Stockton's new calling? Short-game wizard

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Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

Dave Stockton's phone started ringing after he gave Michelle Wie a short-game tip before the Solheim Cup.

Feb. 18, 2010
By Craig Dolch, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent

BOCA RATON -- Dave Stockton has been called many things during his 46-year professional golf career.

King of the Corporate Outings. PGA champion -- twice. Winning Ryder Cup captain.

And, now, short-game guru, for the way his recent work with Phil Mickelson and J.B. Holmes has greatly improved their games.

After getting several short-game lessons from Stockton last fall, Mickelson immediately won his next two starts -- THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola and the World Golf Championships-HSBS Champions, both times holding off Tiger Woods. Since Holmes started working with Stockton, he has finished third and second in his last two starts.

"I've heard that 'guru' word a few times, but I don't look at it like that," Stockton said Tuesday as he prepares for this week's Allianz Championship on the Champions Tour at Broken Sound Club. "I just happen to have some different philosophies on the game. The biggest one is I don't think chipping and putting have anything to do with the swing. They're completely separate elements of playing golf."

Before we get too far, we should point out he almost had another moniker -- the "late Dave Stockton." The 68-year-old Californian survived a health scare in December that almost killed him when a blood clot was found in his lungs.

"The doctors said if I had waited another 30 minutes to get the hospital, I wouldn't be here," said Stockton, who had undergone shoulder surgery in August. "It was so strange because I was feeling fine until the night before I had this sharp pain that wrapped around my back. Then, eight days after I went into the hospital, I was home and felt fine ... it felt like it had all been a dream."

His work the last few months as an instructor for some of golf's greatest talents also has been a little mystifying. It wasn't something he planned, though Stockton has given tips throughout his career, especially during his days as a corporate schmoozer.

Stockton has been working with several golfers, particularly on the LPGA Tour, but things changed when he gave Michelle Wie a tip last year just before she played well at the Solheim Cup and then won her first professional title. When Wie credited Stockton, his phone started lighting up.

Stockton admits he was a little shocked when Mickelson called and asked if they could work together. "I mean, we're talking about the No. 2-ranked player in the world," Stockton said. "It's not like he doesn't know what he's doing."

Stockton said he was even more surprised when he started talking about basic elements in his approach to the short game that he said Mickelson had never tried. Things like lining up a putt on the high side of the break -- Stockton says he always walks "below" where a putt breaks so he can see up the hill instead of down it . Or like Mickelson hitting wedge shots with the toe of the club instead of Lefty's patented flop shot.

Stockton is much more into the mental side of the short game instead of getting bogged down with techniques because every golfer plays differently, One of the first things he told Mickelson was to get back to putting and chipping the natural way he did while growing up. He's also a believer in seeing the ball go in the hole for it to do just that.

Whatever, it clearly worked with those two victories against elite fields.

"I've learned a lot of little tidbits from Dave -- some I've implemented in my game and some I haven't," Mickelson said recently. "I want to hear a lot of the things he has to say because a couple of things he's said have had such a big impact on me. My feel and my touch on the greens, my seeing of the line and my roll of the golf ball is much better than it's been in years."

Stockton said he's really enjoyed the success Holmes has already showed, pointing out he thinks the long-hitting Holmes hasn't come close to reaching his potential. Stockton currently spends more time with Holmes than any other client.

Stockton said he doesn't want to concentrate solely on teaching -- he still has fully-exempt status on the Champions Tour -- but he'd like to get about a half-dozen clients. Among his wish list: Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Sean O'Hair.

In a sense, Stockton has been teaching most of his career. He never hesitated to help another player on TOUR, and he spent most of those Monday corporate outings teaching high-handicap amateurs about the game.

"To be honest, I think teaching cost me a chance to get into the Hall of Fame," said Stockton, who has 10 career PGA TOUR titles along with the two majors. "I did so many corporate outings, I didn't play in as many tournaments at other guys. But I made good money doing it and it enabled me to spend more time with my family."

It still does -- both of Stockton's sons, Dave Jr, and Ron, also help him with his instructing. Ron works primarily with women.

Stockton has no illusions of contending this week in the Allianz Championship. Not only is he one of the oldest players in the field, but he still hasn't regained his strength from his near-death experience two months ago. But he makes one promise.

"I won't finish last," he said, smiling. "Someone's name will be behind me."