A Look Into the Poll Question: Ben Doyle

Name: Ben Doyle
Location: Carmel, CA
Famous Students: Steve Elkington, Bobby Clampett, Brian Manzella
Notable Works: How to Build a G.O.L.F. Game DVD
Notable YouTube Vids: Steve Elkington w/Ben Doyle Using All 3 Hinge Actions
Notable Credentials: First Authorized Instructor of The Golfing Machine, G.S.E.D., Golf Digest Top 50 Golf Instructor, Golf Magazine Top 100 Golf Instructor
Web site: http://www.bendoylegolf.com/

Ben Doyle is considered by many to be the foremost authority on The Golfing Machine as well as being its most famous instructor (other than the author Homer Kelley himself). He not only has taught famous players like Steve Elkington and Bobby Clampett, but has also taught famous instructors such as Brian Manzella and Jim McLean.

Unfortunately for Doyle, he sometimes doesn't get quite the recognition he deserves and even worse, many erroneously believe that his work with Clampett ruined Clampett's career, when it actually was the exact opposite of what happened. Clampett had worked with Doyle at a young age and was developing into golf's next superstar. Clampett always had an excellent short game and with his work with Doyle he was developing into one of the all time great ballstrikers. Think of a guy that many thought was going to hit the ball like Ben Hogan but with a phenomenal short game to boot.

However, Clampett was striving to become better and started working with other instructors. Clampett had a very flat golf swing and instructor after instructor tried to change that and it turned the once future phenom into a struggling journeyman. Eventually Clampett caught on as a great announcer and moved on. However, he also went back to Doyle and got his game back on track and is actually a pretty darn good player (he's doing pretty well at this year's Bob Hope Classic), but given his commitments as an announcer, instructor and family man, focusing on his own golf game is low on his priority list.

I first caught onto Doyle when I read Clampett's 'Impact Zone' book and then watching some of Brian Manzella's videos, particularly 'Confessions of a Former Flipper.' I then watched some of Doyle's lessons on video from the LynnBlakeGolf.com Web site.

I think a common misconception that people have of Ben Doyle is that he's trying to teach one particular type of complicated golf swing. Nothing could be further from the truth. He's basically trying to get the golfer to swing the club while keeping a flat left wrist at impact. Watchng the swings of Manzella, Elkington and Clampett you will see each having different golf swings, yet the results are excellent.

Part of the problem that Doyle has when it comes to increasing his tour student load is his location. Being located in Northern California is a bit of a trip for tour pros whereas the big name instructors are located in places like Phoenix and Florida which are common residences for tour pros. That also effects his rankings in golf magazines, but there's no doubt in my mind that he's as good as any swing instruction teacher going today.





3JACK