Tom Bartlett
Administrator
I like to think that I know everything that Brian knows about the golf swing and what makes it work. But, knowing all the information is still not 'the secret'.
My Wife's Uncle Joe came down from Jersey to visit my in-laws in Biloxi. The first day he arrived he stayed with us and was dying to play golf. It was too hot to play so I took him to the range (covered stalls). I worked with him for an hour and a half with some success but nothing exciting. I knew basically what the problem was but just couldn't seem to get it across to him. He was thrilled that I helped him but, I wasn't too happy with the results. He left our house and spent the next week in Ocean Springs, MS with my In-Laws.
I'm thinking about the lesson for the next couple of days and decide that I want to play golf with him (to make up for the 'lesson') on his last day here when he comes back to N.O. to catch his plane. I have an idea...I call Brian to see if he will be in N.O. the same day and just my luck he is flying in the day before and will be able to play 9 holes with us.
So, we're on the first tee, a short par 4, and Brian and I hit good tee shots in the green side bunker, while Uncle Joe hits a low slice off the tee to the right. About six swings later Uncle Joe makes it to the green. The next hole I ask Brian to take a look at his swing and tell me anything that I can do to help him. He watches from the cart as Joe hits it somewhat thin and 30 yards left of the green. I ask, "so, what do you see"? Brian says, "he may be moving off the ball too much I'd have to look at him from behind". The next hole, a par 3, I get Brian to come stand behind him an watch as Joe drop kicks it into the pond in front of the tee. Brain asks me to throw him a ball. He puts the ball down and messes with Joe's set up and position of his hands at address, then shows him how he wants him to make a back swing (the whole process took 30 seconds) he then tells Joe to hit it. The result was a dead solid shot 20 feet left of the pin. Brian asks for another ball, and says O.K. now put the ball here in your stance and do the same thing on the back swing. He flushes it right at the hole with a little draw (Joe sliced he ball his entire life) it ends up 10 feet behind the hole. As Brian walks off the tee he says to Joe, "you'll never have to worry about slicing it again". Joe hits every shot after that dead solid. Three hole later on a par 3 Joe hits it solid but pulls it left of the green. Brian gets another ball and has him aim to the right changes his ball position by moving the ball farther forward in his stance...Joe knocks the pin down.
So, Brian and I both agreed what was wrong with his swing. I worked with him for an hour and a half with some improvement. Brian worked with him for LESS THAN A MINUTE and changed his golf game.
Moral of the story...It's not only what you know but how you apply it. In my 26 years in golf (16 of them as a playing pro) I have never seen anyone who comes even close to commanding both as Brian does and he is improving it every day.
P.S. Michael Finney and I would be the first in line to bust Brian if we thought he was BSing or full of crap. But, when it comes to knowing golf and helping people Michael would agree Brian has no equal.
My Wife's Uncle Joe came down from Jersey to visit my in-laws in Biloxi. The first day he arrived he stayed with us and was dying to play golf. It was too hot to play so I took him to the range (covered stalls). I worked with him for an hour and a half with some success but nothing exciting. I knew basically what the problem was but just couldn't seem to get it across to him. He was thrilled that I helped him but, I wasn't too happy with the results. He left our house and spent the next week in Ocean Springs, MS with my In-Laws.
I'm thinking about the lesson for the next couple of days and decide that I want to play golf with him (to make up for the 'lesson') on his last day here when he comes back to N.O. to catch his plane. I have an idea...I call Brian to see if he will be in N.O. the same day and just my luck he is flying in the day before and will be able to play 9 holes with us.
So, we're on the first tee, a short par 4, and Brian and I hit good tee shots in the green side bunker, while Uncle Joe hits a low slice off the tee to the right. About six swings later Uncle Joe makes it to the green. The next hole I ask Brian to take a look at his swing and tell me anything that I can do to help him. He watches from the cart as Joe hits it somewhat thin and 30 yards left of the green. I ask, "so, what do you see"? Brian says, "he may be moving off the ball too much I'd have to look at him from behind". The next hole, a par 3, I get Brian to come stand behind him an watch as Joe drop kicks it into the pond in front of the tee. Brain asks me to throw him a ball. He puts the ball down and messes with Joe's set up and position of his hands at address, then shows him how he wants him to make a back swing (the whole process took 30 seconds) he then tells Joe to hit it. The result was a dead solid shot 20 feet left of the pin. Brian asks for another ball, and says O.K. now put the ball here in your stance and do the same thing on the back swing. He flushes it right at the hole with a little draw (Joe sliced he ball his entire life) it ends up 10 feet behind the hole. As Brian walks off the tee he says to Joe, "you'll never have to worry about slicing it again". Joe hits every shot after that dead solid. Three hole later on a par 3 Joe hits it solid but pulls it left of the green. Brian gets another ball and has him aim to the right changes his ball position by moving the ball farther forward in his stance...Joe knocks the pin down.
So, Brian and I both agreed what was wrong with his swing. I worked with him for an hour and a half with some improvement. Brian worked with him for LESS THAN A MINUTE and changed his golf game.
Moral of the story...It's not only what you know but how you apply it. In my 26 years in golf (16 of them as a playing pro) I have never seen anyone who comes even close to commanding both as Brian does and he is improving it every day.
P.S. Michael Finney and I would be the first in line to bust Brian if we thought he was BSing or full of crap. But, when it comes to knowing golf and helping people Michael would agree Brian has no equal.
