Why Butch Harmon might not be what Tiger Woods needs right now
When things stop working, it's natural to crave change. Tiger Woods split with swing coach Sean Foley on Monday morning, ending their four-year partnership.
Woods' back injury didn't make his disappointing season any easier, and despite winning five tournaments last season, he won't continue with the coach who eased him back into golf after the 2009 scandal.
Knees, elbows, back: All the injuries sustained by Woods over the years are taking a toll on his body. It was not an easy job for Foley, either, as he had to change the mechanics of Tiger's swing with each passing injury
Foley's philosophy focused on elements that Woods would continue to struggle with: Elbow tucked in closer to the body, early weight shift onto the left foot, lots of rotation through the upper body. But these elements of Woods' swing don't work anymore. His back is far too delicate at this point in his career to continue depending on upper body rotation, and follow through from the hands and arms.
Odds makers are honing in on Butch Harmon as the favorite to replace Foley. Harmon was Woods' first swing coach on the PGA Tour and the two won eight majors together.
But for all the success Woods had with Harmon, he was also between the ages of 21 and 28, which are impressionable years on a young players' swing. Harmon later made headlines for improving the mechanics of another young player who needed to make a change to see results: Rickie Fowler.
The 25-year-old had his fair share of ups and downs over the first five seasons of his career, and after joining forces with Harmon, Fowler finished in the top five at each of this year's four majors.
Harmon prides himself on making tweaks, and he overhauled Fowler's swing with tiny changes focusing on the upper body and hand and wrist positioning to achieve consistency. An accurate drive is what Fowler got, and improved his average drive by over 10 yards in just one year.
Woods doesn't need a coach, and said himself he would go without one until he finds the right fit. He is experienced enough to know what works for himself and what doesn't; and a coach would be by his side to run through the options.
The thing is, Harmon already coaches Brandt Snedeker (as of July), Phil Mickelson, Fowler, Jimmy Walker, and one of the most powerful drivers on Tour, Dustin Johnson.
So if Harmon takes on a high-profile client like Woods for the second time, he needs to dedicate a large amount of his time to him. A swing change is a lot of work and practice. Harmon has to be willing to focus on Woods, and Woods has to be willing to listen to him for the first time since 2003.
"You know me I don't make overhauls," Harmon said in July.
But this is probably not what Tiger needs when he returns from injury. If Harmon isn't willing to create a new swing for Woods, the partnership isn't going to work.