Stack and Tilt Loses 2 Stars

Filed in archive Golf Instruction on May 16, 2009

Bye-bye, Badds!

It's not unusual for professional golfers to change their swings and their swing coaches.

Tiger Woods has done it several times - and if it's okay for him, then it must be okay for everyone else.

Usually, the spotlight follows the player, shifting to the new coach. It rarely remains on the old coach.

Or, in this case, "coaches".

Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett, creators and purveyors of the Stack and Tilt swing method - which some say is nothing more than golf swing voodoo - have recently lost two of their stars in Aaron Baddeley and former Masters winner, Mike Weir.

Baddeley announced on his website in April that he was abandoning the method and returning to his old teacher, Dale Lynch.

In an orchestrated question and answer with the person who manages his site, he said he was focusing on his long game, "…hitting more fairways and greens…"

This is strange since the primary results for those who adopt the Stack and Tilt methodology are said to be straighter iron and tee shots.

What is also strange is that while Badds says he's "using that knowledge as I move forward with Dale…" and "will be making some changes that Dale and I think we need to", there are still numerous references on his site to the Stack and Tilt method.

In fact, look under the "Badds" section, click on Q and A and there's a question -dated January 13, 2009 - in which a fan asks about specific drills for Stack and Tilt!

And Badds willingly supplies some. Two months later, he walks away from the method. Go figure.

As for Mike Weir, he made the announcement on his website at the beginning of this month.

Like Baddeley, Weir is returning to his former teacher, Mike Wilson. And like Baddeley, Weir is diplomatic in his reasons: "I have a lot of respect for Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer…this being said, I want to make sure that I am constantly challenging myself…to get the best results".

So, is something up? Two talented pros who have used Stack and Tilt for 2 years or so are abandoning it.

Badds is clear about why; he's not hitting enough fairways. Weir won more than once with Stack and Tilt but obviously he has fallen out with the method.

And yet, for thousands of amateur golfers, the swing technique has been a savior, at least in the short term.

So, what's up? Probably nothing at all.

I mean, how many times have you heard about tour players abandoning the Jim Ballard method or giving up on the One Plane Swing?

This time it's attracting attention simply because Stack and Tilt has been controversial from day one.