In The Scorecard Always Lies veteran Sports Illustrated golf correspondent Chris Lewis reaches past the results, stats, and sound-bites to focus on the personalities and personal lives of the sport’s top players. While embracing all the drama and excitement of the 2006 PGA Tour season, he takes us inside the locker rooms, hotel rooms, and private planes to deliver an unrivaled, behind-thescenes look at the Tour and the men who play it. - publisher synopsis
In his book, Chris Lewis had some unique observations of Mike and Andy at work:
“ They hardly seemed suited to all the attention. Minus their video-cams, they
both looked like misplaced high school English teachers. Plummer, a 39 year old
native Kentuckian invariably wore white polos and khakis. (Players joked this
was their profession’s answer to Chad Campbell) Bennett, a 39 year old from
Jordan, New York, near Syracuse, was similarly unshocking. Although he owned
one or two striped golf shirts, they were usually covered up with beige
pullovers. His little square eyeglasses only emphasized his bookish un-athletic
look.”
“….During the summer of 06 their appointment books swelled. The demand forced
one or both of them to attend every tour event from Monday to Wednesday.
Invariably they worked 12 hour days (from Thursday through Sunday they held down
their club jobs Bennett was as at Metedeconk in Jackson New Jersey and Plummer
at Aronimink at Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.)”
“….Despite the new popularity some players still saw their teachings as
anathema…however Steve Elkington expressed it like this, “Mike and Andy can fix
most guys in two swings ….some guys just want you to fix the computer “. Mike
and Andy want to open it up and show you how it works.” Most brand name
instructors, golf channel-trumpeted teachers from Leadbetter to Harmon to Haney
advocated a big move of the ball, loading into the right side to produce
power……Plummer and Bennett, on the other hand, stress staying stacked over the
ball, with much less weight shift, and a steeper shoulder turn. Their signature
moves resembled one that teaching pros reflexively drilled out of beginners
swings. “At first it looks like a reverse pivot,” Baddeley said. “But now I
absolutely love the feeling of being right on top of the ball.”
“…Wilson had recently purchased (on Ebay) a copy of Nicklaus’ hard to find 1980
book “The Full Swing”. He took it with him to that lunch and went over the
swing sequences with the host. “These pictures” Wilson said, “make me think
that all these new teachers are wrong. They all say you have to get behind the
ball, onto your right side, to get any power. But you didn’t do that and you
were known for your driving.” Nicklaus shook his head and said, “I’ve never
believed all that modern stuff”
Buy Chris Lewis’ book at Amazon.com.
