Is Butch Harmon the key to Jimmy Walker's success?

[golfcarte]

Question to the board: Do you think that Butch Harmon is the key to Jimmy Walker's success over the last two years, or could've Walker been just as successful without him? Even with his five wins, there are still mountains to climb: majors, WGCs, FedEx Cup.

Yet Walker is considered as one of the best in the world right now. I'm thinking of another Harmon disciple, Nick Watney, who didn't quite get to the elite level and has since changed coaches. Is there pressure to perform under Harmon?

[boogielicious]

Harmon may help, but Jimmy Walker is the key to his own success.  He needed to take it to the next level and he did.  I enjoy watching him play.

[trickyputt]

Harmon has demonstrated a statistical pattern of improvement in so many players now; it makes me wonder if a player could look upon the Harmon Effect and actually calculate his HE impact. Its not free and probably not cheap so dollars/position from the training is a business decision. I just think Butch Harmon's methods are remarkably noticable in the players.

[Infamous 273]

His driving is the biggest key to his success IMO. I'm not sure how much credit Harmon can take/should get for that.

[trickyputt]

Well, in my Harmon dvd he pretty much spends the whole show on shots, but at the end when it is time to talk putting it was pretty much "This is a yardstick, putt your ball straight down it".

[dkolo]

Haha, from the title, it sounds like the 5SK guys should make a joint dvd with Harmon. "All your pros have 5 simple swing characteristics in common. And have worked with me, Butch Harmon."

[Yukari]

Harmon has demonstrated a statistical pattern of improvement in so many players now; it makes me wonder if a player could look upon the Harmon Effect and actually calculate his HE impact. Its not free and probably not cheap so dollars/position from the training is a business decision. I just think Butch Harmon's methods are remarkably noticable in the players.

I would have to agree with @trickyputt .  Seems like anyone Butch works with turns to gold.  Whether that is coincidence or not, I have no idea.  All I know is empirically, anyone working with Butch succeeds far more often than with others.

[mvmac]

Certainly hasn't hurt. From what Butch has said he's spent very little time on his swing mechanics and more on being his "cheerleader". Telling him how he's got the game to be one of the best players in the world.

[Ferguson]

Harmon has demonstrated a statistical pattern of improvement in so many players now; it makes me wonder if a player could look upon the Harmon Effect and actually calculate his HE impact. Its not free and probably not cheap so dollars/position from the training is a business decision. I just think Butch Harmon's methods are remarkably noticable in the players.

I think Harmon is an excellent communicator who knows how to build relationships with people. In addition to a vast understanding of golf mechanics, he helps to build trust and confidence with his clients by teamwork. If you do any reading about Butch you’ll soon understand that he works as a partner, not as the typical teacher/student sort of thing. More than one of us has known a good teacher or college professor that just clicked because they cared. In my opinion it helps the client feel like Butch has skin in the game, and therefore any success or stumbling along the way is shared. I think many people respond to that. In other words, I think Butch is a very sincere person and JW has a lot of talent.