Rickie Fowler’s Change – Before and After Butch Harmon!

Written by Mel Sole on December 2, 2015. Posted in PGA Tour

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I had no doubt in my mind the moment Rickie Fowler started working with Butch Harmon that this was a recipe for success for Rickie! Butch is not a “mechanical” teacher, and that’s what Rickie needed. Just simple changes that would make a tremendous difference to his game. It is only a matter of time before he wins a Major! Thanks to Roger Schiffman of Golf Digest, in collaboration with Rickie Fowler, for producing this interesting article!

FIRING AWAY.

It’s no secret that coming into 2014, I had trouble putting together four good days at a tournament. My final-round stroke average wasn’t very good—106th on the PGA Tour in 2013. But this year has been a different story: I ranked eighth in scoring on Sundays, more than two shots better than last year. Even though I didn’t win a major in 2014, I was right there in all four of them.

I tied for fifth at the Masters, second at the U.S. Open and British Open, and third at the PGA Championship.

Each time I felt like I finished strong. At Royal Liverpool, I was able to shoot four rounds in the 60s, including 67 on the last day. That tells me the swing changes Butch Harmon and I have been making are exactly what I needed.

About a year ago, Butch and I came up with a plan to make my swing and my game more consistent. After our initial sessions, I regressed. Butch wanted me to work on the changes took a little time before I trusted them under tournament pressure.

One of the big ones is rotating my arms on the takeaway, so the club’s toe moves first, going back, instead of the clubhead going back to the outside and the face shutting, like I used to do. Before I start my swing, I rehearse a takeaway with the club swinging back online and the clubface rotating open. That pre-sets the perfect move off the ball.

Rickie Fowler's Change - Before and After Butch Harmon!

Getting that first move right gets my whole swing on track.

Now I don’t need to re-route the club to the inside on the downswing, which required a lot of timing. I feel like my swing will hold up at crunch time. I’m not on or off like I used to be. It’s excellent now, and that’s a great feeling to have. I can’t wait to get back in contention in the majors. Using the two driver sequences here—the top one from 2010,

the bottom from this past August—Butch will take you through the changes we’ve made. I hope they’ll help you get more consistent, too.

BEFORE: TOO MUCH BODY TURN TOO EARLY

Rickie used to drag the handle back and turn his hips and shoulders very early in the swing. The clubhead would lag behind the rotation of his body. Also, his ball position would tend to creep too far back, which contributed to that early turn—he was trying to load up behind the ball. —Butch Harmon

AFTER: EARLIER WRIST SET, CLUB STRAIGHT BACK.

We’ve worked to sync up his takeaway, hinging the wrists sooner and not being as quick with the body. You might have noticed the move he makes over the ball: He practices the first few feet of the swing, making sure he sees the shaft go back right on his toe line. That’s on plane.—Butch Harmon

To see the rest of Rickie Fowler’s swing changes since working with Butch Harmon, go here!

Source: Rickie Fowler Roger Schiffman Golf Digest

Pictures: Dom Furore J.D. Cuban Chris Breikss

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Rickie Fowler’s Change – Before and After Butch Harmon!

FIRING AWAY.

I tied for fifth at the Masters, second at the U.S. Open and British Open, and third at the PGA Championship.

Getting that first move right gets my whole swing on track.

BEFORE: TOO MUCH BODY TURN TOO EARLY

AFTER: EARLIER WRIST SET, CLUB STRAIGHT BACK.

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