Golf Magazine Round Table Discussion with Johnny Miller, Peter Kostis, and Dave Phillips

[billchao]

http://www.golf.com/instruction/johnny-miller-peter-kostis-dave-phillips-golf-magazine-interview

Pretty interesting interview. Here's an excerpt:

Who has the best swing on Tour–the move our readers should try to emulate? Keep in mind that if the average guy tried to copy Tiger or Bubba, his arm might fall off.

DP: Well, that's the problem -- most instruction is, "Here's a picture of Tiger, and here's you. Do what Tiger does." People can't physically swing like Tiger, Rory, Rickie. We have 14,000 TPI-certified instructors around the world, and they're looking at 280,000 golfers, and when you look at these guys, they can't move their hips, they can't move properly. You've got to find a player on Tour who moves like you.

JM: The prototype has to be Adam Scott.

DP: He is, Johnny, but Adam is one of the most physically gifted people I've ever seen. He's got the flexibility of a yoga instructor, and the strength to go along with it.

JM: All I'm saying is you copy it, tone it down 40 percent, and you've still got a great swing to model yourself after. It's dead on plane.

PK: I look at swings that have lasted, and two set themselves apart: Sam Snead and Tom Watson. They both got off their left heel, and they released their left knee, which allowed them hip freedom, which allowed them shoulder movement. Average golfers need to get away from keeping the left heel down, coiling and resisting with their lower body and trying to create torque and all that other stuff. They need to learn to turn back and turn through and make the swing more symmetrical and more rhythmical.

DP: I agree.

JM: I do, too. First lesson I ever had was, I had these white Levi's on, 501s, and John Geertsen, a world long-drive champion, said, "I want you to turn the left rivet to the ball going back and turn that right rivet to the ball going through, and make a nice full turn."