Opinion & Analysis
And Butch said, “He likes to tinker”
Your swing is broken. You know it. Your playing partners know it. The 15-year-old kid picking up balls on the range knows it. There is something fundamentally wrong. Everything was fine, and then one day it wasn’t. Well, that’s not entirely true. You started to feel it slipping away a few weeks ago, like a slow leak in a tire, but you ignored it hoping that it would get better. Unfortunately it got worse, until you had a complete blow-out today. What happened?
You aren’t sure, and so the first chance that you get, you make your way to the practice range and buy three large buckets of balls, determined to find the answer. You then begin to randomly experiment, trying one thing after another. What was it you heard on the Golf Channel the other night? What about the tip that your brother-in-law gave you last weekend when you were up at the lake? Your mind begins to race. Maybe if you took the club back a little slower? What if you were to hold your finish? Maybe try pausing at the top? And then, before long, you find yourself lost in a maze of thinking.
In desperation you begin to tinker, hoping you can fix the problem yourself. You realize that there is a certain audacity in thinking that you can repair your own swing. You would of course call a plumber if a pipe burst in your house. Why wouldn’t you hire a teaching professional to help you with your golf swing? And then a random thought crosses your mind. He would probably charge less than a plumber. The truth is that you like to tinker with your swing. You think of it as a hobby. But then you remember what the speaker at last year’s men’s club fall banquet said: “I would agree that tinkering with your swing can be fun, but it is an absolute guarantee that you’ll never improve.”
What exactly is a “tinkerer?” The dictionary defines a tinkerer as an individual who would repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled manner. The key words in that sentence is “unskilled manner.” As a life-long teacher, I’ve witnessed times when a skilled player is able to fix their own swing by experimenting around the edges.
That is not the case with the average golfer, who more often makes the mistake of confusing the symptoms they are experiencing for a root problem. And then, in an attempt to fix it, an average golfer often puts a band-aid on what amounts to an open wound. The problem may then appear as if it has been solved, but only temporarily — maybe for a day, a week or a month — but then the original problem reappears again, but this time often in a more virulent form.
When that occurs, the player is then forced once again to search for a secondary cure, and then a third, and a then fourth, beginning an endless cycle of tinkering. And in time, they often find themselves so confused, it is as if they have tumbled down into Alice’s rabbit hole where up is down and down is up, creating their own wonderland where nothing seems to make sense anymore.
Butch Harmon
I attended a teaching seminar hosted by the Iowa Section of the PGA in Des Moines, Iowa, a few years ago. Butch Harmon was the guest speaker. He had just been fired by Tiger Woods a few weeks before. After finishing his presentation, someone in the audience asked him about Tiger. Butch was quiet for a moment, clearly weighing what to say — or not say. The room became quiet, and then when it seemed as if he may have forgotten the question, he said quietly, “He likes to tinker.”
The Scientist
In the mid ’80s, I had a student who loved to tinker with his swing. He was a 15-handicapper who never improved because he was constantly experimenting. In his case, it was to a degree understandable because he was a scientist. He would spend his day conducting laboratory experiments, mixing the contents of one test tube with another and then observing the outcome.
The doctor would come to see me for a lesson every week without fail. He was like a man who might go for a haircut or a massage on a regular basis, whether he needed it or not because he enjoyed it. And each time he came, it was the same. He had made a discovery. He would first explain his latest idea and then how it had come to him.
“I was lying in bed when it occurred to me that if I pointed my left elbow joint downward it might force my wrist into a better position at the top of the backswing. What do you think?”
“I think if it works that’s great,” I said.
“Let me show you,” he said, taking a practice backswing then looking at me like an expectant puppy begging for approval. “Do you think it will work?”
“We won’t know that until you hit a ball,” I said. “As you know, the practice swing and the real swing are always different.”
The problem was that he suffered from a nasty hook that might have put Ben Hogan to shame. The primary problem, was that like Hogan, he bowed his left wrist outward at the top of his backswing, which closed the clubface. The problem then was that he had to find a way to open up the clubface on the downswing so that at impact it was somewhere close to square. The doctor was capable of emulating the top-of-the-backswing position when making a practice swing, but then, when he went to actually hit the ball, his left wrist would revert to the same convex position.
And so lesson after lesson, the doctor continued to come up with a new idea, none of which worked. The next time he came for his appointment, I suggested that we talk for a moment. I started by saying “Doctor, there is something we need to discuss.” I could see the anxious look on his face. “Yes. I’m listening” he replied. He was used to doing the lecturing, but now he was on the receiving end. “I’d like you to stop tinkering with your swing,” I said. And then he said the words that I will never forget: “But I tinker to improve.”
I thought for a moment before answering him and then said, “I’m sorry doctor but I’m afraid that is just not true.” He looked at me as if I’d killed the family dog.
“You want me to stop tinkering with my swing?” he asked.
“Yes, that is what I’m suggesting,” I said.
“I’m not sure that I can do that,” he said. He paused. “But if you think it is important, I’ll try to stop.”
The word “try” gave him away. What I’ve learned is that when someone says they will “try” something, they are giving themselves a way out. They usually have no intention of following through on the promised action. I knew he couldn’t stop. I knew he wouldn’t stop. And so, at that moment, I resolved that I would allow him to tinker, and I would play the role of the janitor, sweeping up whatever mess he might leave behind.
A Dream
The doctor continued to take lessons from me for a few more years after that with only minor changes in his swing — or his scores. And then one day he just stopped coming. He was elderly, but in good physical condition. And then a macabre thought crossed my mind; maybe he had passed away.
That night I had a dream. I saw a picture of him lying in a coffin. There was a pastor standing at the church alter inviting members of the congregation to come forward to pay their last respects. As I shuffled forward down the center aisle, I saw his wife, Francis, seated in the front pew with a black veil covering her face. She turned her head as I passed, nodding in my direction. As I neared the open coffin I could see that his hands were crossed, left over right. As I looked closer, his left wrist was bowed outward just like in his golf swing. And then I woke-up with a start.
A few weeks later, I was relieved to see him at the airport with his wife. He apologized for not mentioning it before, but they were going on a trip around the world. “I’ll call you when we get back,” he said, waving over his shoulder as the two of them made their way toward their gate with a porter trailing behind. That was the last time I saw him, but I tell his story as a cautionary tale to students of mine who are inclined to tinker with their swings
The Author (as a sponsor)
You enjoy tinkering, you say? I understand perfectly. Just realize that as a tinkerer, there is a good chance that you will never be a better golfer than you are today. And so if you really want to improve, quit tinkering. Should you make that decision, you will in all probability find that you have become addicted. And so, as you begin to pull away, you may experience a period of withdrawal. This is normal, but during this period do not let your guard down. This is when you are most vulnerable.
Also, it is important that you remove any forms of temptation that could draw you back into your old behavior.
Step 1: Go through your house with a large trash bag and put all of the books, magazines, and videos that you own, including those stashed under your bed, into the bag.
Step 2: Cancel your magazine subscriptions, effective immediately.
Step 3: This step is related to watching the Golf Channel. In the event one of the instructional segments should suddenly come on while you are watching, you should do one of three things immediately:
- Mute the sound.
- Switch the channel.
- Put your hands over your ears and start mouthing, “La, la, la, la, la,” until the segment is over.
As your sponsor, I want you to understand that the only way to break your addiction is to go “cold turkey.” You may feel an impulse to jump into your car and drive to the local drug store for a copy of the latest golf magazine. Should you feel that urge, I want you to start counting backward from 100. That usually does the trick.
Let’s return to the subject of your swing. You are probably wondering, “What should I do next? You are a little confused, and I understand. You’ve had a good deal of new information to process. Here is my thought. I’d advise you to sign-up for a series of lessons with a competent professional who has a track record of success working with players at your level… and then never look back.
Also, as your sponsor, I want you to remember that if you should need me during a moment of crisis, you can always reach me. I’m only a phone call away. And now before leaving, I want you to take the Tinkerer’s Pledge. Please raise your right hand while placing your left hand on this old copy of Golf Digest with Gay Brewer on the cover. Now, repeat after me:
“I, (then state your name for the record)…”
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Golf's Perfect Imperfections
Golf’s Perfect Imperfections: Amazing Session with Performance Coach Savannah Meyer-Clement
In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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Speedy
Sep 23, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Butch Harmon’s the best.
Double Mocha Man
Sep 20, 2017 at 3:58 pm
I am so glad I am not a tinkerer. I proudly admit that I “experiment” on the range.
bh
Sep 20, 2017 at 10:58 am
Tinkering is what makes it fun for me. I like the puzzle. Sure, I could leave well enough alone, but doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.
Acew7iron
Sep 19, 2017 at 4:25 pm
If your not tinkering…yur not trying
RonMcD
Sep 19, 2017 at 2:29 pm
We know he likes to tinker with his dinker ……..
Square
Sep 18, 2017 at 8:48 pm
That last post was a mess. Sorry guys. Let’s try that again.
I admit, I used to tinker. Even though would shoot between 68-78, I was never consistent. Tinkering was the culprit. I would try this, try that…you name it. A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to have the money and the desire to see a real teacher in Tampa. I make a point of seeing him 2 x per year. His name is Rich Abele and by using Trackman we identified my one serious, consistent swing fault. Rich focuses on impact and I just needed one thing to think about. When I practice or play this single thought is the sole thing I concentrate on when I swing. Without question this year with less practice and play, I was able to play my best. I was able to consistently shoot 68-72 with a few 73s. Having one swing thought and having confidence in that single thought was the key. Having a great teacher helped too.
Square
Sep 18, 2017 at 8:34 pm
I admit, I like to tinker. Even though would shoot between 68-78 I was never consistent. Tinkering was the culprit. I’ll try this, try that…you name it. A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to have the money and the desire to see a real teacher in Tampa. I see him 2 x per year. His name is Rich Abele and by using Trackman we identified my consistent swing fault. Rich focuses on impact and I just needed one think to think about. When I practice or play it is the sole thing I concentrate on when I play golf. Without question the last year, with less practice and play was the best. I was able to consistently shoot 68-72 with a few 73s. Having one swing thought and having confidence in that though was the key.
Dodgy McGovern
Sep 19, 2017 at 6:16 am
Sounds plausible…
BW
Sep 18, 2017 at 7:38 pm
Most rec’n players who seek help from an ‘instructor’ are usually in poor physical shape and the instructors know it’s futility, so they just string them along to suck $$$ from the suckers.
Many go to instructors to have a ‘golf buddy’ to talk to and then brag they went to so-and-so for lessons and it was great.
Those who avoid instruction are usually ashamed of their bodies and avoid embarrassment. They just keep on hacking and clowning on the golf course.
Golf is a dying activity and even the club manufacturers know that so they just cater to the upper 1% and wannabes with over-engineered clubs at ludicrous prices. They are just milking the stragglers. It’s over, baby…..
Ray Bennett
Sep 18, 2017 at 6:43 pm
There is so much BS in this article. I had to laugh about the bowed wrist and opening the clubface bit. No wonder the average golfer is in Limbo after reading this nonsense.
Steve S
Sep 18, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Much of this article seems to be a bit tongue-in-cheek, so enjoyed it. Bottom line though is that I have not found a teacher yet that doesn’t want to remake my swing. I play to a 10-11; mostly due to an erratic short game. I use a modified single plane swing that takes into account a bad knee and an arthritic back. It looks ugly but when I’m not in pain I hit the ball mostly straight with a very tiny draw. I’m sure most pros would gag if they saw my swing but I have fun. I’ve taken video of my swing when I was hitting the ball well and use it to compare to when I’m going bad. With all the new technology available to us, many of us no longer need a teaching pro to enjoy the game.
acemandrake
Sep 18, 2017 at 6:11 pm
For me, “tinkering’ = “chasing tips”
AB
Sep 18, 2017 at 5:26 pm
I tinker all the time and my swing gotten better, plus I have gained yards. There’s nothing wrong with tinkering
Patricknorm
Sep 18, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Excellent article. I taught tennis and squash for 30 years from beginners to world champions. It’s easy teaching players with skills and motivation. It’s near impossible to teach those that question your methods. These people ” have an idea” but really don’t grasp the reality. If I could have had these people as children then maybe there would be hope.
As adults, busy with life, successful in business but mediocre in sports. We all have aptitudes: music, math, athletics, memory, spatial, etc. I can take you so far but, there are limitations. We all need mentors regardless of our skills. Nobody can do it themselves and be great.
mlecuni
Sep 19, 2017 at 4:54 am
As an adult, i think that the tinkering way is possible if you Eat, drink, sleep golf like a child would do.
So in a way, i agree with you when you say, if only i had these people when they were child, and i add, “or if they have way more time to practice/play”.
Dennis Lurvey
Sep 18, 2017 at 4:10 pm
Tiger is a perfectionist to the point it takes over his life and his golf. He is incapable of playing as an art, has to be in control of everything all the time. Michelle Wie as well and others. It’s a mental disorder. Tiger has never been able to take direction from others, except maybe his dad. When he said he liked to tinker he was searching for a phrase that wasn’t, he’s an arrogant control freak perfectionist who believes he’s the only one who knows golf.
Philip
Sep 18, 2017 at 3:18 pm
Have to disagree … I play with so many that regularly have lessons and do not even understand what they are trying to accomplish at times. Granted it is highly likely that they do not have the ability or desire to get better, however, I have witnessed lessons being given and received lessons that have no chance of resulting in real improvement. Personally, I think the main reason is the difficulty that people have in truly communicating. Luckily, I’ve had a few pros in which it clicked nicely. On the other side, the tinkering that I have been doing this season has resulted in me having more control than I ever did of the golf ball, and without losing distance … actually gaining some.
Redley Jacob
Sep 18, 2017 at 1:17 pm
Where I practice next to it is Pro area where he teaches his students. All I hear is BS for 60 bucks an hour.
Andrew Broom
Sep 18, 2017 at 1:14 pm
All the Pros want you to cough up your hard earned money but you will never actually improve. I went from 22 to 8 by tinkering only. Don’t listen to these vested interest and tinker away.
Chris Baker
Sep 18, 2017 at 12:29 pm
I think the article makes a lot of sense, especially for the average golfer. But I’m not sure using Tiger Woods as an example is most effective way to get people to buy into your idea/theory (yes if you want them to open the article). He is either the greatest or second greatest golfer to ever play the game and he likes to “tinker”. I can only assume that people who hear Tiger Woods liked to “tinker” will take it upon themselves to also “tinker” because it seemed to work pretty well for him. My opinion is to use a golfer who liked to “tinker”, but ultimately was not successful in doing so.
RonG
Sep 18, 2017 at 11:49 am
Adult men believe there is a golf swing buried in their big strong body and their massive minds only need to be told what to do and it will happen… consciously. It’s mind over matter and a small golf tip is all they really need to knock out the glitches.
Oh, and the newest model golf clubs with SGI features will launch them and conquer the golf course. So easy….
Avery
Sep 18, 2017 at 11:27 am
Hahaha.
Step 4: Stop visiting Golf WRX
Acew7iron
Sep 18, 2017 at 11:25 am
Oh and BTW…Ive dropped 4 strokes off my HC just this season. It is possible to Tinker and improve…the key? You have to play the game more than 4 times a month…
Prime21
Sep 18, 2017 at 4:22 pm
WIN!
mlecuni
Sep 19, 2017 at 4:44 am
I agree but in some cases it’s way more to 4 times a month.
Acew7iron
Sep 18, 2017 at 11:22 am
Well…As a player of the game for over 25 years and currently a 9 I consider myself somewhat of a “tinkerer”. As a avid follower of this site I recently read a very informative piece about how every golfer eventually hits the skids with their swing because its all tied to every sense you have and at some point it WILL come off the rails (not “if”…but “when”) mostly because we are human and not machines. It has been my experience that the more I practice and play the longer I can ride those good playing waves but I know one day it will just seem to leave…without warning.
Now to my point…What shall I do when this happens? Run to a Pro and pony up $100 for a lesson to immediately get me back on track? I admit…would be nice to have that luxury but the game itself is expensive besides pay a Pro every time a hitch gets in my giddyup. No…Most of us must resort to the tinker…eventually the good swing returns and you ride the wave again until it crashes on shore 6-8 strokes above your HC.
Tinkering is not the Devil…Its the only way to fix what ails you.
Nick
Sep 18, 2017 at 10:38 am
Tinker = Trial and Error & Error & Error & Error ………….
Doug Ferreri
Sep 18, 2017 at 10:26 am
I have been an instructor for many years and truer words were ever written.