A Standing Ovation For Butch Almighty
By Pete Pappas
On twitter @PGAPappas
When I picked up Butch Harmon’s “About Golf” DVD I did so primarily out of curiosity rather than with any real anticipation it would become a permanent addition to my golf library let alone one of my favorite golf instruction resources of all time.
But that’s exactly what it’s become.
Of course Ben Hogan’s “Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf”, and Jack Nicklaus’ “Golf My Way” are on my bookshelf. Among others a lesser known but also cherished first edition Leslie King “The Master Key To Success At Golf” also resides in my book room.
And while I’m not comparing any of these directly to the others, I am saying Harmon’s “About Golf” DVD is as valuable to me as any of the others in my collection, and it’s easily one of the best golf instruction DVDs I’ve ever viewed (which is why it now has a permanent place in my library).
“The most important thing about this whole program is for your golf game to improve and you to play better golf,” Harmon says about his newest and possibly last ever instructional video.
Sounds like a simple statement to be sure. But don’t let that fool you.
There are hundreds of profound tips found in Harmon’s latest work, and Butch himself is an absolute master communicator.
Harmon’s unique and specialized knowledge from the most basic fundamentals to the smallest nuances of the golf swing is clearly illustrated in ways that you might not have ever experienced before.
Granted there are some lessons you’re probably familiar with. But not the way Butch explains them.
And believe me that matters.
Like many teachers with expertise in the same discipline, be it fitness, or golf instruction, history, science, or literature, some instructors are simply better than others. That’s just a fact of life.
Butch possesses the wealth of knowledge and the wisdom of experience to be a great teacher no doubt (he’s been teaching the top players in golf for more than 20 years and has been Golf Digest’s No. 1 Best Teacher for 11 consecutive years).
To paraphrase a famous quote from the movie A Few Good Men, “You want Butch on that wall! You need Butch on that wall!”
But Harmon also has that something special, that intangible.
Harmon has the knack to make individual students think, “AHA! Now I get it!” That’s what Butch gives you abundantly in the
“About Golf” DVD.
And that’s what makes Butch “a natural.”
“It’s not just for good players, it’s for every type of player,” Harmon explains. “We talk about every aspect of the game. [And since this] is the last big project I’m ever going to do in all my years of teaching … I’ve tried to put into this DVD everything that I’ve learned in my whole career.”
Harmon’s larger than life personality shines on the DVD and shows why he’s not just an incredibly effective and authoritative communicator but also someone who relates to the weekend duffer just as easily as he relates to a 14-time major champion like Tiger Woods.
With over 60 chapters, and 250 tips and drills, and more
than four hours of run time, a common theme throughout this two-disc DVD set is
that Harmon wants you to understand your own unique swing, strengths and
weaknesses in your game, and help you play better golf, no matter how often you
play or how skilled you might be.
I decided to put that to the test.
Gathering three of my best friends to watch the “About Golf” DVD a few weeks ago we applied some of Butch’s lessons on the course. And one particular lesson produced a result which was truly astounding.
One of my friends has always struggled keeping his 3 iron and 4 iron in play. So much so that he just stopped using these clubs. But after watching the section on grips and fixing a slice Butch literally transformed my friend’s long iron game instantaneously.
Before watching the DVD he couldn’t carry his 4 iron even 170 yards and certainly couldn’t keep in play. Now he was hitting it 220 yards right down the middle (sometimes with a baby draw). Consistently. All round.
And he didn’t do anything different except change his grip the way Butch described in that section of the DVD.
This doesn’t of course make my friend ready to compete for club championships. But it’s made the game immensely more fun for him. And you can’t put a price on that.
“About Golf” is organized in a sensible and practical manner and has an enjoyable flow to it for a DVD packed with more than four hours of expert instruction.
As you might expect Butch begins with the basics: “Ball Striking and Basic Fundamentals.” And to that aim he discusses everything including the grip, takeaway, impact, and follow through among other things.
Harmon them moves into straightforward explanations and tips
to help golfers in the “Faults, Cures, & Drills” section.
And then wraps up the first disc discussing the more advanced aspects of specialty shots and how to hit fades, draws, and shots from various lies in the “Specialty Shots,” “Short Game,” and “Sand Shots” sections.
There are also exclusive sections for seniors, women, and beginner golfers, as well as a section about fitness with Dr. Greg Rose (who you might be familiar with from his Golf Channel show “
“About Golf” also features interesting and entertaining commentary from some of the biggest names in golf, including Woods, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman, Dustin Johnson, Natalie Gulbis, Fred Couples, and others.
These luminaries share their insights on Harmon’s teaching style and how he’s helped take their games to championship heights and also express a genuine gratitude for Harmon on a more personal level.
Mickelson for instance says about Butch, “What’s fun about working with Butch is that it might only take two or three minutes to fix a problem, but hanging around with him for 30 or 45 minutes is so entertaining. I’m always surprised at some of the things that come out of his mouth.”
While of course you don’t have the benefit of a live question & answer session as you would in a private lesson, the lessons Harmon teaches in this DVD are the same ones he teaches in his one on one personal sessions. And the enormous and elaborate amount of information in the “About Golf” DVD set is truly amazing.
“I decided to commence work on a DVD that would share a lifetime of golf knowledge with the public that would cover: the fundamentals, identifying faults and the fixes, specialty shots, short game, sand play, putting, club selection, kids, under and over 13, women, seniors and physical fitness,” said Harmon.
“My thoughts were to create a DVD that was designed to help your game, capture and retain your interest and entertain you.”
Well Butch you did that and then some. And if "About Golf" is your last instructional DVD then you just shot that elusive “58” with this crowning achievement.
And with Father’s Day approaching and graduation celebrations taking place across the country I have to agree with Butch, “I can’t think of a better way to say Happy Father’s Day” to your dad than with some tips I’ve developed over the years. Tips that began when my dad, Claude Harmon played on Tour.”
Butch Harmon’s “About Golf” gets a rousing standing ovation.
Butch Harmon “About Golf” is available now for $79.95 at Butch Harmon About Golf DVD
©PGAPappas
You can follow Pete on twitter @PGAPappas
