Brian Manzella
Administrator
Cabrera, Perry, Campbell, Katayama, Mickelson, Flesch, Woods, Stricker, Mahan, O'Hair, Furyk, Villegas, Clark, Ogilvy, Hamilton.
That's the top 15 finishers and ties in the 2009 Masters. Let's look at these names from a golf swing perspective.
Except for the more unusual swings of Jim Furyk and Tim Clark, and forgetting Todd Hamilton as the "gate crasher" in the bunch, there isn't one swing in the group that is either a "One Plane" swing or "Stack and Tilt," the last two "big things" in golf instruction world, a world that like the fashion industry, changes sometimes quickly and sometimes overnight.
Cabrera, Perry, Katayama, Mickelson, Woods, Stricker, Mahan, O'Hair, Villegas, and Ogilvy, all share a few common traits, and one big one—a dynamic pivot necessary to play a big course like Augusta well.
I know a couple of relatively short hitters won the last couple of Masters, but the course set-up took the advantage away from the power hitters, and guys with good "long games" like Ogilvy.
This dynamic pivot eschews the centered or left-lean of the two latest "fashionable" styles, and loads up for the kill on the backswing.
I knew it was only a matter of time.
As far as swings go, you have to give credit where it is due, Butch Harmon's stuff looked better on Tiger in 2000 than Hank Haney's does now. And Phil Mickelson swung well, and hit it great at times on Sunday.
Why?
Because even though Butch has one particular set of elements he prefers, and it may or may not be ideal for either Tiger or Phil, it is certainly more athletic, and less steery than what Tiger is doing now.
Phil's swing just looked better than Tiger's did on Sunday, and he hit much better shots with it.
Even Tiger's biggest critics would say he has more physical ability than Phil.
Score one for Butch.
Aaron Baddeley—according to him—had a good week with the driver, a club that was his biggest liability with the "Stack & Tilt" pattern he has put behind him.
Here's hoping he reaches his potential with his old coach, or someone who finds the right set of components for him.
What does this all mean?
It means that a new generation of golfers is taking hold of the tour. The guys who grew up in college when the ball and the driver started going super-long. The guys who cut their teeth on long courses that require more than just dink and dunk.
It also means that the older guys who can compete, will be the Perry's and Cabrea's who just pound it.
I have always said that TrackMan and 6° 3D will kill the non-dynamic patterns. And although they still have a place on Tour for now—with courses that don't discourage the style of play that they produce—this Masters may be a turning point toward Athletic golf swings.
It's good for golf.
That's the top 15 finishers and ties in the 2009 Masters. Let's look at these names from a golf swing perspective.
Except for the more unusual swings of Jim Furyk and Tim Clark, and forgetting Todd Hamilton as the "gate crasher" in the bunch, there isn't one swing in the group that is either a "One Plane" swing or "Stack and Tilt," the last two "big things" in golf instruction world, a world that like the fashion industry, changes sometimes quickly and sometimes overnight.
Cabrera, Perry, Katayama, Mickelson, Woods, Stricker, Mahan, O'Hair, Villegas, and Ogilvy, all share a few common traits, and one big one—a dynamic pivot necessary to play a big course like Augusta well.
I know a couple of relatively short hitters won the last couple of Masters, but the course set-up took the advantage away from the power hitters, and guys with good "long games" like Ogilvy.
This dynamic pivot eschews the centered or left-lean of the two latest "fashionable" styles, and loads up for the kill on the backswing.
I knew it was only a matter of time.
As far as swings go, you have to give credit where it is due, Butch Harmon's stuff looked better on Tiger in 2000 than Hank Haney's does now. And Phil Mickelson swung well, and hit it great at times on Sunday.
Why?
Because even though Butch has one particular set of elements he prefers, and it may or may not be ideal for either Tiger or Phil, it is certainly more athletic, and less steery than what Tiger is doing now.
Phil's swing just looked better than Tiger's did on Sunday, and he hit much better shots with it.
Even Tiger's biggest critics would say he has more physical ability than Phil.
Score one for Butch.
Aaron Baddeley—according to him—had a good week with the driver, a club that was his biggest liability with the "Stack & Tilt" pattern he has put behind him.
Here's hoping he reaches his potential with his old coach, or someone who finds the right set of components for him.
What does this all mean?
It means that a new generation of golfers is taking hold of the tour. The guys who grew up in college when the ball and the driver started going super-long. The guys who cut their teeth on long courses that require more than just dink and dunk.
It also means that the older guys who can compete, will be the Perry's and Cabrea's who just pound it.
I have always said that TrackMan and 6° 3D will kill the non-dynamic patterns. And although they still have a place on Tour for now—with courses that don't discourage the style of play that they produce—this Masters may be a turning point toward Athletic golf swings.
It's good for golf.
