Just exactly what does the term ” classic golf instruction ” mean? In this article we will talk about golf instruction as it used to be prior to the invention of computers and swing analysis machines. Since the very first game of golf, played in Edinburgh Scotland, in A.D. 1456, the game has known many forms of classic golf instruction. There have been two in particular that stand out to me above all the rest.
Bobby Jones, considered to be one of the top 5 athletes in American sports history, wrote 5 books on the subject of golf and swing technique. Jones was the first of only two people ever to receive two ticker tape parades in New York city (John Glenn was the second). One of the things that made him stand out amongst all of the most noteworthy golfers in history was his classic golf instruction method ! His method was based on two principals: 1. grip the club very lightly, 2. start the backswing with a slight wrist break.
His theory was that gripping the club too tightly creates muscle tension which causes over control of the club. If you have an opportunity to watch him in a clip you will see just how relaxed he is during his swing. Most amateurs use a death grip on every shot including the putter. They reason that in order to hit the ball farther they need to grip the club tighter. Nothing could be further from the truth according to Jones’s classic golf instruction. To him the club will do it’s job only if the player allows it to. His theory is that gripping the club too tightly greatly decreases clubhead speed. We all need to think about this one!
Phil Rodgers, who in the 60s won only five PGA tour events, had a major influence on one of the games greatest players, Jack Nicklaus. At age 40, with 17 major champianships behind him, Nicklaus put his faith in Rodgers and radically changed his whole short game. Rodger’s was a short game magician and Nicklaus has contributed much of his succes to the help he received from him. So what is it that makes Phil Roger’s classic golf instruction so unique? He beleived that to score well everyone has to have not just a good short game but an “excellent” short game. He taught Nicklaus his various techniques such as the “stiff wristed chipping stroke” and the “whirllybird pitch”. Phil Rodgers is one of those classic golf instruction guru’s that played a very large role in shaping the game of golf as we know it today!
