Though I happen to like Brandel and don’t know David Leadbetter, however I do know one of his Tour Students a bit, and they think the world of him, both as a Teacher and a person, and I believe that he has a valid point regarding Chamblee’s comments in his public letter to Brandel, linked below...

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/david-leadbetters-open-letter-to-brandel-chamblee-youre-better-than-cheap-shots/amp

Chamblee has never “been there done that” as a Teacher, at ANY, level, much less the Tour level. Him criticizing a Tour Teacher or Teachers, is akin to a golf Teacher who has never Played The Tour, criticizing a Tour Player, or in the extreme, though no less comical scenario of a WXRer criticizing a Tour Player or Teacher~

If one has not “been there done that,” in whatever area that they happen to be negatively bloviating about, then please, STFU?

Chamblee’s Instruction book, “The Anatomy of Greatness?”

Or his follow-up Instructional book, “The Short Game : Lessons from Inside 100 Yards by the Best Golfers in History????”

Paleeeeeze?

Notice a trend here???

He’s more historian than Teacher/Insteuctor and please, I understand exactly what he’s done and in fact one of the finest Instructional texts that I’ve ever read was very very very similar to his first book, though they say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, lolol.

Some of Chamblees’s comments that sparked Hank’s love letter? is linked below...

Brandel Chamblee's latest inflammatory comments lead to pointed responses from top teachers - Golf Digest

All of this being said, Brandel does have some valid points, points that I have been chirping for years, and not just regarding all of the Tour Teachers, though also including other “hangers-ons” in the average(or above average for that matter) Tour Player’s posse.

I just think that there is a better way to say what Chamblee said.

Though he does get paid for being the “shock jock” of Tour announcers.

Thoughts?

Stay Well, Stay Safe & Stay In?

RP

It seems that a lot of folks that have very high opinions of themselves are often very critical of others. Mabye, by tearing someone else down, Brandel feels better about himself. It doesn't seem uncommon for highly opinionated people to go over the edge on occasion. Mabye Brandel will look at some of these coaches, see the success their pupils have had, and change his views. Mabye Brandel would have been more successful if he had worked with a coach. I'm sure some coaches are better than others, and even the best coach's methods are not going to work with every golfer, but every coach wants to help their player improve. Mabye Brandel needs Butch Harmon to pop him right in his big mouth. Brandel is a lot younger, but I'd put my money on Butch!

I agree with some things Brandel said, others were a little extreme.

Brandel is the skip bayless of golf...

Good or bad, he keeps people talking with ludicrous opinions...and [rarely] astute observations

but wow, both are blind to many things....see below

"I think the check is still in the mail" ----- LOL. Look out. Wondering if the "acolytes" references in Brandel's comments were aimed directly at Leadbetter, for example, who knows.

Brandel painted with too broad a brush and I agree Richard, he gets far too much credit in general and often on here frankly, for his knowledge of the golf swing. He is not an instructor and doesn't seem to have the true "cred" to make a couple of the statements made in his comments. He did a couple of "Playing Lessons" segments on Golf Channel that were just plain terrible a few years ago.

Smart guy, always seems to be willing to learn and either learning or parroting the next best thing in instruction, but taking his whacks at pretty much all instructors and using the word "idiocy"?

Leadbetter has lots of critics and I don't know enough to say how good he is, but he has a real resume.

I believe brandshambolics apologized already. his arrogance is what gets him into trouble. If he sticks to being a historian of the golf swing...he would be better off..not how effective a swing is or all would be swinging like Nicklaus...right?

Brandel and his cabal tend to lump all instructors who don't teach the full hip/shoulder turn, lead heel raise, overswing at the top, etc into the "modern instruction" category. He cites the longevity of Phil / Vijay / Snead & other old-timers as evidence that the theory he subscribes to is the correct way, prevents short and long-term injuries, and increases swing speeds. Conversely, he believes swings with a restricted hip turn/heel down are more susceptible to injury and lower swing speeds. The jury is certainly out on both as there is no proof a Koepka-like swing is more susceptible to injury and certainly lower swing speeds. Given that Tour players train much harder than those decades ago, workout regimens and overuse would certainly come into play.

I don't have any stats but I would guess that most golf instructors today don't teach a restricted hip turn or keeping the lead heel down. To lump all of them into a "modern" instruction category and adopt and us-vs-them mentality is irresponsible and may be nothing more than an effort to sell books. As to the injury side of things, we don't have enough medical information from the Tour decades ago to determine what caused golfer injuries. And for example, we don't even know today if Koepka's knee injury is related to his restricted hip turn.

Leadbetter is right to call out Brandel for the industry wide attack as we can see from the Tour today there is more than one way to get it done and Brandel is not an instructor and never has been.

Gee, I wonder which LPGA parents he was talking about - "Are the parents of the player interfering busy-bodies who won’t let the coach do the job despite a lot of success?"

Totally agree. BC is really good at what he does--- analysis and controversial opinions. I agree with some of his opinions not all. But I don't think anyone should agree with anyone else's opinions all of the time.

Edit: never mind, already covered it.

Very true, but you're wrong on that last part.

Like many analysts BC can cherry pick from a lot of data to justify his conclusions. And some of his points may hold up under more scrutiny. But it is easy to point out the guys who are not at their peak and blame the coach. As Led said for many players their personal lives can have as much or more to do with their success as swing mechanics. There is ample anecdotal evidence to show that most players who make swing changes get worse before getting better and many don’t get back to where they were. That is one of the fundamentally biggest challenges in competitive golf, trying to get better without getting worse. BC is just picking low hanging fruit...

A little bit of straight talk, whether you agree with it or not, and whether it comes from Chamblee or Koepka, is a very good thing.

Too many folks want sanitized words. They "can't handle the truth."

Brandel isn’t wrong with regard to how what the teachers were teaching has evolved from restricted hip turns etc to more of a free flowing motion and that the internet is really where the future is. The PGA of America’s letter is so short sided and that’s what he’s talking about. They go on to explain how it takes thousands of dollars and hours to become a PGA professional as if it’s a good thing. That’s a reason people aren’t becoming pros, all that time and money and while you’re doing it forced to work for basically minimum wage job at a club or somewhere in the golf profession. How is that sustainable when you see guys like GG on Instagram blowing up or a guy like Potters Putting just giving putting lessons to pros now because he posted good tips on Instagram and got noticed. It’s the wave of the future and the PGA is falling behind and fast.

The internet doesn't work for everyone.

That’s not what I’m saying I’m just giving examples where it can. Newer generations have more information because of the internet and are not going to go through all the hoops and money to learn how to run a cart barn.

Brandel is an actor...a television performer...actors and performers need an audience to survive. All of this stuff is written, scripted and edited...targeted to arouse the audience. Like most everything GC has done through the years, Brandel is a knock-off...in this case a cover version of Stephen A. and Skip B. Morning Drive is a knock-off of Mike & Mike. Big Break was a knock-off of the Amazing Race. Golf Central is a knock off of NBC Nightly News and every other news show. Golf Channel has never, ever, had an original thought in its entire life, which is why their time is over. They will fade off into the sunset with the move to Ct. and become a "sports extra" feature of NBC Sports.

When I first read the title of this thread I thought it said Davis Love.

I thought David sent Brandel a love letter, lol

And while acknowledging a lot of notable exceptions known here, plenty of crap on the internet. I just think Brandel is smarter than all green grass instructors teach one way and are bad vs. pretty much anything social media is good. So be smart and communicate it better.

More folks should call BC out for what he is...

But more importantly, think where most of us would be in our golf "journey" without some instruction.

Overall I like Chamblee, but I don't quite understand how much of an impact he has on golf...look at all the attention he has garnered with that one statement. He must be a needle mover. :-)

I don't see the controversy here. He critiqued modern swing coaches and some of them got prickly. I love listening to Brandel regardless of whether I agree with him or not.

Interesting that the response wasn't to point out where/why he was wrong but to try to discredit him by calling him a television character/actor among other things.

If you work in elite sports in any capacity and don't like being analysed then its not for you.

He's apologised for the use of the inappropriate phrase not his thesis regarding certain swing coaches.

Who knew swing coaches were so precious.

Brandel's sarcastic response to David :)

Preface this with this - I agree that Brandel paints with too broad of a brush. He would be more effective taking folks on one on one.

but. I do agree with him on the longevity argument. Although I do see the “ lacks enough data” argument you are uploading. But ( again ) I wonder. How many anecdotal examples are needed both ways to be enough ? You can add bubba Watson to Phil , Vijay , Jack Snead etc. as long hitters , plenty of speed and nearly no injuries. Compared to Brooks , tiger , day , DJ , etc who are literally eating Left knees and lower backs. How many till it’s enough ? No shot at your head. A real question.

the line to me as a layperson who has built his own swing , is how much they release the lead knee/leg Backwards on backswing coupled with how much flex in trail leg when at the top. And lastly how high the hands get at the top.

I guess In short. It’s very hard to argue that the new methods are same in longevity when you see a 49 year old Phil gain speed to top out over a lot of the younger ones , and not strain anything doing it. Same for Vijay. Older still and retaining speed. We’re going to need a modern swing over 120 that lasts 40 years with no back surgery or left knee replacement to prove same same.

agree With this. I’d like them to tell him why he is wrong , if he is , vs just spout the “ you’re an actor “ tripe. If he’s such a know nothing put him in his place and prove that your teachings are real.

Brandel is his own biggest fan which is his biggest downfall.

I have no doubt that he believes 100% in what he says but he strikes me as the sort of person who gets an idea in his head and then looks for something to back it up, rather than looking at the stats and then making a decision.

I generally switch the channel when Chamblee starts talking....

David is a super nice guy, genuine down to earth person.

So you're saying Butch Harmon is just spouting tripe when he calls Brandel an actor? And Butch needs to prove to you that his teachings are real?