If you play golf to get better at golf

[BHoover]

I wasn't talking about using teachers, coaches, etc. I simply meant that I enjoy practicing as much as actually playing, and I do so with an eye toward improving my game. I long ago realized I would never be a really good player, but that doesn't mean I don't want to improve my game. I also find it more enjoyable to compete, often in a friendly match.

[David_Tepper]

"I think our golf swings r like our finger prints and they really never change much regardless od how much instruction u have."

Cary L. -

I spend a fair amount of time at a public driving range. Based on what I have seen there over the years, I think a lot of flawed golf swings are the product of bad set-up/address position fundamentals: bad grips, bad posture, bad ball position. If people would simply learn those fundamentals correctly (which don't require swinging or moving the club at all), an awful lot of disappointment could be avoided.

DT    

[John Kavanaugh]

Last time I took a lesson, about five years ago, I went out that weekend and shot 66, 64. Then I played the second 18. But seriously, it's scary to get good so I haven't taken a lesson since.

[Carl Johnson]

What's wrong with playing golf to get better at golf? To me, practice and competition is what makes the game interesting and fun. The better I play, the more enjoyable it is.

If it really does work for you, absolutely nothing is wrong with that approach.

  Again, think about growing the game, not just what suits us nuts.

Carl,
Why do you think we should worry with growing the game?  

Not sure who "we" is.  However, there's lots of discussion in the golf community about "growing the game."  I think I recall reading comments from others on this site suggesting they think it's important to grow the game, but that's not something I'm going to search for now.  Obviously, people who have money to make out of golf want to grow it so they can sell more golf stuff, have more opportunities for teaching and other club pros, club and course managers, superintendents, even golf course architects, and so on.  I assume Nike would like to grow the game.  Personally, I don't give a s*it because I'm not in the golf business and as long as I have some nice courses to play on and some nice people to play with in the short period of my life that I have left in which I'll be able to play, then I'll be o.k.