One of the most debated topics in golf circles for the last two years is whether the Stack and Tilt golf swing will truly revolutionize the game of golf and golf instruction in general. Many swing advocates are almost cultish in their selling of the model, while more traditional instructors seem to be equally fanatical in their opposition.
The Stack and Tilt golf swing model first appeared in 2005. It was developed by instructors Andy Plummer and Michael Bennett, who were very interested in working with players on tour. Some of the tour players they initially began working with include Steve Elkington, Dean Wilson and Charlie Wi. Other players who have since adopted some or all of the model in their swings include JJ Henry, Troy Matteson, and Tommy Armor III. Stars who used the model but have since abandoned it include Aaron Baddeley and Mike Weir.
The Stack and Tilt golf swing is controversial in some respects. The first is the way it has been marketed as the swing that is “Redo Golf”. A book and a DVD have been published. The book is very critical of conventional instruction, but in a somewhat misleading way. Some of the comparisons between the Stack and Tilt swing and the so-called conventional swing are misleading, as most instructors worth a grain of salt would clearly not teach swing positions similar to those compared in the book.
The second way the swing is controversial is that it eliminates any type of weight shift in the golf swing from the front foot to the back foot on the back swing. Most of the weight is kept on the front foot throughout the swing to prevent roll and keep the upper body “centered.” A lot of swing in the backswing tends to lead to inconsistent ball strokes among average golfers. On the other hand, some very successful golfers have had some influence on their swing, as taught by renowned instructor Jimmy Ballard. These players include Curtis Strange, Hal Sutton, and Rocco Mediate.
Traditional golf instructors prefer to see a small weight shift to the back leg on the back swing, particularly for longer shots, as this helps increase swing speed. Most competitors in long drive competitions clearly have a lot of weight transfer to the back foot on the backswing. This helps create depth away from the ball and more room to generate clubhead speed. However, timing this movement is clearly more difficult.
In the Stack and Tilt model, there is a forward thrust at the hips offered as a different way to add speed to the swing. Old-guard instructors are quick to point out that this thrust at the hips results in an “inverted C” position, which puts pressure on the lower back. Anyone with lower back problems will struggle with this aspect of the swing.
Another aspect of the controversy surrounding the swing model is that many of the proponents suggest that the book should not be followed to the letter. When describing certain feel positions in the swing, some of the positions illustrated in the book are exaggerated. In addition, many of the holes associated with the model that can be seen on the internet also exaggerate these positions. When confronted with these positions, particularly the spinal lean toward the target in the back swing and the severe spinal lean toward the target in the follow through position, many suggest that they are simply exaggerations and intended for drills only. . However, the book certainly does NOT make this suggestion.
Generally speaking, the Stack and Tilt model has some merit. For golfers who tend to be less skilled and have a hard time making solid contact, or tend to cut the ball, the Stack and Tilt swing can certainly help. It forces the golfer to hit the ball with a downstroke, causing the swing to bottom out beyond where the ball was. This is a critical fundamental to hitting a solid ball. Most good golfers are already swinging the club in a similar fashion with their short irons, as there is very little weight shift involved. Additionally, the model also encourages hitting the ball from a more inside-out swing path, which will allow the golfer to learn how to hit a shot. This is done by swinging the arms further behind the body on the back swing while rotating the shoulders in a steeper plane than with a more conventional instruction.
On the other hand, there seems to be an issue with ball flight when it comes to longer clubs. Keeping most of your weight on your front foot and swinging your arms more behind your body doesn’t allow for traditional shots. From that position, the player has to go over it on the way down with a large loop in order to fade out. Also, it is more difficult to get the ball up in the air using lower-elevated clubs with more weight on the front foot on the backswing. So a steeper turning plane is required to compensate and that can lead to other problems.
Overall, the debate over the merits of the Stack and Tilt swing versus more conventional golf instruction is likely to continue. Many proponents of the Stack and Tilt swing now await validation from Tiger Woods, who is now being taught by Sean Foley, a disciple of the swing model. Foley doesn’t employ the entire model in his instruction, but he clearly applies a good deal of it, as evidenced by the way Tiger seems to be swinging more recently.
A good instructor will learn to take the best of all available models and apply them to their instruction. The fact is that there is no swing model that is perfect for all golfers or for all shots. That said, Plummer and Bennett have boldly introduced some new concepts and they deserve praise for it. The book is definitely recommended for golfers of all levels looking to educate themselves more about the golf swing.