Lets dig into the back issues of Golf Digest for a second and pull out the June 2007 issue. The cover headline: “Hit it Flush Every Time: 20 Tour Pros switch to a Radical New Swing”
Inside you’ll find the original Golf Digest Stack & Tilt article. Since that article was published, reactions from all corners of the golf world have been mixed to say the least. Strong opinions have surfaced on both sides, both in favor of the swing system and against it. It’s no longer debatable that the system works. Stack and Tilt principles have helped golfers the world over to hit the ball better and lower their scores.
To me, what’s interesting is how Stack and Tilt information is spreading through the golf world. Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett are smart, savvy guys, and have been successful in using social media to spread their message. They are winning the hearts and minds of players, coaches and golf influencers, using the platforms of today’s media. Lets break down a few ways that the Stack and Tilt boys are #winning the social war and a few ways they could improve their efforts.
#Winning: The Cause
Search for “Cause Marketing” on Google. You’re going to get a page with more than 140 million results. If you’re unfamiliar with Cause Marketing, take a quick look at the Wikipedia page dedicated to the subject. It essentially refers to leveraging a “not for profit cause” to build an existing brand. Plummer & Bennett have created a cause, whether they intended it or not. In their case, the cause could be stated as “reducing golf’s barrier to entry by creating a system of true golf skill fundamentals.” For golfers and golf coaches this is a powerful cause, one worthy of advancement. It has created a flag to rally behind. (Much like the Save the California Condor campaign, in case you were wondering about the title.)
Those that choose to rally behind that flag and take up the cause are the most powerful assets of that cause: Brand Champions. Brand Champions can be defined as “internal and external story tellers who spread the brand vision, brand values and cultivate the brand.” The list of Stack and Tilt brand champions is a long one, and includes many top-tier golf coaches. These guys are great assets to the Stack and Tilt cause, and fervently spread Plummer & Bennett’s message through every social channel, as well as on the lesson tee. They are quick to defend the principles of the system when questioned, and serve to educate and inform more players of all levels than Plummer & Bennett ever could have by themselves. This is the massive advantage that Stack and Tilt has over any single instructor not affiliated with the cause, as an individual instructor has a much tougher time creating brand champions than a cause does.
Finally, Plummer & Bennett are winning by being themselves! As touchy-feely of a message as that is, it is one of the keys to success in social media in general. Both coaches, Plummer especially, are easily reachable via social channels. They regularly comment and add value to threads about the system. They offer candid opinions and pull no punches. They also talk about their interests (college sports, etc) and show that they are in fact real people behind the Stack and Tilt brand. Can you imagine Butch Harmon or David Leadbetter doing anything like that? Yeah, me neither. This accessibility and authenticity behind the principles they teach draw people in, as much as the information itself. That means you, certified coaches.
#Losing: The Attitude
It’s not all rosy. Lets talk about a few of the challenges that face the spread of information about Stack and Tilt.
Most of the challenges fall into one category: Negativity. The Stack and Tilt system has been unceremoniously bashed by golf coaches in the mainstream golf media since day one, which has created an “underdog” attitude among the champions of the Stack and Tilt brand. Which, while totally understandable, isn’t helping the cause. Many of them tend to be derisive and sarcastic to coaches who teach differing principles. “Incorrect information” or not, derision and ridicule are poor tools when it comes to winning the hearts and minds of golfers. Brand champions of the Stack and Tilt system would do well to consider their audience when posting and commenting in an inflammatory fashion. Better not to share a YouTube clip or an article than to share it with the intent of belittling the efforts of others.
This derision and ridicule tends to alienate teachers and coaches who may have been interested in learning about the system’s principles. At the PGA of British Columbia education symposium last spring one of the presenters, Mark Strong of Vancouver Golf Club, gave a talk about the “D-Plane,” a concept that describes impact dynamics between the golf club and ball. This can be a complicated and controversial topic among golf pros, as some of it is information that flies in the face of the status quo (much like Stack and Tilt). Mark began his presentation with a statement that somewhat defused that controversy right off the bat. To paraphrase, he said that new information doesn’t necessarily mean that what a coach has been teaching or doing is wrong, but instead may help explain why the coaches current methods work. If those who coach Stack and Tilt would take a similar approach, their information might have been better received, as Mark’s was.
Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett have done a wonderful job creating a cause around their instruction system. By speaking to PGA sections, and making connections, they continue to create brand champions for the Stack and Tilt cause. If I were them I’d make darn sure that each of these champions knows their role and responsibility in spreading the information, so that their message can be one of positivity and learning rather than derision and ridicule. Either way, the paradigm shift is on (which by the way is #6 on the Encyclopedia of Business Cliches, but that’s another story!).
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Nice article Matt! What you have described seems to unfortunately be the standard route for things like these …. the #winning bit will only work in the long run if the system works …. and it does
Now let’s all go out and decrease the barrier to the game
Thanks MJ. And I agree on all counts, lets get those players striping it!
M
I thought this was fair and as in most cases, sometimes the the bunch appears to be spoiled by just a couple. I try not the characterize groups by the actions of individuals but I know what your point is. Better to call a spade a spade in my book.
Glad to see you writing again.
Keep it up.
JG
Thanks JG. You’re right, I definitely over-generalized a bit here. Most of the S&T guys are wonderful! Just the odd one as you say, which is true for all things.
I’ll try and write more
Cheers,
M
Great points Matt. Lots to be learned about how to present a new paradigm without it being an all out declaration of war. Whenever I hear Andy & Mike speak about the techniques they teach students, they show humility. That goes a long way toward gaining support for a cause.
Thanks Nick I agree. Andy & Mike themselves are great ambassadors for the brand!
M
Matt, thanks for writing the piece on Stack & Tilt. Well written and it gets to the heart of the matter.
When I took up golf again 3 years ago (I am not 56 and have played since I was 12), I was determined to learn the golf swing once and for all and to begin playing really good golf (for me, that’s breaking 100 consistently and breaking 90 occasionally). Definitely not there yet.
When I first saw the infomercials for S&T on Golf Channel, I was fascinated by it, over anything else being touted on TV or on the Internet. So, I ordered the dvd’s, watched every S&T video I could, bought the book when it came out (pre-ordered it), and even went to S&T school. Oh yeah, I joined a golf forum, solely for S&T devotees.
While Andy & Mike are definitely good communicators, Mike in particular comes off as very smug and full of himself. The S&T devotees on the forums are kool-aid drinkers to the hilt, to the point that one forum sponsor told me, “Look, if you can’t do Stack & Tilt, then you just can’t play golf.” When I went to the S&T school, I never could hit their trademark deflected draw. The experience left me deflated (and much lighter in the wallet) as I drove home from Chicago.
If Mike & Andy could have stuck with their “3 fundamentals” and had encouraged people to consistently do those 3 things, they would have won over more people. But their preferences turned into absolutes, which kills any chance of hackers like me from ever achieving what they teach.
Thanks for the comment Jeff. I agree that the 3 fundamentals that they have defined are the heart of the system, very well categorized. And you’re right about some of the S&T guys, they do tend to be a bit fanatical. That makes for great brand champions, but they gotta watch their tone sometimes! We’ll see what happens!
M
great piece Matt. I was unfortunately one of the pros to critisize this early on because I didn’t understand it fully which is the case with alot of people. It is easy to bash what you dont know. Now, after studying and learning about it more, I use several principles in my teaching which has helped me become a better coach. Mike and Andy should be commended and anything new is going to have some bumps in the road from both sides, the represented and the opposition. If it doesnt make you think then you are not trying to get better. Great to see you writing again and I thought this was a very accurate description. thanks for posting
Jason
Thanks J! You’re absolutely right on all counts. I’ll try and write a bit more
M
Excellent Matt. Well said and written.
Thanks Sara! Great job on the #7nightsatthetwitteracademy as well. That was an amazing example of the power of social media. Props.
M
Matt, Nice piece of writing. The great thing about Mike and Andy in my opinion is what you hit on about their humility. It is clear that both of them are incredibly smart and dedicated in their research. All coaches regardless of if you are going to buy into the system would benefit from hearing them talk. They just want to make people better golfers and they would disarm any and all retractors if they just heard them give a presentation once.
Thanks Mark I fully agree! It all makes a lot of sense if you take the time to listen. Unfortunately many dont.
M
Great article. I have very recently become the latest Brand Champion for S&T. Through all the critism and rejection one major fact shines through…….. The system is proven and it functions 120%.
I saw that Clive, congrats on the listing! I’m sure you’ve worked hard for that. I agree with you about the system as well.
Cheers, M
Good blog buddy, like others I shared a closed minded ethnocentric view of the Stack and Tilt system, while I am not a full fledged Stack and Tilt user or instructor per say, there is a lot to learn from the system that can be applied to all types of players and students. I think for any instructor to discount a theory based on hear say or a stubborn “old school” attitude is both irresponsible and reflects poorly on that instructor. I honestly think the main contributing factor to the ridicule and derision was a combination of the cheesy infomercial stack and tilt produced and the main stream TV/media guys like Brandel Chamblee filling people’s heads with the type of garbage that he does and bashing any new mainstream ideas like S & T and Sean Foley’s ideals and principles.
Anyway! Good job pal, i should write a blog!
Thanks Ax, totally agree with you. The infomercials really didn’t help the cause. Get writing!
Cheers, M