Birds Of A Feather
 

While at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens last Wednesday with Brian Gay, I had the privilege of spending quite a bit of time with Andy Plummer, one of the emerging teaching talents of the game and a long-time member of this site. He and his partner, Mike Bennett, are making their mark on the PGA TOUR, just as their students are making their marks in the record books.

One of the many things we agree on is that even the greatest talents are helped by a coaching team that supports their mission and is readily accessible.

Do the coaches swing the golf club?

Of course not.

Do they matter? Some say "yes." Others say "no."

My take?

If the answer is 'no' all 'round -- if coaches are just 'friction' in the system -- then there is a lot of money and time being spent on the PGA TOUR for nothing.

Got to love a bag with Dowels. :)

Do Well With Dow-els!
 

You bet, Mike! Here's a close-up of the bag on the practice tee at the Honda. Also, a photo of one of their many applications.

BTW, if Brian's caddy looks familiar, it's because he's Kip Henley of The Golf Channel's Big Break fame. Kip's been on the bag about six months now.

Very kewl photos Lynn. I didn't realise that Kip Henley was still caddying out on Tour.
Alex

More Photos From the 2007 Honda Classic
 

Here are a few more photos from the practice tee of the Honda Classic.

#1 Brian Gay's classic Address Position -- Left Wrist Level, Right Forearm On Plane

#2 Half way back and On Plane

#3 Right Forearm Takeaway

#4 Start Down

#5 Brian and another Lynn Blake student, Nationwide Tour player Jay Williamson. Jay shot 67 in the 4-spotter to qualify for the Honda.

#6 Jay through Impact

More From the Honda...With A Special Photo For TBall88
 

More Honda photos:

#1 With Jeff Sluman -- Tball88, I did this for you! I told Jeff I had a student who was a dead ringer for him, and I wanted pop this up on the site. His reply? "Good lookin' s.o.b., isn't he!" :laughing9

#2 Jim Furyk -- at Address

#3 Scott Verplank -- at the Finish

#4 David Toms -- at the Top

Great Photos. When you see Brian Gay and David Toms at the top are these two positions what the big debate with BM is about. BG more tripod pivot looking as opposed to DT with the obvious lean away with his spine.

Behind the Scenes At the Honda Classic
 

#1 Caddy Central -- this is where the caddies chow down...and a lot of their bosses, too.

#2 Gateway to some of the best food on TOUR.

#3 The owner of Caddy Central -- doing what owners do!

#4 Charley just got through telling a great story, but it can't be printed in these pages!

#5 Professional Caddie Dave Patterson. I first met Dave in Grand Blanc, Michigan, at the 2005 Buick Open. I spent three days there with Brian Watts, 1998 British Open runner-up and 13-time Japanese Tour winner, and Dave was on the bag. He now carries full-time for the Swede Mathias Gronberg.

#6 Brian talking shop with Ralph Dunhill, a clothing entrepreur whose shirt line he represents.

#7 Brian doing an interview for the folks at Inside the Pro Tour.

#8 The Mizuno Equipment Trailer. There is the stuff we play...and the stuff they play. :crybaby:

Not Here...Please
 

Don't want this thread to go that way, golfer24. Thanks for understanding. :salut:

Suffice it to say that, from my perspective, there is no 'debate.' The important thing is for the Pivot to have a Center -- any Center you want -- but please have one. Check the threads: That has been my position from the very beginning. Homer Kelley gives us two options: The Head (his preference) and the "point between the shoulders." I choose to follow his lead and teach the Head, but I don't mandate it (nor did he). Use the one you want. Or neither. It's a free country! :)

As for DT, I think his pivot is just fine.

Behind Closed Doors At PGA National
 

#1 There is what the public sees...

#2 And then there is the Inner Sanctum...the locker room during a PGA TOUR event. Here is the bulletin board...must reading during tournament week. Use that 'magnify view' guys, and get down on the latest!

#3 The alternative to Club Storage. :laughing9

#4 It's 5 p.m. Do you know where your bag is? :confused1

Lesson From the Boss
 

Here's Brian teaching Kip how to get his right forearm on plane. What a hoot that was! Kip was complaining about hitting his little pitches thin and fat -- and as we watched, he proved he wasn't kidding! -- so we got his right forearm set correctly, centered his head, changed his ball location and got him to use a little pivot to transport his swinging left arm into impact. Voila! The crispest little shots you ever heard and smiles all 'round. :)

Bunker Play
 

Here's how it's done by one of the PGA TOUR's Best Scramblers.

#1 An Open Stance and Plane Line.

#2 A wide-open Clubface...far more open than almost all you guys do it, but about average for TOUR players. It brings the gliding 'bounce' sole into play -- the whole purpose behind Gene Sarazen's great idea -- not the 'digger' edge!

#3 A sharply accelerating club into impact with the clubhead passing the hands in a full-fledged Flailing Action.

#4 A fine Finish. Note the minimum Foot Action. It's the same action you saw last year from Stuart Appleby on the 72nd hole to win last year's Mercedes.

Is the headline on that Golf article in the bulletin board saying: "USGA won't ban u-grooves" ? ??

Lynn - When you say: "There is the stuff we play...and the stuff they play", can you elaborate on how much the Mizuno equipment BG is playing differs from the retail stuff?

Re U-grooves: You bet, Thom. You think these guys aren't paying attention?! :read:

Re Their gear versus ours: Their's is fitted...and to the 'nth' degree. In the photos attached, Brian is trying three different shafts (courtesy of Jim McIntosh and United Sports Technologies) on two different heads (courtesy of Mizuno). This kind of stuff does not happen just every now and then, it is constant. You want something different? Just ask...and it's in your hands within the hour.

:3gears:

It's fun to be a PGA TOUR pro! 8-)

Dough Boy
 

The oldtimers said, "Drive for show and putt for dough."

True then...true now.

And Brian is one of the best!

#1 You've all seen this chrome strip with its beveled edge. The object is to train yourself to start the putt on line. Brian hit about a half dozen putts...rapid fire...one right after the other. None fell off the edge. The attendant promoting the device said simply:

"No one's done that today."

And as you can see from the evening shadows, 'today' was almost done.

The man can putt.

Trust me.

The man can putt.

#2 Front View of Brian's putting stance.

#3 Back View

#4 In the hole! Check it out in the right corner as the hole swallows the ball...again. Ho hum. Just another day at the office. :)

I guess they're bombed from all angles, it's actually a Titleist head in the last pic.:eyes:

Promoting the Game
 

Autograph hounds. God bless'em! They go with the territory.

SShhh...
 

You said it, Thom. I didn't. :silenced:

You guys are good! ;)

This is Awesome!!!
 

Lynn,

This stuff rocks!!! It's like being on Scotty Cameron's Slide Show section of his website but way better, because you know some of the guys!

If possible I vote keep more of it coming from every event....I really enjoyed going through the pics.

Wishing you and all your students continued success.

Sorting Through the Circuit Player's Handbook.

B-Ray

Candy Man
 

Thanks, Brandon. Will do!

I'll be at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Florida, next week for the PODS Championship and at Bay Hill in Orlando for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I'll have camera in hand and will bring back more goodies from "inside the ropes!"

:3gears:

Sounds great

Hi Yoda,

I'd like to request a picture of Brian's right hand grip with the hand opened up. I'm curious how high up in the hand the grip sits in order for him to get the shaft on the right forearm plane at set-up.

Thanks!

Matt

Am I the only one still getting used to this?:laughing9

Grip Pix
 

Will do, Matt. With Brian's permission, I'll take several...both left and right hands. :salut:

What's In A Name? A Lot!
 

Bigwill,

What I'm having a hard time with -- and am now using myself with our two upcoming Barclays events on the PGA TOUR -- is all the extra verbiage attached to so many tournaments these days, e.g., "presented by xxxxx".

The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By Mastercard.

Priceless.

The World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Does all that fit on one trophy?

And...

The Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya - Cancún

How would you like to answer that phone?

Or my favorite:

The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic Hosted By George Lopez

How did that happen?

:scratch:

:D

Awesome Yoda!

Lynn, I know it's 2 months away, but are you planning to be at The Players Championship?? I'm taking a vacation and will be there for the whole week. Would love to see you again if you will be there. (And the pics on this thread are pretty interesting---thanks) Dave Garretson
(aka Dr Dave)

On the Road Again
 

I don't think so, Dave. That is the week of May 7-13, and our LBG Academy at Las Vegas Paiute Resort ends on the 6th. I will probably stay an extra day and then travel on the 8th to the Nationwide Tour's Chattanooga Classic at Black Creek Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Plans can change, though, so let's stay in touch! :occasion:

Golf My Way
 

Yoda
Great pictures...thanks for sharing them with us...by the way....did you get to see the man...Jack Nicklaus...now that would be a great pic...you and Jack...sounds like he really toughened up the course...and that the players overall liked the changes he made.

Pics
 

Great stuff Yoda. We may have to shoot my Avatar and put Brian in the middle.:rolleyes:

This is great stuff Lynn and its good to hear that things are really taking off for you and the rest of the team here in 2007.
Thanks for Sharing.
Alex

Teammates
 

You have long been part of that team, Alex, and we appreciate it! :salut:

Thank you my friend, its been a great journey of learning and gaining friendships and may it long continue. You have been a great friend and source of encouragement during the past few years in this game.
Alex