year and for the foreseeable future

I called him a method instructor because in part he tends to teach the many of the same components of the swing. Particularly the grip, the setup and the release. For me, the opposite of a method teacher is a 'system teacher' and that is somebody who has a system in place to allow the golfer to steadily over time develop just about every component of their golf swing. Lynn Blake is a great example of a system instructor as he has his golfers use TGM's 'basic, acquired and total' motion curriculum in order for them to figure out what components work for them.

That really doesn't mean one is bad and one is good to me. One of my beliefes is that golf instruction all starts with how well the instructor relates to people. From there, the more technical knowledge of the game comes into play. But if you're lousy at relating to people and lousy at getting your teachng across, you're going to be a lousy instructor. And the opposite is true as well.

I personally prefer to not go to *most* method instructors because most of them cannot adapt to different students and it's really a crapshoot if their method will work for them. Plus, most of the method instructors I think of, don't teach anything anywhere near what Slice teaches.

And yes, I've seen lousy system instructors. I've seen lousy TGM instructors, etc.

But, I feel that I did a poor job of getting my thoughts across and I think you took some offense to it, which was never my intent.

For that, I am sorry and I apologize because I was wrong.

If there's something I can do to make it up to you, please let me know. I can be reached via PM or via e-mail at [e-mail].








3JACK

[bentshaft]

You are a good man, Richie, although I didn't think your comments were that inflammatory...

It was a great interview and just listening to the guy makes one want to take some lessons from him!!

bent

[kamandi]

Cool interview.

I learned a lot from reading Slicefixer's Encyclopedia Texarcana; the section on the knuckle fade taught me a lot about path, face, and ball flight, and it tied in with what I learned about the d-plane. Really good stuff!

I guess there's a negative connotation for instructors about being classified as a method teacher. In my layman view, I just think some teaching pros favor or promote specific patterns, while others don't. It's got nothing to do with amount of expertise, experience, or knowledge; just a difference of approach.

I think pattern teachers are Haney, Bennet and Plummer, Shawn Clements, Manuel dela Torre to name a few. I'm sure these guys can teach any kind of swing, but they favor or promote a specific style, and it obviously works.

For those who don't necessarily favor one pattern over another in their teaching, I think they'll still have some biases or preferences.

It's good to have all those approaches to choose from.