Author looks at the Anatomy of Greatness
It is undeniable that golf is a tough game to learn and virtually impossible to master. Which is why, throughout the ages, there have been as many golf swing instruction books, DVDs and videos as there have been ways of swinging the club. The sheer number of theories about how best to hit a golf ball have undoubtedly fueled the mysticism and romanticism about the game itself. Not to mention the fact that it has probably been one of the major reasons the sport can’t quite break into the mainstream; it’s just too frustrating to learn. And most golf instruction books only make things worse.
Brandel Chamblee has never pulled any punches as a golf analyst and broadcaster. He is the Golf Channel’s resident critic, of anyone and everything. He has infuriated as many professional golfers as Johnny Miller has behind the microphone at NBC, not to mention his colleague Frank Nobilo who usually sits right next to him on Golf Central trying to get the odd word in between Chamblee’s occasional breaths.
What could have been just another former professional golfer writing Top-selling golf instruction book The Anatomy of Greatness by Brandel Chamblee. a book full of tips and traps that really only apply to his own distinct mind or physical attributes, has instead taken the golf world by storm since it was released earlier this year.
is a fitting title for the ideas and conclusions that lie inside the book’s 120 pages. Chamblee’s thesis is that the greatest players of all time, from Bobby Jones to Sam Snead to Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, have shared similar positions in each part of their swings, from grip and stance, through to backswing, follow-through, and all of the footwork that goes on inbetween. p.m., HHSS vs. ASCVI @ SMSS (Sr) p.m., CCI @ IEW (Jr/Sr); SPSS @ TASSS (Jr/Sr); HCSS @ CDHS (Jr); PHHS @ CDHS (Sr); HHSS vs. CDHS @ ASCVI (Sr)
p.m., ASCVI @ SMSS (Jr)
p.m., STASS, IEW, ASCVI, CSS, KCVI @ KCVI; CCI, SMSS, HCSS, SPSS, TASSS, PHHS @ PHHS Chamblee takes care to mention that it’s not that their swings looked alike to most people, as they were each expressed with different styles, physical statures, athletic abilities and personalities. But upon detailed analysis, Chamblee contends that these swings shared certain crucial fundamentals.
Much like a genealogist explaining the branches in a family tree, he connects most of these great swingers back to a common set of teachers, who all can be traced back to an instructor from the Los Angeles area in the first half of the 20th century named Alex Morrison. Case in point: Morrison taught Henry Picard who taught Jack Grout who was credited for being Nicklaus’ lifelong swing instructor.
The way Chamblee connects the great players to this great teacher is just one example of his ability to tell a story and construct an argument at the same time. For each of the elements of the swing, including the most sacred, fundamental of them all, the grip, he dispels myths with compelling research, and in the process makes a strong case for why young golfers today should not be copying the robotlike, stiff posture of such admired contemporary players as Adam Scott or Justin Rose.
The best part of all is that Chamblee includes lots and lots of photos, p.m., TASSS @ NDHS (Jr/Sr) p.m., CSS @ SPSS (Sr/Jr) p.m., CSS vs. HHSS @ Fleming p.m., TASSS vs. HCSS @ Fleming p.m., A vs. B (SPSS – HCSS) @ Fleming (Jv)
p.m., BHS, IEW, CSS, ASCVI @ ASCVI; SPSS, HCSS, CCI, SMSS @ SMSS; KCVI, TASSS, LCVI, STASS @ STASS which make the book a fun, quick read. It’s not one of those golf instruction books where you read the first chapter and then go out and try whatever was recommended.
The author himself makes a point in his foreward encouraging the reader to soak it all in first. He believes the story builds from chapter to chapter, and is best consumed in its entirety before you head out to the practice tee.
My two cents would be to not forget the value of having a CPGA professional help you with any changes. Reading
can only make you a better student for any good teacher to work with.