Online instruction is the wave of the future. With basic internet functions such as email and web pages, as well as the latest advancements in streaming media, content that has originally been offered in classrooms, now is available to anyone, anywhere, at any time. I’m currently taking a medieval English History class through BYU to renew my teaching certificate. My brother is taking an online MBA course through a major state university. Every major college and university is getting in on the act, as are dozens of private companies.

So it’s only natural that someone would take advantage of these trends and offer online golf instruction. Golf Instruction Courses dot Com, located in Brighton, Michigan is at the forefront of this educational revolution.  They’ve got three courses that cover setup and preshot routine, basic golf swing and getting the ball in the air. Each course includes on-demand video instruction and a written booklet. From their website:

The golf instruction and lessons that we provide are designed learning experiences. That is, they contain those elements that enhance learning and retention. To improve and enhance the golf training, instructional design elements are included in each course or lesson that help the student learn the specific technique. Students learn from reading the material and seeing the graphics, viewing and listening to the video demonstrations, and doing the building block learning exercises -– reading, seeing, hearing, doing, and measuring performance. These five methods of learning encompass each of the areas that all persons rely on most to learn and retain a skill. It will take a student anywhere from 1 to 8 hours to complete a lesson, which includes the learning exercises that are part of the lesson.

Take a look. They’ve also got a free lesson on their front page.

And thanks to Golf Instruction Courses dot Com for their donation of gift certificates to the South Arbor Academy Charity Auction

Facing perhaps the toughest golf course in America, a lot of golfers are going to choke this weekend at Oakmont in the 2007 US Open. Johnny Miller, who knows a thing or two about playing well at that course offered some advice on avoiding a choke in his book, I Call the Shots:

1) Admit you’re choking.

2) Get angry.

3) Eschew The X Factor: Miller believes that the modern swing, in which the player coils against their lower half is not conducive to playing well under pressure.

4) Learn the punch shot.

5) Listen to your hunches: Mechanical players, Miller believes have a harder time in fighting a choke. When teh mechanics fail, they may not be creative enough to find their way out of a choke.

6) Pretend to be someone else: When your swing is not working, try someone else’s . Ask “What Would Nicklaus Do"\

7) Make the course your enemy.

In his book, Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, Ben Hogan offered the image of a golfer swinging along an inclined pane of glass. You can see that perfect swing plane in this short video. It’s amazing.

Short Game Golf with Jim Furyk & Fred Funk

Grade: A
Teacher’s Comments: Not your run-of-the-mill instructional video, Short Game Golf puts you into the minds of two of golf’s better players as they analyze a variety of short game problems.

Expert Insight produces a line of instructional dvds that promise to get you “inside the mind of the expert.” The company produces dvds on poker, blackjack, magic, and—of course—golf.

As we look at the new season, I’ve made a resolution to spend the equivalent of the price of a new set of clubs on golf lessons. While I have played well enough by reading and studying training videos, and with the occasional short lesson from a PGA friend of mine, I think I could be much better. I’m a 15 handicap most of the summer, but am convinced that I can get into the single digits (I’m led to this conclusion by some brilliant stretches of golf over the last couple of summers)

But here’s a question that has been vexing me: How do I choose a pro?

It is, I think, a bit like choosing a doctor. Only more complicated. If I were looking for a new physician, I would ask some friends, check certifications and consult with the Union’s medical insurance representative. I’d also make an initial consultation to see if I liked her (or him).

I could do some similar things while searching for a golf pro. But the golf swing is more complicated and varied than medicine. With all of the different “methods” out there, I think I’ve got to find someone whose swing philosophy matches my needs.

For my pro friend, for example, it’s all about the setup. He believes that if your grip, alignment and ball position are all good, you don’t need to worry about the actual swing. The pro at my club, on the other hand, teaches an “armsy” swing. There are one plane and two plane teachers; AJ Bonar disciples; X-Factor teachers ... the list is endless.  And I’m sure they’re all equally valid for different types of golfers.

What worries me is that I’ll go to a pro who will teach me his “method” but that the “method” won’t be the best one for me. Look at Tiger. He’s gone to both Harmon and Haney, and while both worked, Haney’s method looks to be the better choice.

So who do I go to?

I don’t really want to bother my friend (although he is a superb teacher), because he won’t take my money and what I have in mind is going to take some time. And I also don’t really want to use the pro at my club, because after taking a couple of lessons from him, I’ve decided that he’s just too nice. I want some serious criticism.

What I really need is a “general pro” like I have a “general physician.” If it’s anything other than a minor or routine ailment, my general physician takes a look at my overall condition, and then refers me to a couple of specialists. He tells me what the specialists are like, and I get to pick one.

A golf generalist would diagnose my overall condition and then send me to the appropriate teacher.

It’s a pretty tough conundrum. Does anyone have any thoughts?