# To Be Taken With A Grain of Salt



## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

Meaning: With a healthy dose of skepticism, suspicion, and caution
Golf is a wonderful sport, it inspires us to dizzying heights of knowledge and experience. Play three times and automatically we become bona-fide instructors, just brimming with information we wish to endow upon the unsuspecting newbie. A web site like Golf Forum is a gathering place for like minded individuals who like to hear about and talk about golf. I seriously doubt however that there are any resident professionals amongst our gathering, just frothing at the bit to impart hints and tips to us mere mortals. We all want to improve our game and seeking out knowledge is a very mortal thing to do. Unfortunately because we’re not the next up and coming Tiger, we seek out information from our peers. I can give you a dozen golf magazines who espouse information about how to cure our slice, hit the perfect chip shot, lower our scores by 5 strokes and increase our drives by fifty yards. And of the dozen magazines there are a dozen ways and a dozen instructors passing on that information. Open your stance, close your stance, move the ball forward, move the ball back, bend your knees, straighten your back, on and on and on. When we ask for help on Golf Forum, there are all kinds of good guys who’d love to help, but if I were you I’d have a tendency to take all information “With a Grain of Salt”. 
Del


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## BigMike (Jan 27, 2007)

I love how those magazines can cure your slice with EVERY issue. lol My slice was fixed once I finally realized what swinging on plane FELT like. If I am not careful I can still fall back into old habits and swing too steeply so that I am hitting wonderful lob web shots with my driver. That and putting beautiful little sky marks on my favorite club. ok, I'm rambling now. Out.


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## srothfuss (Nov 17, 2006)

Agreed - I by no means would ever consider myself a professional or even an instructor. I do like to talk though and I don't mind sharing my opinion on what has worked for me in the past... Did I mention that I like to talk?

I should start a Golf Forum Club - The "unofficial opinion to improve your game without practice club" sounds like a nice name. :laugh: 

Speaking of those magazines you guys are talking about. I'm subscribed to 1 of them and so is the wife (the ladies version) and I find the information in the Golf for Women to be more easy to read. Is there something wrong with me?


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Actually there are some PGA professionals who visit and contribute to several of these forums. But it is still very difficult to get any real effective assistance with a swing problem without face to face instruction. You might be able to pick up some drills, but even that is difficult to get right just by the using a written description. The best thing I've seen from a couple of the pros is that they at least try to clear up some serious misconceptions that might have been posted by other well meaning but uninformed members. 

IMO, there is still no substitute for one on one live instruction. The challenge is finding that instructor who can work with your particular swing and swing issues.


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## zaphod (Jan 3, 2007)

So are going to talk about NCAA basketball, NFL draft or what??

In other words there are honest questions being asked. What do you propose we do with them? Give each answer with a disclaimer to prevent liability???:dunno: 

This question is also asked with good intentions.


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## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

> When we ask for help on Golf Forum, there are all kinds of good guys who’d love to help, but if I were you I’d have a tendency to take all information “With a Grain of Salt”.


 
I'm pretty sure most people posting here already realize that.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

Salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, sage rosemarry & thyme...

Someone mentioned how every magazine offers solutions for your slice. What about those of us who fight a hook?

There's a million and one golf pros out there and maybe every one of them is good and teaching how to do things right, but there is one, Jim Hardy, who teaches his "Plane Truth"... conceptionally that there are one plane swings and two plane swings. What is a good fundmental for one is not necessarily a good fundamental for the other. With little apparent respect for his teaching pro peers, he says they put out too much useless information.

On the other hand, while I understand the difference between one plane and two plane swings, I'm 6'7" tall and find certain things about my body style fit each plane. In short, I'm indefinable. He doesn't take me into account.

I think that applies to many of us, even those of you with, uh... normal bodies. It's all hidden in the language they use. What means something to you might not to me.

So, yes, take everything with a grain of salt.


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## dazzle (Jan 18, 2007)

salt, pepper, parsley... hmm i like spices...

yep, I will take it with a pinch of salt and only take it as a guide.

My thought is that every individual is different in combination of physique, fitness, size, flexibility, golf swing, style, etc. So, what you read should be only used as a guide cos I am different. I am definitely not as flexible and fit as Tiger Woods, so how Tiger cure his size may rely on his physique which definitely not work for me. (Surely true, after I see myself in the mirror *sigh*) Just an example, dont frame me. 

Furthermore, there are many school of thoughts in the golf swing. If you see on magazines and publications, different pros have different methods and styles. so find one that suit you most.

See, you need a lot of spices in golf...

Just my thoughts... Cheers


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## Butz (Nov 17, 2006)

Heya,

I certainly do agree with Rick and Del's remark.

Nothing beats a hands-on instruction with a licensed Pro.

Honestly, I have seen people who teach their family members and friends the basic fundamental about Golf; only to be hit accidentally by their own student.

for example, a kid swinging his golf iron, and hit's his dad's forehead upon making a follow through, and many others, like golf irons flying or falling down, and hitting the feet.

There a lot of accidents I see in the Golf practice range, and nothing beats being coached by a Pro.


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## cesc (Mar 3, 2007)

An experienced and well knowledged person is who one should always try to learn from...therefore a licensed professional is naturally the best choice...


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