Top Teachers: Stack & Tilt?
Josh Leyes of Waterloo, Ontario read our list of America's Fifty Greatest Teachers in the March issue, noticed a couple of absences and seized on it to make a point:
I was reading the most recent issue of GD when I noticed your rankings of America's top 50 instructors. I saw the usual top 10-15 teachers up there, with one glaring omission - Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, the Stack and Tilt gurus, didn't even crack the top FIFTY! Maybe there is a logical explanation as to why they were left out, but could it be that the "hottest swing on tour" isn't really that hot?I know you have had several letters praising the Stack and Tilt method for its merits. In my humble opinion, Bennett and Plummer are teaching a "feeling" of staying on top of the ball but that feeling isn't actually true. if you take any of their tour pros (Baddeley, Weir, etc.) and put them on a weight plate device through their full swing you would probably see most of the weight on their right heel at the top of the swing, evidence that they are indeed loaded into their right hip. I think you guys actually did an article on that "weight shift" move a in David Leadbetter's "Swing Chi" piece, which I really enjoyed.
Josh, without getting into the merits of your argument--I know that Plummer and Bennett strongly believe that stacking and tilting is more than a feeling--let me explain why they may have not made the list. The list was compiled early last year, prior to Stack & Tilt's popularity. Plummer and Bennett asked not to be on the "seeded" list of instructors nationally on which the other instructors vote. My sense is they will do very well on the next ballot if the opt to be included. They were included on state lists and Plummer finished high on the Pennsylvania list, Bennett high on the New Jersey list. On a recent poll we did of tour players, they also ranked high.
--Bob Carney
I just received my April 2008 issue of Golf Digest. Chuck Cook has a very interesting article on release called "Hit the Wall".
The "Wall" concept reminded me of an another article where the author discussed dragging the clubhead along the wall on the downswing.
Both wall concepts seem easier to visualize and "feel" than the swing plane concept.
Does Chuck Cook or anyone else discuss the wall throughout the entire swing in some publication, video...?
BEWARE... I purchased a GAIM putter and after a few rounds of golf it "lost" its ability to pick up the golf ball which I purposely bought the putter for (bad back and 2 hip replacements. I proceeded to contact the company (phone not a working number) by email and after numerous attempts I finally received a reply from a "John M" who said that this "only happened once before". After numerous email correspondences he authorized me to return the putter. After about a month of not hearing from the company I wrote 2 more emails asking when I was going to get a replacement. Finally, John M said he was sending one out to me. After about 2 weeks of waiting I finally received a putter... It looked like it went through the wars... beat up, grip was worn and it came with a little black drawstring pouch over the putter head, not the fancy head cover that I returned the defective putter with. After numerous non-answered emails, I felt that I must have been ripped off and out the $150.00... So fellow golfers, BEWARE of the company GAIM GOLF, they still have a website and are still "pushing" there putter...
The Stack and Tilt is NOT NEW and has been taught by various instructors for over 75 years!!
But if players want to try it and think they can do this and not destroy there back GOOD LUCK!!!
The simple Laws of Physics dictate that you will not!! And if you meet these guys they will show you pictures of Hogan and Nicklaus doing what they think is correct, this is when these players had horrid swings and I prove it every day. Steve Wozeniak PGA Director of Instruction Bellevue/Lake Spanaway Golf Courses
www.stevewozeniak.com