Justin Rose splits with Sean Foley

[golfinnut]

Very interesting year for Rose ... having already split from his equipment company Honma, he now quits from his long time teacher, Sean Foley.

"I spent the past three months working on my game at home. I made a lot of progress and wanted to keep that momentum going when I returned to competition in Fort Worth. I felt it was a good time to take complete ownership of my swing and game. That idea is something Sean has always wanted for me."

"I am grateful for the successes I had under his tutelage and the career goals I was able to achieve. The door is open whenever I have questions or want his guidance, as he continues to be one of my closest friends.”

Thoughts?

 

[annsguy]

Read like an honest heart felt message.

 

[Desmond]

Tiger did it and it seems to be working. But I'd be surprised if he does not have a "consultant" in the future.

 

[J13*]

Good for him and I think it's a smart move. He needed change

 

[JB]

Does Foley have anybody left? Mahan, O'Hair, etc got much worse. Parker McLachlin called out Foley in a weird split.
Tiger and Rosie seemed to stay with it for a bit.

I know he had Westwood for a bit, but not sure anymore.

 

[golfinnut]

Maybe they get tired of his teaching methods. Same 'ol same 'ol .... nothing changes?

 

[smgoldstein]

It certainly appears that for the top end players the coach/student relationship has a limited shelf life. Lengths vary.

 

[LICC]

There are lots of critics of Foley. Will be interesting to see how this works out for Rose.

 

[NullNomad]

The PGA Pro and coach relationship has always been a curious one for me. I often wonder if a player gets to a point where you can only sharpen the blade so much, based on ones mental/physical ability, in a sport that absolutely cannot be perfected. This of course kicking aside the old saying of "you can always get better".

 

[McLovin]

i think these guys just need a fresh set of thoughts sometimes. rickie, phil and dj all split from butch recently, correct? it happens. rose played some of his best golf under foley.

 

[KEV]

Not a good look for Foley. I wonder if he'll have many pros come to him anymore after do many have seemed to leave.

 

[TRA024]

My understanding is that the swing coaches are just that and don't focus on strategy etc.? I know these guys have stat guys that give them data but I would think that "coaching" in the future would be much more about strategy and tactic for a specific course / hole based on the players stats and tendencies. And also analyzing post tournament how the player executed the game plan. With launch monitors I think a lot of these guys are quite capable of self-correcting. So really having the coach be more like in most other sports, I don't think Phil Jackson spent too much time on perfecting the free throw technique of MJ...

 

[JB]

Not a good look for Foley. I wonder if he'll have many pros come to him anymore after do many have seemed to leave.

Digging around, I think Cameron Champ is with him

 

[DataDude]

Foley's methodology is way too focused on mechanics and position. It may bring improvement initially but over time the players seem to lose their touch and become inconsistent.

 

[KEV]

Digging around, I think Cameron Champ is with him

Interesting, I didn't realize that. Was Champ dealing with an injury last year? He kind of dropped off the map it seems like.

 

[ddec]

Rose had been with him a long time and achieved some big things in the game.

 

[JB]

Interesting, I didn't realize that. Was Champ dealing with an injury last year? He kind of dropped off the map it seems like.

He has had some injuries and going off memory, think back at the end of last year there was a story on PGATour.com about them.

 

[Templet0n]

Justin Rose Splits With Swing Coach Sean Foley

The pair worked together for 11 years, with Rose winning the 2013 US Open and Olympic Gold in that period

www.golf-monthly.co.uk

Looks like Foley is out as well. He has pretty much changed everything now..

 

[Templet0n]

Oops. I did not see the existing thread.. Sorry!

 

[Templet0n]

Foley's methodology is way too focused on mechanics and position. It may bring improvement initially but over time the players seem to lose their touch and become inconsistent.

Plus he plants grenades in their backs...

 

[McLovin]

Interesting, I didn't realize that. Was Champ dealing with an injury last year? He kind of dropped off the map it seems like.

i think champ has been with him for a really long time.

 

[mancest]

Any time I have listened to Foley talk I think I am listening to some sort of hippy commune leader or something. Very little real insights passed on, so I am not surprised to see his "stable" of pros has dwindled.

 

[Hamfist]

Plus he plants grenades in their backs...

Certainly enough empirical data to support your theory.

 

[McLovin]

Plus he plants grenades in their backs...

I have just started working with a pga tour credentialed therapist and physical trainer to help with some shoulder/wrist/back issues. he doesn't have any direct connection to foley, though he and foley have mutual clients. I asked him accusations that foley wrecks backs. he said of all the teachers he has been around, foley knows the most about how the body works. he said foley knows how to use the body the most efficiently. in his words, he said accusing foley of not knowing the body and his teaching injuring players is "bullsh1t." obviously that's one guy's opinion, but it seemed to be a pretty credible source since this guy works on tour and has a doctorate degree.

 

[Templet0n]

I have just started working with a pga tour credentialed therapist and physical trainer to help with some shoulder/wrist/back issues. he doesn't have any direct connection to foley, though he and foley have mutual clients. I asked him accusations that foley wrecks backs. he said of all the teachers he has been around, foley knows the most about how the body works. he said foley knows how to use the body the most efficiently. in his words, he said accusing foley of not knowing the body and his teaching injuring players is "bullsh1t." obviously that's one guy's opinion, but it seemed to be a pretty credible source since this guy works on tour and has a doctorate degree.

Bio-mechanically to produce a swing that may be true. I have not ever worked with Foley but there is lots of anecdotal evidence that his swing thoughts are hard on the body. Many a player have left him after injury.

It is too common to ignore completely but also not empirical enough to 100% accept either.