be relevant for your swing either. My
advice? Book a lesson with your pro.
How would you recommend
structuring a typical range session?
If you have a couple of hours, spare
at least 50 per cent of your practice
time should be spent from 100 yards
and in. That’s where a lot of people
will benefit. The other time should
be spent on something specific by
incorporating a couple of drills or
exercise and taking two practice
swings before hitting a shot. Not just
hitting ball after ball after ball. That’s
what you do for a warm up or before
you go and play. You’ve got to practice
with a purpose, and one of the things
we try to encourage is to incorporate a
playing philosophy when you practise.What are the biggest misconceptions
surrounding the golf swing?
A lot of coaches say that the club
should be swung on one plane back
and through. That’s pretty difficult to
do. I’ve always been of the persuasion
that it’s much easier for the club togo back a little steeper and come
down a little shallower. If you look
at the players I’ve coached like Nick
Price and Nick Faldo; you can see a
definite shallowing in their downswings
which comes from shifting the lower
body towards the target just before
completing the backswing. The reason
this works so well is that it gets the
club approaching from the inside on a
more horizontal plane, almost mirroring
the shaft angle at address, which is a
prerequisite to getting the arms and
body working in sync. Then, it’s justNICK PRICEThe Zimbabwean was still relatively unknown
when he first teamed up with Leadbetter in- A first PGA Tour
victory followed soon after,
but he had to wait until 1991
for his next victory in the
States. Thereafter, the
floodgates opened and so too
did the Majors. He won three
from 1992-1994.
The Zimbabwean was still relatively unknown
when he first teamed up with Leadbetter inbut he had to wait until 1991floodgates opened and so too
did the Majors. He won threeNICK FALDOSecond only to Butch and Tiger as the most
famous player-coach relationship in the modern
era. Faldo underwent a complete
swing rebuild under Leadbetter
in 1985, and went on to win six
Majors and top the world
rankings for 97 weeks. Things
ended in 1998, when the
Englishman fired Leadbetter
via fax.ERNIE ELSDescribed by Leadbetter as the “most
naturally talented athlete” he’s ever coached,
Els started working with eadbetter
27 years ago. The duo have
enjoyed an on-off relationship ever
since, winning three Majors
together before Els started
working with the Butch
Harmon in 2008. The pair
then reunited in 2016.naturally talented athlete” he’s ever coached,
Els started working with eadbetterenjoyed an on-off relationship everWHO LEADBETTER HAS COACHED...Second only to Butch and Tiger as the most
famous player-coach relationship in the modern
era. Faldo underwent a complete
swing rebuild under Leadbetter
in 1985, and went on to win sixrankings for 97 weeks. ThingsEnglishman fired LeadbetterKeep it simple
David thinks
many of us over-
complicate things.Natural talent
Leadbetter’s
verdict
on Ernie Els.62 GOLF ASIA
GOLFING
PROFILE