Opinion & Analysis
Clark: A teacher’s take on Brandel Chamblee’s comments
Because I’m writing to a knowledgeable audience who follows the game closely, I’m sure the current Brandel Chamblee interview and ensuing controversy needs no introduction, so let’s get right to it.
Brandel Chamblee, a former PGA Tour player, now plays a role as a TV personality. He has built a “brand” around that role. The Golf Channel seems to relish the idea of Brandel as the “loose cannon” of the crew (not unlike Johnny Miller on NBC) saying exactly what he thinks with seeming impunity from his superiors.
I do not know the gentleman personally, but on-air, he seems like an intelligent, articulate golf professional, very much on top of his subject matter, which is mostly the PGA Tour. He was also a very capable player (anyone who played and won on the PGA Tour is/was a great player). But remember, nowadays he is not being judged by what scores he shoots, but by how many viewers/readers his show and his book have (ratings). Bold statements sell, humdrum ones do not.
For example, saying that a teacher’s idiocy was exposed is a bold controversial statement that will sell, but is at best only partly true and entirely craven. If the accuser is not willing to name the accused, he is being unfair and self-serving. However, I think it’s dangerous to throw the baby out with the bathwater here; Brandel is a student of the game and I like a lot of what he says and thinks.
His overriding message in that interview is that golf over the last “30-40 years” has been poorly taught. He says the teachers have been too concerned with aesthetics, not paying enough attention to function. There is some truth in that, but Brandel is painting with a very broad brush here. Many, myself included, eschewed method teaching years ago for just that reason. Method teachers are bound to help some and not others. Maybe the “X swing” one player finds very useful, another cannot use it all.
Brandel was asked specifically about Matthew Wolff’s unique swing: Lifting the left heel, crossing the line at the top, etc. He answered, “of course he can play because that’s how he plays.” The problem would be if someone tried to change that because it “looked odd.” Any teacher worth his weight in salt would not change a swing simply because it looked odd if it was repeating good impact. I learned from the great John Jacobs that it matters not what the swing looks like if it is producing great impact.
Now, if he is objecting exclusively to those method teachers who felt a certain pattern of motions was the one true way to get to solid impact, I agree with him 100 percent. Buy many teach on an individual, ball flight and impact basis and did not generalize a method. So to say “golf instruction over the last 30-40 years” has been this or that is far too broad a description and unfair.
He goes on to say that the “Top Teacher” lists are “ridiculous.” I agree, mostly. While I have been honored by the PGA and a few golf publications as a “top teacher,” I have never understood how or why. NOT ONE person who awarded me those honors ever saw me give one lesson! Nor have they have ever tracked one player I coached. I once had a 19 handicap come to me and two seasons later he won the club championship-championship flight! By that I mean with that student I had great success. But no one knew of that progress who gave me an award.
On the award form, I was asked about the best, or most well-known students I had taught. In the golf journals, a “this-is-the-teacher-who-can-help-you” message is the epitome of misdirection. Writing articles, appearing on TV, giving YouTube video tips, etc. is not the measure of a teacher. On the list of recognized names, I’m sure there are great teachers, but wouldn’t you like to see them teach as opposed to hearing them speak? I’m assuming the “ridiculous” ones Brandel refers to are those teaching a philosophy or theory of movement and trying to get everyone to do just that.
When it comes to his criticism of TrackMan, I disagree. TrackMan does much more than help “dial in yardage.” Video cannot measure impact, true path, face-to-path relationship, centeredness of contact, club speed, ball speed, plane etc. Comparing video with radar is unfair because the two systems serve different functions. And if real help is better ball flight, which of course only results from better impact, then we need both a video of the overall motion and a measure of impact.
Now the specific example he cites of Jordan Spieth’s struggles being something that can be corrected in “two seconds” is hyperbolic at least! Nothing can be corrected that quickly simply because the player has likely fallen into that swing flaw over time, and it will take time to correct it. My take on Jordan’s struggles is a bit different, but he is a GREAT player who will find his way back.
Brandel accuses Cameron McCormick (his teacher) of telling him to change his swing. Do we know that to be true, or did Jordan just fall into a habit and Cameron is not seeing the change? I agree there is a problem; his stats prove that, but before we pick a culprit, let’s get the whole story. Again back to the sensationalism which sells! (Briefly, I believe Jordan’s grip is and has always been a problem but his putter and confidence overcame it. An active body and “quiet” hands is the motion one might expect of a player with a strong grip-for obvious reason…but again just my two teacher cents)
Anyway, “bitch-slapped” got him in hot water for other reasons obviously, and he did apologize over his choice of words, and to be clear he did not condemn the PGA as a whole. But because I have disagreements with his reasoning here does not mean Brandel is not a bright articulate golf professional, I just hope he looks before he leaps the next time, and realizes none of us are always right.
Some of my regular readers will recall I “laid down my pen” a few years ago, but it occurred to me, I would be doing many teachers a disservice if I did not offer these thoughts on this particular topic!
.
As the editor-in-chief of this website and an observer of the GolfWRX forums and other online golf equipment discourse for over a decade, I’m pretty well attuned to the grunts and grumbles of a significant portion of the golf equipment purchasing spectrum. And before you accuse me of lording above all in some digital ivory tower, I’d like to offer that I worked at golf courses (public and private) for years prior to picking up my pen, so I’m well-versed in the non-degenerate golf equipment consumers out there. I touched (green)grass (retail)!
Complaints about the ills of and related to the OEMs usually follow some version of: Product cycles are too short for real innovation, tour equipment isn’t the same as retail (which is largely not true, by the way), too much is invested in marketing and not enough in R&D, top staffer X hasn’t even put the new driver in play, so it’s obviously not superior to the previous generation, prices are too high, and on and on.
Without digging into the merits of any of these claims, which I believe are mostly red herrings, I’d like to bring into view of our rangefinder what I believe to be the two primary difficulties golf equipment companies face.
One: As Terry Koehler, back when he was the CEO of Ben Hogan, told me at the time of the Ft Worth irons launch, if you can’t regularly hit the golf ball in a coin-sized area in the middle of the face, there’s not a ton that iron technology can do for you. Now, this is less true now with respect to irons than when he said it, and is less and less true by degrees as the clubs get larger (utilities, fairways, hybrids, drivers), but there remains a great deal of golf equipment truth in that statement. Think about it — which is to say, in TL;DR fashion, get lessons from a qualified instructor who will teach you about the fundamentals of repeatable impact and how the golf swing works, not just offer band-aid fixes. If you can’t repeatably deliver the golf club to the golf ball in something resembling the manner it was designed for, how can you expect to be getting the most out of the club — put another way, the maximum value from your investment?
Similarly, game improvement equipment can only improve your game if you game it. In other words, get fit for the clubs you ought to be playing rather than filling the bag with the ones you wish you could hit or used to be able to hit. Of course, don’t do this if you don’t care about performance and just want to hit a forged blade while playing off an 18 handicap. That’s absolutely fine. There were plenty of members in clubs back in the day playing Hogan Apex or Mizuno MP-32 irons who had no business doing so from a ballstriking standpoint, but they enjoyed their look, feel, and complementary qualities to their Gatsby hats and cashmere sweaters. Do what brings you a measure of joy in this maddening game.
Now, the second issue. This is not a plea for non-conforming equipment; rather, it is a statement of fact. USGA/R&A limits on every facet of golf equipment are detrimental to golf equipment manufacturers. Sure, you know this, but do you think about it as it applies to almost every element of equipment? A 500cc driver would be inherently more forgiving than a 460cc, as one with a COR measurement in excess of 0.83. 50-inch shafts. Box grooves. And on and on.
Would fewer regulations be objectively bad for the game? Would this erode its soul? Fortunately, that’s beside the point of this exercise, which is merely to point out the facts. The fact, in this case, is that equipment restrictions and regulations are the slaughterbench of an abundance of innovation in the golf equipment space. Is this for the best? Well, now I’ve asked the question twice and might as well give a partial response, I guess my answer to that would be, “It depends on what type of golf you’re playing and who you’re playing it with.”
For my part, I don’t mind embarrassing myself with vintage blades and persimmons chasing after the quasi-spiritual elevation of a well-struck shot, but that’s just me. Plenty of folks don’t give a damn if their grooves are conforming. Plenty of folks think the folks in Liberty Corner ought to add a prison to the museum for such offences. And those are just a few of the considerations for the amateur game — which doesn’t get inside the gallery ropes of the pro game…
Different strokes in the game of golf, in my humble opinion.
Anyway, I believe equipment company engineers are genuinely trying to build better equipment year over year. The marketing departments are trying to find ways to make this equipment appeal to the broadest segment of the golf market possible. All of this against (1) the backdrop of — at least for now — firm product cycles. And golfers who, with their ~15 average handicap (men), for the most part, are not striping the golf ball like Tiger in his prime and seem to have less and less time year over year to practice and improve. (2) Regulations that massively restrict what they’re able to do…
That’s the landscape as I see it and the real headwinds for golf equipment companies. No doubt, there’s more I haven’t considered, but I think the previous is a better — and better faith — point of departure when formulating any serious commentary on the golf equipment world than some of the more cynical and conspiratorial takes I hear.
Agree? Disagree? Think I’m worthy of an Adam Hadwin-esque security guard tackle? Let me know in the comments.
@golfoncbs The infamous Adam Hadwin tackle ? #golf #fyp #canada #pgatour #adamhadwin ? Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz – MaSssuguMusic
Episode #16 brings us Cliff McKinney. Cliff is the founder of Old Charlie Golf Club, a new club, and concept, to be built in the Florida panhandle. The model is quite interesting and aims to make great, private golf more affordable. We hope you enjoy the show!
Last week, I came across a reel from BBC Sport on Instagram featuring Scottie Scheffler speaking to the media ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush. In it, he shared that he often wonders what the point is of wanting to win tournaments so badly — especially when he knows, deep down, that it doesn’t lead to a truly fulfilling life.
View this post on Instagram
“Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport,” Scheffler said. “To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because what’s the point?”
Ironically — or perhaps perfectly — he went on to win the claret jug.
That question — what’s the point of winning? — cuts straight to the heart of the human journey.
As someone who’s spent over two decades in the trenches of professional golf, and in deep study of the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the game, I see Scottie’s inner conflict as a sign of soul evolution in motion.
I came to golf late. I wasn’t a junior standout or college All-American. At 27, I left a steady corporate job to see if I could be on the PGA Tour starting as a 14-handicap, average-length hitter. Over the years, my journey has been defined less by trophies and more by the relentless effort to navigate the deeply inequitable and gated system of professional golf — an effort that ultimately turned inward and helped me evolve as both a golfer and a person.
One perspective that helped me make sense of this inner dissonance around competition and our culture’s tendency to overvalue winning is the idea of soul evolution.
The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies has done extensive research on reincarnation, and Netflix’s Surviving Death (Episode 6) explores the topic, too. Whether you take it literally or metaphorically, the idea that we’re on a long arc of growth — from beginner to sage elder — offers a profound perspective.
If you accept the premise literally, then terms like “young soul” and “old soul” start to hold meaning. However, even if we set the word “soul” aside, it’s easy to see that different levels of life experience produce different worldviews.
Newer souls — or people in earlier stages of their development — may be curious and kind but still lack discernment or depth. There is a naivety, and they don’t yet question as deeply, tending to see things in black and white, partly because certainty feels safer than confronting the unknown.
As we gain more experience, we begin to experiment. We test limits. We chase extreme external goals — sometimes at the expense of health, relationships, or inner peace — still operating from hunger, ambition, and the fragility of the ego.
It’s a necessary stage, but often a turbulent and unfulfilling one.
David Duval fell off the map after reaching World No. 1. Bubba Watson had his own “Is this it?” moment with his caddie, Ted Scott, after winning the Masters.
In Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, reflecting on his 2011 Super Bowl win, Rodgers said:
“Now I’ve accomplished the only thing that I really, really wanted to do in my life. Now what? I was like, ‘Did I aim at the wrong thing? Did I spend too much time thinking about stuff that ultimately doesn’t give you true happiness?’”
Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
Eventually, though, something shifts.
We begin to see in shades of gray. Winning, dominating, accumulating—these pursuits lose their shine. The rewards feel more fleeting. Living in a constant state of fight-or-flight makes us feel alive, yes, but not happy and joyful.
Compassion begins to replace ambition. Love, presence, and gratitude become more fulfilling than status, profits, or trophies. We crave balance over burnout. Collaboration over competition. Meaning over metrics.
Interestingly, if we zoom out, we can apply this same model to nations and cultures. Countries, like people, have a collective “soul stage” made up of the individuals within them.
Take the United States, for example. I’d place it as a mid-level soul: highly competitive and deeply driven, but still learning emotional maturity. Still uncomfortable with nuance. Still believing that more is always better. Despite its global wins, the U.S. currently ranks just 23rd in happiness (as of 2025). You might liken it to a gifted teenager—bold, eager, and ambitious, but angsty and still figuring out how to live well and in balance. As much as a parent wants to protect their child, sometimes the child has to make their own mistakes to truly grow.
So when Scottie Scheffler wonders what the point of winning is, I don’t see someone losing strength.
I see someone evolving.
He’s beginning to look beyond the leaderboard. Beyond metrics of success that carry a lower vibration. And yet, in a poetic twist, Scheffler did go on to win The Open. But that only reinforces the point: even at the pinnacle, the question remains. And if more of us in the golf and sports world — and in U.S. culture at large — started asking similar questions, we might discover that the more meaningful trophy isn’t about accumulating or beating others at all costs.
It’s about awakening and evolving to something more than winning could ever promise.
‘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...
Newton Hino
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:39 pm
Like Main stream media(NBC Golf Channel) they strive on sensationalism and outrages notions etc.
Chamblee is no exception, they need controversy and ratings. So this won’t stop no matter how absurd.
Dennis Clark
Apr 6, 2020 at 3:16 pm
Authors note: I just got a call from Mr. Bob Toski complimenting this article. Bob, of course, is one of the legendary players and teachers of the game, and it was very nice of him to call and say thanks. We talked about individual methods, Jordan Spieth’s grip, and a bunch of his tour days. It was a pleasure to hear from him. He’s 93 and doing well! Thx again Mr. Toski.
Dennis Clark
Apr 6, 2020 at 3:10 pm
Author’s note: I
Al Wood
Apr 6, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Ben Hogan was asked many times why he didn’t have a swing coach or teacher, and he said that he couldn’t find anyone who could beat him. He figured it out on his own. I think too many swing thoughts in your head causes bad reps. Play by feel and get up and wing it and you’ll play better for the average golfer.
Dennis Clark
Apr 6, 2020 at 3:02 pm
the answer is in the dirt! he was one of a kind
Evan
Apr 7, 2020 at 5:23 am
Hogan had plenty of lessons and influences in developing his swing-Stan Leonard, Sam Byrd, Henry Picard, Demaret…It was far from a home made swing.
Dennis Clark
Apr 7, 2020 at 9:31 am
Correct, No one is actually “self taught”. That description generally means “no formal lessons”. But nobody had formal lessons back then did they? That’s like “self help books” :). what does that mean? I’m guessing anyone who is good at golf got there with a decent starting point on the grip, and someone showed them that grip. I had no formal training but i know plenty of people showed me things along the way.
Lessonswasteoftimemoney
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:59 am
After wasting years taking lessons(neighbour is a pga pro at top course in the country) I came up with the idea of just asking a good player on the range what I was doing wrong. Pros always want to totally change your swing rather than just tweaking it. Guy on the range said my practice swing was perfect, but with my actual swing I was trying to kill the ball and was getting off balance. Problem solved!! Just swing easy now and shots are amazing. I was surprised that they actually go farther!! Would have been nive ifmy neighbour the pro had noticed that years ago!!!!!
Hoganben
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:47 am
I came up with the best way to help.my swing…instead of wasting more money on lessons from pga pros I just asked guys I saw hitting perfect shots on the range while down in Florida. I had wasted another $125 usd on a another lesson from a PGA pro who used to play on tour and had got nowhere again. My neighbor is a PGA pro at a top course in the country and he has been of no help over 15 years. On day.we.were.playing an d he said I used to play better…I.thought yeah before I moved next door to you! Pros always want to totally change your swing. Anyway one of the guys hitting ball on the range in Florida said my practice swings with my irons were perfect. He said when I took my actual swing I was trying to absolutely kill the ball which was true. So now my actual swing is nice and easy like my practice swing and I see that the ball actually goes farther this way
Freefrompros
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:41 am
I came up with the best way to help.my swing…instead of wasting more money on lessons from pga pros I just asked guys I saw hitting perfect shots on the range while down in Florida. I had wasted another $125 usd on a another lesson from a PGA pro who used to play on tour and had got nowhere again. My neighbor is a PGA pro at a top course in the country and.he has.been of no help over 15 years. On day.we.were.playing an d he said I used.to play better…I.thought yeah before I moved next door to you! Pros always want to totally change your swing. Anyway one of the guys hitting ball on the range in Florida said my practice swings with my irons were perfect. He said when I took my actual swing I was trying to absolutely kill the ball which was true. So now my actual swing is nice and easy like my practice swing and I see that the ball actually goes farther this way
Walter
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:39 am
Dennis, Are you saying Jordan’s grip is too strong or did I misread your intention. I look at his grip and if anything it looks very weak on the left hand and normal on the right hand. If anything seems weird is how long a left thumb he has in his grip.
Dennis Clark
Apr 7, 2020 at 9:35 am
too WEAK in my opinion. His upper body runs ahead of the golf ball starting down, a sign of a weak grip. he’s a VERY talented player though and he will be back. Maybe after a slight GRIP adjustment.
david goodman
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:17 am
I enjoy listening to Brandell, and Johnny Miller was my favourite. For the most part I agree with Chamblee’s article, and I also agree with what Dennis has to say here. I am also a teacher, and only my students could say if I’m good or not. but I have listened to some teachers near my on the range giving instruction and I’ve rolled my eyes. As said, people who paint with a broad brush always get it wrong. A couple of comments here stated that all teachers suck and can’t play, absolutely incorrect. It IS about ball flight as John Jacobs said,(who I spent some time with, and thought he was brilliant). The only area of disagreement I might have with Dennis Clark is the value of trackman to golfers other professionals. But the key is to find the teacher whose language you understand and identify with. Faldo knows golf, but on the surface they’re too technical for me as a student; I’d rather have Penick as a teacher. Again it’s all a question of your own style of understanding.
Evan
Apr 6, 2020 at 7:30 am
Good to see you back writing here Dennis. There are great teachers out there for sure, such as yourself, however there are plenty who aren’t. On balance, however, I think the game has been taught poorly and that undoubtedly is a factor in the game’s decline in popularity.
TacklingDummy
Apr 5, 2020 at 4:34 pm
This is a good take on the situation because Clark looks at the entire picture rather than take offense by one controversial statement. Nowadays, people seem to judge someone on a few statements and don’t look at the 99.9% of statements they made before. However, Chamblee could have made his statement more tactfully and would of delivered his message better.
Raj lp
Apr 5, 2020 at 2:00 pm
I’ve liked Chamblee’s take on most topics. Not to say I always agree with it but he speaks so openly about most topics. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to walking on egg shells. I’ve had lessons from great teachers who have told me something like “keep your foot planted” which have salvaged a season and those that have tweaked the backswing, the impact, and the follow through in a single lesson which have cost me 2 years of misery.
The best teachers will get you to a great impact position regardless of what template suits you.
Dennis Clark
Apr 7, 2020 at 9:41 am
The idea is WHY did he/she say keep your heel planted. If the teacher cannot explain the reason your lifting your heel is affecting IMPACT, then it not germane to the issue. Should jack Nicklaus give back all his majors? Or Snead all his wins? The left heel like so many things is a preference not a principle. Thx for reading
mikeyC
Apr 5, 2020 at 12:54 pm
In golf, more than any other sport, commentators are afraid to be critical of the games stars. Who is the Stephen A. Smith of the Golf world? When did it become a sin to criticize someone in sports for their performance? Brandel is a breath of fresh air for his candor. Plus he does his homework and knows what he’s talking about.
Dennis Clark
Apr 5, 2020 at 4:38 pm
He’s not being critical of the stars; he’s being critical of a trend if golf instruction which he feels has misdirected some stars. Again, too broad a brush. Many of us do not instruct by how “pretty” swings are, but how well they are getting to good solid impact. If a golfers is spinning around three times and falls down when he hits it, BUT HAS GREAT IMPACT CONSISTENTLY, leave that swing ALONE, that is HIS best swing
Chip2win
Apr 5, 2020 at 7:19 am
So, my take from reading this article is that Dennis thinks that Brandel is MOSTLY right.
Scott McDonald
Apr 5, 2020 at 12:02 pm
Agreed and I believe that he has made some great points. Chamber has a right to his opinions impact is impact but you must get the ball in the hole. Never used Trakman and have little interest. Hard to believe that PGA award winners are not visited but many do section programs where info is shared. PGA is on the hot seat now. Don’t talk about growing the game. DO It. Play with members and show them a great time. Get out and be seen in the community..
Dennis Clark
Apr 5, 2020 at 4:47 pm
I made it clear what I agree with and what I don’t. He’s referring to method teaching and a “trend” in something he calls golf instruction. Every teacher should work with students individually, not a use a Method for every one. And he’s not giving Trackman enough credit; it does serve a goof purpose.I really don’t know what Brandel knows about teaching. Can he stand behind someone who’s hitting the ball on the hosel 4 out of 5 times, and correct it? We wouldn’t know because he doesn’t do that, no record to judge.
steve
Apr 4, 2020 at 8:51 pm
Not a fan of Brandel, seems to make bold statements, even if valid, for his profile, ratings, and clicks…I’m even wasting my time now reading and writing about him, I tune him out when he’s on TV.
Mitch
Apr 4, 2020 at 8:25 pm
None of these teachers can play worth a crap themselves , so why listen to them
John
Apr 5, 2020 at 11:39 am
This is so true. I have had contemplated lessons, and have asked instructors if I can see them hit. Many has said “I don’t think so. I don’t really play, I teach now. blah, blah, blah”
I will say, I have had really bad lessons before. I had a really bad grip, and three instructors missed it until I found one who was like, “wait, your set up sucks. You can’t do anything in golf until grip is fixed.”
grip fixed, body lines fixed themselves, and finally progress.
bottom line, there are bad teachers out there that are terrible. They teach one swing, and don’t fix basic issues. I wish I could get a refund.
Dennis Clark
Apr 5, 2020 at 4:53 pm
RUN! A teacher who cannot demonstrate good solid golf shots has no credibility whatsoever. I’m 71, can shoot my age, hit high draws, low cuts etc on command. Not bragging , just saying we owe that to students.
chip75
Apr 5, 2020 at 1:34 pm
Conversely, many of the best players aren’t exactly great teachers either. A lot of television analysis is basically filling dead-air. How many times have you seen Tiger’s swing taken apart, for a myriad of faults when his swing is basically identical to the one they’re comparing it too? Strike is king, but we rarely hear modern commentators say that a player just mishit it.
As to Spieth, who knows? You find over time tried and trusted feelings or swing keys stop working, players can tie themselves in knots looking for answers, but golf is a game where a couple of inches in ball position can make the difference between striping it or hitting it out of bounds. Our bodies are the same lose 10 pounds, gain ten pounds, everything changes.
Brad Worthington
Apr 4, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Dennis,
Well constructed article with sound discussion points. I’m glad you took the time to write it!
Baba Booey
Apr 4, 2020 at 4:22 pm
One thing I’ve learned about this latest Brandel episode is most instructors are snowflakes (and to an extent this author too).
A. Commoner
Apr 4, 2020 at 7:23 pm
Some people can be glad they don’t have to write for a living.
GolfMan
Apr 4, 2020 at 1:42 pm
I agree with Brandel Chamblee’s comments. I believe golf instruction has gotten worse bc teachers aren’t as experienced as they once were. Back in the day, most of the pro golfers were teachers as well. Think Sam Snead. Just bc you have a PGA degree in teaching golf doesn’t mean you will be a good teacher.
Dennis Clark
Apr 5, 2020 at 5:01 pm
By the same token, Snead never spent 8 hours standing behind students watching thousands of swings for years and years. Teaching does take experience which only comes from TEACHING. I had Sam, God rest his his soul, to a club once to do a clinic and the hour was one of the least informative sessions I’ve ever witnessed. Telling golfers what YOU do because you are so accomplished at the game, does very little for them. Thx for reading.
GolfMan
Apr 5, 2020 at 9:06 pm
Perhaps Sam Snead wasn’t the best teacher, but he certainly knew what it took to be a good player. Nevertheless, you can’t be a great teacher by simply teaching methods learned in a book. A great teacher has an understanding of the game beyond what the book says. A great teacher knows the strategy of the game, has played golf at a high level and knows what works under pressure, and through many hours of practice knows what works and what doesn’t. Sure a teacher with little experience could teach someone the proper grip and setup and some fundamentals, but not much beyond that. It’s hard to teach a language when you don’t know the language yourself.
GolfMan
Apr 5, 2020 at 9:35 pm
Perhaps Snead wasn’t the best teacher, but he certainly knew what it took to be a great player. Nevertheless, you can’t be a good teacher by just reading a book. A great teacher has an understanding beyond what the book says. A great teacher knows the strategy of the game, has played golf at a high level and knows what works under pressure, and through countless hours of practice has figured out what works and what doesn’t. Sure, a teacher who relies on methods from a book and has little or no experience playing the game at a high level may teach you a proper grip and setup, but not much beyond that. It’s hard to teach a language when you don’t know the language yourself.
Keith Finley
Apr 6, 2020 at 10:13 am
Anecdote about Snead- when asked how he draws a shot, Sam replied, “I think draw”. Hmmm
ChipNRun
Apr 4, 2020 at 1:34 pm
My history: I have a hot-cold golf swing and – until the last 10 years – moved around USA quite a bit for work. So, I have had golf lessons from quite a few different people.
A good instructor is one who can see his student’s swing problem, and help the student improve. (If a student has a motivation problem – doesn’t like focused practice – the instructor can’t do much.) Some instructors, we just didn’t connect. Others we connected quiet well.
Some instructors had “one way” they thought all golfers should swing – a way that had NOT worked for me in the past. On other occasions, a post-round tip from an 8-HDCPer was immensely helpful.
For an instructor to be “good” requires: 1. flexible knowledge of the game + 2. good interpersonal fit with student + 3. willing of student to practice effectively.
On Jordan Spieth’s swing: When JS’s tee shots start going awry, the PGA broadcast’s slow motion video often shows a torso too quiet on downswing, with the arms taking over and delivering something to the LEEEFT!
JS is a top golfer who has a recurring swing problem that shows up on slo-mo a couple of times a season. Like many top golfers, JS moves in and out of the ZONE on a month-to-month basis.
Too much nit-picking can lead to “paralysis by analysis.” When I have a mid-seasons lump, if I take a week off I can usually get on track in half a bucket of range balls. I just had too much mental clutter to swing smoothly.
Sooner or later, you just have to line up your shot and hit the ball!!!
Joey
Apr 5, 2020 at 1:24 am
Ummm Isn’t Jordan’s miss alway a push fade? Can you clarify what you mean here?
ChipNRun
Apr 6, 2020 at 12:38 pm
At the 2019 AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach missed tee shots way left on the Saturday back nine: No. 13 to another fairway (double bogie) and left into ocean on No. 18.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2019/11/26/column-shots-that-defined-the-year-in-golf/40710713/
For shots missed right, look to 2017 and back-to-back missed cuts in the Players and the AT&T Byron Nelson. He shot 75s on both Friday rounds, including a 9 on the Par 5 No. 17 at AT&T/Byron: Two tee shots blocked OB right.
But, Spieth did rebound a month later for back-to-back wins at the Travelers and the Open Championship.
To quote the old Jerry Reid song: When you’re hot you’re hot, when you’re not you’re not.
Dennis Clark
Apr 5, 2020 at 5:16 pm
His grip is notoriously weak. If you add a weak a weak grip to a steep transition, you get an OPEN face which you are compelled to turn into the shot and swing left. Also when the grip is weak and the transition is steep, we have to “BACK UP” to get the golf club back on plane and into a hit position. I agree that his transition was flatter, lower earlier in his career, but look at Phil’s transition; it’s likely the steepest of any GREAT player, but he uses his hands brilliantly, not quietly. Those two MATCH, right now Jordan’s two moves DO NOT match. But again, he is a GREAT PLAYER who will find his way back.