Tom Brady Thinks New QBs Don't Understand the "Why". Why Is This Important For Golf Instruction?
If you're anything like me, you've watched the PR turnaround of Bryson. We all remember how he went down against the rope at one of his first LIV events. It was a tough watch. I definitely don't recommend you revisit that video... for Bryson's sake.
But Bryson has grown on me, and like many others, I've found myself rooting for him in tournaments and watching his YouTube videos. It would have been cool if he had pulled off the Masters win—a place he's dreamed about since he was a kid.
Break 50: A Series Worth Watching
Bryson's Break 50 series is a good watch. I've seen a few episodes, but not all of them. Even though Tony Romo has no drip (according to my students), he does have a pretty impressive golf game. I even made it halfway through the episode with former president Trump and that very strange swiping putting stroke that somehow found its way near the hole. But the "final episode of season 1" with Brady was the best Break 50 I've seen. Not because I'm a Pats fan—in fact, I'm relegated to misery as the husband of a die-hard Bears fan. This Brady episode was full of nuggets of wisdom, and I'd like to share my top takeaway that golf instructors can use in their next lessons.
The Deep Understanding Required for Mastery
Near the end of the episode (I'll time stamp this at 56:22), Bryson and Brady are talking about flow states, and Brady explains how young quarterbacks are taught these days. He says that many young players don't understand the "why" behind certain plays, and this causes mistakes on the field. They snap the ball when they shouldn't, or they fail to adjust the play when the defense lines up in unexpected ways. This leads to many blown plays where quarterbacks are forced to rely on their athletic skills or creativity to get out of trouble.
Maybe this is the Mahomes effect. With a talented enough quarterback, perhaps we don't need to spend as much time teaching the "why."
This lack of understanding can be traced to how players are taught. Perhaps it's because coaches don't take enough time to explain the reasoning behind plays, or because they're prioritizing something else with their QBs' time. Nonetheless, the same principle applies to golf instruction.
Teaching the 'Why' in Golf
It's crucially important that our players understand the "why" behind what they're doing. During golf lessons, instructors must consistently explain the purpose behind movements, drills, and techniques to ensure players are learning smarter, not just harder.
We see this often—sorry, I see this often. You know that TikTok golfer somewhere in the Highlands who yells at you to get your arm in the slot? He's @speedgolf on TikTok and he's a great watch, but he's always yelling at me to get my arm in the slot without telling me why. We have to make sure we give the full picture to our students and explain the why!
Beyond the Surface: Real Teaching Moments
So, what's the real takeaway here? When Brady and Bryson go deep into the weeds about their craft, we need to pull out the wisdom that helps us excel in our lives. We can't just be those golf influencers yelling "get in the slot" from behind our phones take after take because it's entertaining. Our students deserve better than that. They deserve to know why the slot matters, why that grip adjustment makes a difference, why that weight shift is going to help them pure that 7-iron with those massive cavity backs.
The Path Forward
I get it. It's a lot easier to tell someone what to do and hope that it works out, but watching Brady break down quarterback development reminded me that the greatest athletes are also the greatest students—and these students deserve a teacher who lights the path.
Maybe next time you're out there teaching, take an extra minute to explain not just what you want your student to do but why it matters. Because at the end of the day, whether you're trying to read Cover 2 or Cover 4 like Brady, or finesse a 50-yard bunker shot in a major, understanding the why is what turns good players into great ones.
