I watched this weeks tournament in Dallas with great anticipation and a bit of sadness. The sadness came from the fact that the great Byron Nelson, "Lord Byron", would not be present to greet the players as they exited the 18th hole. Byron Nelson was a true gentlemen and exemplified everything that is good about the great game of golf. His presence is, and will be sorely missed.
I would be remiss if I didn't also ackknowledge the sentimental value of Scott Verplank's victory. What an inspirational win for a guy who considered this tournament his own personal major due to his relationship with Byron Nelson. That is more than just a great golf story, that's a great life story.
But this week's "A Lesson Learned" will deal with one of the side stories of the week. My anticipation level had been raised by the much talked about instructor switch of Phil Mickelson from Rick Smith to Butch Harmon. I had heard that Mr. Harmon had actually been working with Phil for a short period of time before the official announcement and I was curious to see whether any swing changes would be evident given the short period of time that they had been working together. I also used the telecast to question how I, as a golf instructor, might work with such a great talent as a Phil Mickelson. Even more, I think a salient question is, is it okay for a golfer to work with multiple instructors or should they find one and stick with that one only.
Lets look at the first question. I think that everyone can agree that Phil Mickelson remains one of the greatest players in the world at this present time. I know that there is a huge amount of talk about how he's struggled since last seasons debacle at the U.S. Open, but how many players would love to "struggle" like Phil Mickelson? In 2007, he's currently fourth in the FedExCup standings, has a win, a second, and a third already this year, and is ranked fourth in the world.
On a personal level, I don't know Phil Mickelson. I get my information about him from the same media resources as everyone else. I do know that he has been tremendously successful at all levels of golf, does a great deal of charitable work, and appears to be a devoted husband and wonderful family man. Overall, he seems to be in a good place -- not someone fighting off demons from the U.S. Open.
So back to golf, what would I do with Phil's swing? Simply shore it up a bit. Phil has a swing that is built on rhythm and timing; my experience has been that "feel" type players can become easily frustrated with too much mechanical work. Certainly at the highest level of golf, players are willing to make the commitment to work tirelessly on certain swing mechanics to achieve their desired results. I have never heard that Phil Mickelson lacks in this regard. My observation has been that Mr. Mickelson has simply become a bit too loose. His lower body is less than stable through the swing and he obviously gets very long in the takeaway at times. Coupled with these two observations is the well-documented aggressive nature of Phil's game. I can't begin to assume to know what direction Mr. Harmon will take with Phil's swing and golf-course management, but my gut tells me that all three of these areas will probably be addressed.
Now, on to the multiple instructor question. It's important to note that just because you have an unsuccessful experience with one instructor that you don't "throw in the towel" on all golf instruction. Like any professional service on the market today, there are good fits and poor fits. As a student it is prudent that you find a "good fit" in your instructor. It's also possible that you may want to consider multiple instructors' -- with a great deal of expertise in different areas. When choosing a golf instructor the student should consider the personality of the professional and how it meshes with their own personality. What is the instructors background? If you, as a student, respond well to training aids, does the instructor have and use them? Does the instructor use a video-capture system so that the two of you will have the ability to review your swing together and chart a course for future practice or swing adjustments? Does the instructor's experience and expertise match your needs? Does his/her fee structure fall within your budget?
As a student you'll find that the overwhelming number of PGA instructors at facilities today care deeply about your golfing welfare and want to partner with you to grow your awareness and success in the game over a long period of time. My advice to you is to find a good fit in your instructor and stick with them. I'm sure you'll find the relationship fruitful and rewarding. Even the world's best players know the value of working with a great instructor. So should you.
Richard Smith is the Head Professional at Stonehenge Golf & Country Club in Richmond, Virginia. Richard is a Certified PGA Professional in both Golf Operations and Instruction and the director of the Stonehenge Golf Academy.
