Tip Of The Month
By John Pallot
Director of Instruction
January 2010
 Butch Harmon, is Golf’s #1 teacher. He was Tiger Woods’ first big time coach helping Tiger climb to number one. Butch now works with World #2 Phil Mickelson. I was introduced to Butch Harmon several years ago by my good friend and college roommate, Todd Roberts, who is also a former University of Miami Hurricane golfer. Todd is a good friend and student of Harmon. I recently traveled to Harmon’s school to spend an afternoon with Butch, an opportunity to renew friendships and to continue my education on the golf swing.
What makes Harmon the Tour’s top teacher? He possesses a vast knowledge of the golf swing gleaned from years of watching, playing with, and coaching the best players in the world over the last several decades. His father, winner of the 1948 Masters, was the head pro at Winged Foot (the site of five U.S. Opens) and best friends with legendary champion Ben Hogan. And, Butch has an innate ability to connect with his students by demonstrating a genuine interest in each one. It all coalesces into trust, an essential part in a student-teacher relationship. Butch’s ability to communicate leads the student to successfully make swing changes, which for many students, is not easy to do.
Many amateur golfers suffer with poor technique because they are afraid to take a lesson. Even as a professional, I had some flaws in my technique, but Butch was quick to explain what was causing me to leave shots out to the right. This month, the Tip of the Month embodies a few secrets to great golf from Mr. Harmon:
1) Address the ball with an athletic ready posture. Bend from the hips and have enough knee flex so your weight is centered between the balls of the feet and the heels.
2) During your take-away, keep the club-face looking at the ball. You don’t want to feel the club-face opening when starting your swing.
3) Get your left shoulder behind the ball at the top of your backswing. A slow backswing encourages this.
These three tips will help you start your new year with birdie.
Previous Golf Tips
2010 : January | February | March | April | May | June | August
2009 : January | August | September | October | November | December
2008 : January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November
2007 : January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2006 : January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2005 : January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2004 : February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
|
