Anti-guru credentials

by Taylor Spalding

Those who know me and those I've shared a round of golf with might ponder my motivation for presenting this material. It is a known fact that this author is more proficient at tossing a Frisbee and throwing darts than he is at commanding the golf club. Those who have thrown the Frisbee with me consider me to be a Master thrower. Those who throw darts with me consider me to be at least a Master's apprentice.(see the office dartboard) I mention these facts not to bolster my respectability but to let the reader know that it is the contemplation of these activities that provided the seed for the material presented here. Golf posed a peculiar problem for me because it differed from the aforementioned activities. In golf we are taking an object and using it as a tool to hit another object. In darts and Frisbee we are throwing the object away. The nature of the tasks of motion is different. A good example is to be made of baseball. The pitcher feels exhilaration and freedom in throwing a weapon;  the hitter feels elation in wielding one. Translating the nature of the former to that of the latter is what makes this work in progress unique. Has my own contemplation helped my game? Yes. Has it helped me to peacefully co-exist with the game? Yes, ever the more, yes. Will it help you? I believe wholeheartedly so.

There seems to be anecdotal evidence, especially from some of the older, longtime teaching professionals, that the average golf score in the United States has remained about the same for the last seventy-five years. If any reader can provide corroborating statistics, please advise via e-mail (evidence found). Since it appears that all the Golf Gurus, Golf Tapes, Golf Channels, techno-wizards, Golf Magazines, Golf Books and Golf Professionals to date have yielded a ZERO net overall improvement among the golfing public this century, there is all the reason in the world to believe that some complete unknown can assist those with the golfing malady. Please read over my anti-guru credentials to be assured that I have separated myself completely from the established entities responsible for this trail of ineffectiveness.

• Non-member of the PGA
• Non-member of the USGA
• Non-member of the National Golf Foundation
• Belong to no country club
• Handicap -- 0 . . . as in "none." (I do not possess a handicap. I don't play enough)
• Tournaments won -- none
• Degree in kinesiology -- no
• Degree in sports psychology -- no
• Degree in sports science-- no
• Degree in applied physics -- no
• Degree in anything -- no
• Formal lessons given -- none
• Will not feign authority (the professional's most powerful tool)
• No vested interest in titanium futures
• Do not endorse any club (any will do, as long as it's properly crooked)
• Do not endorse any ball (except round ones)
• Occasionally play in my bare feet (no shoe endorsements)
• Never use a glove (no glove endorsements)
• Use no training device(except the one of my own invention)
• No propensity to use golf instruction cliches

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