|
FAQ Regarding Personal/Playing Styles
1. Q: How does knowledge of my style help me play better?
A:
Practicing and playing according to the parameters of your
natural style creates a physical and emotional environment for
playing/practicing that produces optimal cooperation between your
"mission," the resources Mother Nature gave you and the
motions (both learned and instinctive activities and actions)
required to get where you want to go. The result is less energy
expended, less stress on your system, in a smaller time frame,
with much greater ease in reaching your objectives.
Additionally, if a player practices outside his/her style on the range, and then moves to the course, Mother Nature insists that under normal pressure, the style "she" provided at birth to the person will come into full play. Now all the work done on the range has to go through entirely different "screens" and is apt either to be lost entirely or quite confusing to the player. Practicing in the manner of someone else's style isn't likely to find its way to the course. It's one thing on the range with no pressure. It's another entirely on the course, where even with normal pressure, players default to their basic styles, no matter how they have practiced. Hence the expressions of "doing it well" on the range and then "fouling up on the course."
2. Q: Why haven't we heard more about this before now?
A: There is no short answer, but most of the evidence points in one direction - most teachers, instructors, and journalists have accepted an incomplete, over-simplified conclusion - that one's playing style is a matter of personal choice, and therefore doesn't matter so much. There is much more evidence to support the opposite, that your style is NOT a choice, (though variations and departures may surface from inappropriate applications due to not knowing one's own style). Behavior Style is predetermined, as part of our basic structure, by Mother Nature. It came with our birth. It has genetic roots and is therefore not only important, but inescapable. Failing to understand and honor the principal charateristics in your natural style can, and will, "eat your lunch" at the most inopportune times, as in "under pressure" on the golf course.
3. Q: Does that mean I have no choices in life?
A: No. We can, if we have reasonable understanding and appreciation of our styles, utilize temporary departures from out own styles for interpersonal tasks, such as communication with others. For tasks that come under a "solitary" heading, such as golf, bowling, billiards, writing, reading, studying, we will get maximum results through our own styles, not an altered version.
4. Q: Is "Style" what is involved in the cliche "playing the game within yourself?"
A: Yes. Style is the critical measure. Most players, however, seem to think "within yourself" refers to something about the assertiveness of the swing, or within some kind of vague parameters having to do with your emotions.
5. Q: Isn't "style" the same as "personality," and just a matter of semantics?
A: No, it isn't. Style is a reference to those traits that came with you when you were born, along with the maturing (as opposed to changing one's approach to others and the world) you may have added on your journey. Personality is learned after you get here and may be altered (may accompany any maturity but without necessarily being related to it) along the way, depending upon what you believed you needed to get along with other people. You might try to alter your style, and you might even succeed, but it will likely send you on many adventurous trips to a variety of doctors. And it will surely take a bite out of many of your golf shots without either your permission or your knowledge (until after the fact).
6. Q: Where can I find out more about this?
A: From
those of us who teach at Birdgolf and KeyGolf. You may also
improve your information base by acquiring a copy of our book,
"The Double Connexion." It provides more detail on the
matter of both Personal and Playing style as related to the
elements of the automatic game and how to develop it. The book is
also available as a download on the internet and you may contact
us a CD version or for more information. You can, of course,
research the matter, as we have done, and form your own
conclusions if you would prefer not to trust our studies. If that
is your choice, we'll be glad to provide you with a list of
resources to get you started on your study pilgrimage. Just send
us an
Email Us
7. Q: How can I contact you?
A: Reach us through our websites and the email addresses there.