Standing on that practice fairway at Muirfield, watching the world's best golfers, I thought I was about to witness a masterclass in golf instruction.
I was wrong.
What I saw there would shake my faith in everything I thought I knew about golf coaching.
But first, let me tell you about the man who opened my eyes to a completely different way of learning golf.
Meet Kendal McWade.
I was joined at Muirfield by this Golf Professional who was transforming the way golf was being taught throughout the U.K. I had attended his golf school a few days earlier - an experience unlike anything I'd encountered in my time in the game.
For twenty years, Kendal had been a conventional golf coach. To use his words:
"I was a walking golf encyclopaedia."
He could recite complex swing theories at will. Diagnose any swing fault. Offer detailed recovery programs for every problem.
But he wasn't getting the results he was looking for.
"I was essentially telling the same thing over and over," he said. "Not only was I getting bored, I wasn't learning anything new."
So he made a radical transformation. He started teaching non-technically, placing emphasis on natural learning and human potential.
His golf school was revolutionary.
It started indoors around a big coffee table with everyone seated on comfortable couches. His opening remark took me by surprise:
"I do not have the answers."
Every golf coach I'd known was quick to point out what was wrong and offer suggestions to fix it.
Kendal's next comment was even more provocative:
"I do not have the answers, but you do."
The room went dead quiet.
For the next ten minutes, he spoke about the massive learning potential of the human body and how conventional instruction tends to disrupt the learning process.
He mentioned golf culture's obsession with quick fixes and tips that lead golfers on a frustrating merry-go-round.
"Golf is like any other skill we perform daily - walking, talking, driving a car."
This wasn't just motivational speech. You actually realized you had the talent inside you. The key was how to unleash it.
The next nine hours changed everything.
We spent time exploring new possibilities, stepping out of comfort zones, dealing with reality instead of perceptions.
Kendal never said a swing or shot was good or bad - it just was.
This was a revelation! It was so enjoyable to attempt different shots and swings without concerning yourself with outcomes or making mistakes.
The results were incredible:
One gentleman with a lifetime slice hit his first intentional hook shot and experienced the joy of a controlled draw.
Another found satisfaction in the short game after learning a concentration exercise that helped him stay relaxed.
The common theme? The level of enjoyment found while exploring different possibilities in an environment where there was no pressure to do something "right."
No rules. No swing models. No swing theories. And most of all, no promise of a quick fix.
This was golf as it should be learned - naturally, instinctively, joyfully.
But what I witnessed on that practice fairway at Muirfield the next day made me question whether the golf world had completely lost its way...
Tomorrow, I'll share what I saw that shocked me - and why it convinced me that most golf instruction is not just wrong, but actually harmful. The funny thing? Twenty-three years later, nothing has really changed. Except now we have Trackman and mountains of data making it even worse.
To better golf (the way nature intended),
Cameron
P.S. Kendal's philosophy became the foundation of everything I teach: "You already have the answers." The question is: are you ready to trust them?
And this coaching ideal has been supported by some of the best coaching scientists on the planet (guys I have enjoyed working with). Real coaching. Effective coaching only comes when the client is allowed to do the work.