by Jim Guthrie
Yo Chris,
If you're going to insult people, at least spell those insults correctly.
It's spelled "doofus."

by R.Dubb
Everyone is a hopeless hacker at one time in their career, but the thing is that some golf courses that dont charge an arm and a leg should have a max handicap allowed. I am tired of paying some higher fees and haveing to wait the whole round because there are many groups of players who are all over the course, and are shooting 110 to 120, and those are not even legit scores. Plus there are divot's all over, sand traps are not raked, and ball marks are not repaired.
I am by no means a pro, and I do have the odd poor round, but on some courses the should implement a max handicap, and if you dont know your handicap, they should say if you cant shoot 100 consistantly, your not allowed. I truely believe that these courses would actually be better off because more better golfers would flock to them, plus the speed of the rounds would improve from 6 plus hours to lets say 5 hours per round. Now that would make every true golfer happy.
Lets face it, even some true duffers can break 100 consistantley. If you cant break 100, play the easier and less expensive courses untill you get better.

by RON CSILLAG
A MAN SUCH AS YOURSELF, IS OBVIOUSLY TOO BRIGHT AND OR TALENTED TO LEARN FROM AN INSTRUCTOR. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD BEGIN WITH WRITING CLASSES, AND MOVE ON TO OTHER AREAS OF LEARNING FROM THERE

by David Terry
Mr. Robbins and Mr. Wiren are right on target. The only thing they haven't taken into account is that Chris Baldwin truly qualifies for The Golf Channel's 'World's Worst Golf Swing" competition. The USGA's average score may be 110, but that's for 18 holes. Chris Baldwin's average 9-hole score is close to this number. I know because I had the "opportunity" to play 18 fun-filled holes with him as he reviewed our golf course.

by Alan
Chris- you must have been reaching your deadline for a story and this was the best you could come up with. Bashing golf instructors and others. I am a Class A PGA Professional and I teach hundreds of students each year that just want to get better. They just wanted to be able to get the ball around the course with their friends and have a good time. Turning people off to the thought of instruction is such an act of a coward. You hide behind your pen and know that you just want to gett people angry and respond to make you look better. Personally , I think you are afraid to take a golf lesson because you are afraid of failure. If you play golf worse than you write, then may God help you. By the way on the evolution chart, magazine writers are just a notch above car salesman.

by Gary Harvey
Chris,
There are some good chiropractors.
An Instructor that keeps it simple is certainly worth 40 bucks.
I recommend it.
Good Luck
Harv.

by Don Millus
As a golf writer I get my lessons for free, but I am still a bad golfer, an embarassment to my instructor, although he's too much of a gentleman to admit it. However, I do hit some good shots that I know I could not have hit without his ministrations.
For his name and the tale of my struggles, see http://ww2.coastal.edu/millus/folly/chapter16.html
As for Chris, keep up the interesting writing.
Don Millus
G.W.A.A.

by Kevin
Chris...insulting golf professionals and chiropractors (both of whom actually HELP people and contribute to a better society) is a sad way for you to justify your inferior golf game and obvious lack of journalistic ability to write stories that actually mean something. Please unsubscribe me and I would recommend you "play" more and write less.

by Mike Malaska
I have to say I agree 100% with the message posted by "Kevin". Chris, you undoubtedly have too much time on your hands to waste an article on trying to belittle true professionals. I recommend that next time you educate yourself and research your subject matter before using your pen...and in the meantime...please remove my name from your email list!
Mike Malaska
PGA Teaching Professional

by Mike Harris
I can't imagine playing a sport and never learning the basics of that sport, especially in golf where you have three basics to learn, the golf swing, the rules of golf and golf etiquette. Going out on the golf course without the knowledge of these basics, you are going to make a long day for the people playing behind you.
Mike Harris
PGA Member Professional
Dixie Section

by Scott Robbins
To paint a general picture of all golf lessons is a disservice to your readers, the golf professional and the game itself. The beauty of this great game is that each individual can play the game the way he or she desires to. If you are satisfied playing the way you do, great! As a teaching professional I would leave you alone and relish in your enjoymentt of the game.
However, there are other golfers who play the game for the constant challenge of improving their game whether it is improving their skills or their scoring or both. For these people, the true teaching professional os a vital service and welcomed assistance. The first part of any successful session is desire. If you personally don't have the desire to take a lesson or improve with help from a professional, a lesson is not for you. So do not paint the picture of your desires or non desires for the whole community of golf.
The TOUR professionals take help for their games because they want to become better and more in their professional life. Not all golfers want to or can be TOUR professionals. For those who want to be like a TOUR player and have the desire to become better players, our professiona as instructors will survive. I do not and will not depend on the players like you to advance my profession. I would hope that you would not and will not berate the player who wants to improve with assistance simply because you do not have the same desires as he or she.
Scott Robbins
PGA Member Professional
Northern Texas Section
2000 NTPGA Teacher of the Year

by Gary Wiren
PGA professional Scott Robbins offers a kindly respectful reply to your juvenile opinionated tirade on the value of instruction to help one shorten and enhance the learning process. I am not so patient As Scott with your disrespect of the title teacher. Anyone that possesses an ounce of wisdom is aware of the value of a strong mentor or teacher in helping them to achieve improvement in their choosen endeavor. I have taught for over 50 years and have had the wonderful experience of aiding people, ready to quit the game of golf, come back and enjoy it after a few simple fundamentals were shared with them which they then practiced. I have seen people's self esteem rise as their handicaps have shrunk. They learned in the process the value of effort and reward, trusting an experienced counselor, and the patience requried in the improvement process. A wise teacher once said, "It is difficult in life to do something when you don't understand what you are trying to do." Teachers provide that understanding. Maybe after a few more years under your belt Chris, you will begin to understand that learning should be a lifelong passion and that good teachers enhance it.
Gary Wiren, PGA Master Professional