America's Fifty Greatest Teachers

Of brother Butch's obsession with learning, Billy, a teaching pro who has caddied and been a sounding board for Jay Haas for years, says, "What people don't know is that he studies every tour pro's swing in case he's asked something about it. He's watched hours and hours of video. If Stuart Appleby turned to him on the range and said his teacher wasn't there and he had a question, Butch would already have the answer. He isn't intimidated by good players—he tells them what he thinks, and if they don't like it, they don't have to listen."

To be a Harmon growing up with an iconic and demanding father, you had to validate it, Billy says. "It's still a driving force with the three of us. Butch and I took the path of most resistance and finally realized our name wasn't a negative. I believe the turnaround for Butch came one day at the Texas Open in San Antonio. At the time he was at the most public course you ever saw in Texas City—the only thing it lacked was a tattoo parlor.

"I was caddieing for Jay, on the range with him, and he was leading the tournament. Dick was on the range with Lanny. Butch was sitting in these Spartan metal bleachers watching, and I remember looking back at him and thinking how funny it must feel for him with his little brothers inside the ropes and he's outside the ropes. I believe it started that day in the bleachers when he didn't like being outside looking in."

When Butch got inside the ropes, he found he had a talent for teaching, Billy says. "Once he got a taste of success, it was intoxicating, and he became more driven than he lets people know."

MATCHING UP WITH MICKELSON

The alliance with Mickelson appears to one who knows the two to be a risk-risk situation, especially commencing after the season was well underway. "It's Butch's nature to be up for a challenge, and Phil's, too," this observer says. "That's how they got where they are. But will Phil listen well enough?"

Their main objective is straightening out Mickelson's driving, through better lower-body control and a tighter swing.

"That's the goal, the driver," Mickelson says. "That's why I went to Butch, primarily. There are a lot of other things he brings to the table, but he's led two players to No. 1 in the world, and they both were great drivers of the ball. That's what we've been focusing on."

I like Phil. . . . I think he's the only guy who can catch Tiger right now.

Mickelson will pick Harmon's mind about other aspects of the game as well; with the voluble coach it's hard not to. Mickelson says he's heard a lot of good stories—hardly any repeatable in a family golf magazine.

Harmon says, "My wife asked me if I wanted to step back into that circus again. But I like Phil and felt I could help. I think he's the only guy who can catch Tiger right now, the only guy with the talent, experience, desire and work ethic. People don't see his work ethic."

As for making changes in the heart of the season, Harmon says he has learned that patience is an over-rated virtue with superstars. The best players, he says, are the most impatient. "They want it now. They have the guts to put it under the gun to see if it gets results. Tiger's always been that way. I think one of the reasons we split up after 10 years is he kept wanting new stuff, and I'm of the belief that if it isn't broken, you don't try to fix it."

Today, Woods says, "You have to believe and buy into what that particular coach wants you to do, and you have to believe that's the best way for you to swing the golf club. Not every technique can work for each individual."

Six years ago, before the split, Harmon told Golf Digest the story of how an instructor had designs on becoming Tiger's teacher. "I threatened him with bodily harm," Harmon said at the time.

Earlier this year, after Mickelson's rather awkwardly handled change of coaches, including two public confabs with Harmon on the range, Butch called Rick Smith.

"I told him I knew exactly how he felt," Harmon says. "That it was a business decision, the two of them would remain close, and not to let the press beat him up over it."

JUGGLING THE SUPERSTARS

It has been reported that Harmon doesn't charge tour players for his time. That's the tip of the story. He confirms that Tiger paid him $50,000 a year, and if that doesn't sound like a lot, Butch's net worth grew quite nicely from the association, thank you. But Harmon decided he didn't want a contractual arrangement again. He professes not to miss being at Tiger's beck and call (at tournaments, Harmon says he couldn't work with anyone else until Tiger left the course). He prefers to be available to all of his clients.

There's a definite pecking order, he made clear to Mickelson, that starts with Scott, who has been with him since he was a teenager and is now ranked No. 4 in the world. You can bet that Mickelson will get his fair share of attention, and Harmon keeps close track of his progress by talking on the phone to Mickelson's caddie, Jim Mackay, almost daily.

"I charge the players only my travel expenses, based on how much time I spend with them at a tournament," Harmon says. "They all know I'm on the range from sunup to sundown—with time out at the majors to do commentating for [British] Sky Sports television—and if they need me I have my cell phone in my pocket on vibrate and can tell them exactly when I can see them."

The caveat to the free instruction: Harmon tells his pros that if they have a good season they can write him a check at the end of the year, or not. Scott is nearly the youngest but writes the biggest checks, in the six figures. Other players like Fred Couples give Harmon expensive hours on their private jets. After winning the British Open, Norman had replicas made of the claret jug for Harmon and caddie Tony Navarro, at a hefty cost.

Johnny Miller says Scott, 26, "has the best on-plane swing" on tour. To which Harmon says, "Fundamentally he has the best swing. People think I taught him Tiger's swing, they're so similar, but Adam had that swing when he showed up here. His dad was a golf pro in Australia, and the swing fits his physique, which is like Tiger's.