Tour News
Snedeker hires Butch Harmon as new coach
Brandt Snedeker has ended his seven-year relationship with coach Todd Anderson and will be employing the services of Butch Harmon.
Snedeker was fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking just last year. Regardless of your opinion of the absolute validity of the ranking system, the fact that Snedeker is now 33rd can’t be construed as a good thing.
The 2012 FedExCup winner met with Harmon in Las Vegas earlier this week and plans to work on a lower ball flight and an improved release, according to Brian Wacker of PGATour.com.
Harmon, of course, has long had a stable that includes a “who’s who” of the world’s best golfers. Presently, he works with Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Jimmy Walker. Rickie Fowler, too, joined Team Harmon earlier this season and has seen some quality results, most notably finishing tied for second at the U.S. Open.
Snedeker, now 33, is having a poor season.
In 2013, he made 17 of 23 cuts, finished inside the top 10 nine times and won twice. This season, he’s made 15 of 18 cuts but has just two top-10s. Although he finished tied for ninth at the U.S. Open, he wasn’t a factor at the Masters, where he finished tied for 37th.
Statistically, Snedeker’s numbers with the driver look much the same as they did last year. However, he’s fallen from 79th to 134th in greens in regulation (65.6 to 63.4 percent).
He was sixth in birdie average on tour last year, making 3.9 per round. This season, he’s fallen to 111th in the category. He’s fallen from 13th to 125th in scoring average on Tour as well.
Here’s more evidence of his difficulty finding the putting surface, courtesy of PGATour.com (percentage, ranking).
Additionally, Sneds has lost nearly a mile per hour of ball speed. In 2014 he’s averaging 162.4 mph (150th). In 2013 he averaged 163.3 mph, which could be absolutely meaningless as his driving distance has improved. Still, it’s something Harmon is likely to take note of.
There are obvious areas of concern for the Vanderbilt alum and a changing of the guards in the coach department seems to be in order.
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
GolfWRX is live from the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities!
Back from our overseas journey, we have plenty for you to digest from Minnesota, including WITBs and in-hand looks at some pretty impressive putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #1
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #2
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #3
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #4
WITB Albums
- Luke List – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Isaiah Salinda – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Kaito Onishi – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Seamus Power – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Chris Kirk – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Andrew Putnam – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Thomas Campbell – Minnesota PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Max Herendeen – WITB – 2025 3M Open
Pullout Albums
- Rickie’s custom Joe Powell persimmon driver – 2025 3M Open
- Custom Cameron T-9.5 – 2025 3M Open
- Tom Kim’s custom prototype Cameron putter – 2025 3M Open
- New Cameron prototype putters – 2025 3M Open
- Zac Blair’s latest Scotty acquisition – 2025 3M Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
GolfWRX was live this week across the pond for The Open Championship! Check out links to all our galleries from Royal Portrush below.
General Albums
- 2025 The Open Championship – Sunday #1
- 2025 The Open Championship – Monday #1
- 2025 The Open Championship – Monday #2
- 2025 Open Championship – Monday #3
- 2025 The Open Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 The Open Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 The Open Championship – Wednesday #1
Pullout Albums
- Cobra’s 153rd Open Championship staff bag – 2025 The Open Championship
- Srixon’s Open Championship staff bag – 2025 The Open Championship
- Scotty Cameron 2025 Open Championship putter covers – 2025 The Open Championship
- TaylorMade’s 153rd Open Championship staff bag – 2025 The Open Championship
- Shane Lowry – testing a couple of Cameron putters – 2025 The Open Championship
- New Scotty Cameron Phantom Black putters(and new cover & grip) – 2025 The Open Championship
- FootJoy x Harris Tweed limited-edition shoes – 2025 The Open Championship
- Nike “Open Championship” collection shoes, bags and hoodies – 2025 The Open Championship
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
marcel
Jul 13, 2014 at 11:38 pm
good on you Sned. hope the new coach helps and brings new view on the game.
Braxton
Jul 12, 2014 at 11:06 pm
I think it’s got potential. I’m sure Brandt is plenty grateful for Todd’s work with him. In the end, he’s just gotta think about his own career, making the most of the last half of it or so. A coaching change should at least be tried.
TheFightingEdFioris
Jul 10, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I like the move.. I doubt he is going to a “fuller” release DC, he already has what looks to be a very full release and just hits high knuckleballs. Ask the best players– Spin is King on Tour. Ricky is a better player now become he spins it so much more. There’s a reason Tiger has always played the softest prototype ball on tour.
DC
Jul 11, 2014 at 6:44 am
Yeah I cant comment on the release aspect, only can read his own quotes in almost every blurb:
“PGATour.com followed up on Golf Channel’s original article, reporting that one of Snedeker’s motivating factors for making the switch was to “bring his ball flight down and to better release the club.””
Pingback: Snedeker’s hires Butch Harmon as new coach | Spacetimeandi.com
DC
Jul 9, 2014 at 7:29 pm
Seems odd to me for a number of reasons.
Todd Andersen seems like a pretty good instructor – and yes that is sarcasm, he is a *great* instructor. He couldn’t teach how to hit it with a lower ballflight or a fuller release? Sea Island is a pretty windy place, seems like he could teach him a lower ball flight if that is what he wanted.
He goes from being arguable the biggest fish in the S.I. stable to sharing time with a half dozen star players right now?
His cut % is up from 73% in 2013 to 83% so far in 2014. And his GIR % is only down 2 percentage points? I mean its not like B.S. has completely fallen off the face of the Earth.
All that being said, Sneds seems like a pretty bright guy and if he thinks this will work, more power to him. Changing coaches is not exactly an uncommon thing especially if you are struggling.