Golf: Training Days

CLAUDE “Butch” Harmon has never stopped adding new chapters to his tumultuous story.

"Life is good. Man, it's real good," he said recently. "I have never been happier, professionally or personally. If you'd have told me years back, when I had just about reached my lowest point, that I'd be this successful, loved and in love, I would have asked you what you were smoking."

This is a rare admission by perhaps the world's best golf teacher. That's not to say that Harmon has become woolly or endearing. "Hell no," he says. "I still tell my pupils what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. And they can take it or leave it. If you don't believe me go ask (Phil) Mickelson."

All this without Tiger Woods. Harmon is reluctant to talk about Tiger. "Look, I'm not synonymous with Tiger no matter what the perception is out there.

"He made me a very wealthy man for which I am most grateful." Harmon has a considerable array of professional pupils Darren Clarke, Fred Couples, Justin Leonard, Adam Scott and, of late, Graeme McDowell.

"I think I helped Tiger quite a bit but so would any number of the better teachers. I've never had a problem with either Tiger or Earl.

"When Tiger turned pro I started charging him. It was an easy arrangement and we renewed it at the end of every year. At the end of last year, it was not renewed. They didn't offer and I didn't ask."

"Tiger came to me a couple times early in the year (2003) to hit balls But it was over after the (2002) PGA Championship at Hazeltine. The last real work we did was on the Saturday of the US Open at Bethpage. We were out there 'til dark. Tiger wasn't happy with the way he was hitting the ball.

"They say everything happens for a reason and I think Tiger felt he'd gotten about as much out of me as he could. My dear friend Jackie Burke, Jnr (1956 Masters Champion) is forever telling tour pros 'If they can't beat you, they've got nothing to teach you.'

"And that's a valid point. I didn't invent any of this. I'm just passing along what I learned through the years, but mostly what I learned from Hogan. In any case, I had a lot of other players to deal with."

Harmon admits to being "a little puzzled," that Woods doesn't call. "I don't feel slighted or anything like that and you won't hear me complaining.

"Tiger is still the best total package ever for skill, competitiveness and smarts. He can play from the rough and still demolish the field." Harmon watches his former pupil on television when time permits.

"I see a different swing now in him than I did in 2000," he said. "He's more out and around, than upright like I prefer.

"An upright swing gives you the best chance of swinging along the target line and through the ball at impact. It's not his driver that has caused his difficulty in hitting fairways. The driver, confirms, for me at least, that his swing is not as fundamentally sound as it was."

Harmon is excited about all of the players in his remit. "Teaching is teaching," he said, "and teaching is my passion.

"I don't know how to do anything else anyway. I love to see people improve, and the secret to playing good golf is to take your weakness and turn it into a strength. Players need to practice the things they don't do well."

"Darren (Clarke) is a prime example. Two years ago he was in a comfort zone, with lots of money, but little application.

"I felt then that he was past it as far as the majors are concerned. But he has really turned it up a notch in every way since then, and the hunger to succeed is there. I have high hopes for him this year and, all going well, he should knock down one major. This could be his time to win, and I think he knows it."

The rejuvenation of Fred Couples was especially satisfying for Harmon. "Here was a guy, hugely talented, just about ready to pack it in. Helping him get back means more to me than anything."

Two years ago Harmon described Padraig Harrington as the most improved player in the world. "And he hasn't made me look bad has he?" he said. "He's in the top ten and he finished up the year very well. I thought he might have captured a major by now.

"Of course injuries haven't helped him. I wouldn't bet against him although I think Darren might beat him to a major win. I'm a little uneasy about his deliberation over the putter. I never like to see a player linger. Maybe it's the Jackie Burke thing, you know, get up there and drain the damn thing and caddie stand clear."

Graeme McDowell is hoping that Harmon can help him out of an unexpected slump. A winner in Europe quite early on, much was expected of the Ulster lad last year but he didn't deliver.

"Graeme had an excellent collegiate and amateur career," Harmon said, "and he has enormous potential. He has an all round very solid game but somehow he got off track.

"The transition to the professional circuit can be very difficult. If you listen to too many people you become more confused. I am optimistic about Graeme although I was surprised to hear the he went to a sports shrink.

"It's no secret that I have no time for those people. If a guy has never been inside the ropes of a major championship, how the hell does he know what's going on in your mind?

"He can generalise, tell you not to let bad shots bother you, but Christ we all know that. That's pretty much common sense. Okay, they seem to have helped a lot of players, but I've just never thought it was that important.

"I think Graeme will rediscover his form quite quickly, but to be successful, I think he should be aiming for the PGA Tour. I believe he will flourish in the States. It's a good fit for him if he can get in on it. And that's another reason why I expect Darren to succeed.

"We will be seeing more of him over here this year. Realistically, a player has to spend more time on the PGA Tour if he expects to win one of our three majors. Potential really means you haven't won anything."

As for Tiger, Harmon is unequivocal. "Winning majors is what Tiger is all about. His entire game and schedule is built around them. That's not going to change. He is still the number one player in the world. He won five times last year after a late start and had the lowest scoring average.

"That says it all. I'm confident that he'll win at least two majors and a bunch of PGA Tour events as per usual. But please don't ask me to name the majors."