The Robert Baker Clinic
Another standout feature of the Dunhill Links was the Robert Baker Clinic held next to the New Course Clubhouse. This attracted a huge gathering of the pros and celebs and I had to find out what was going on.
If you haven’t heard of Robert Baker, I suggest you do so without delay. Imagine someone with the slow, thoughtful talking style of Bob Torrance, the understanding of the golf swing of a Tommy Armour or a Ben Hogan, coupled with a deep understanding of modern technology and teaching aides and you have what may be the best teacher in the world today. With a client list that reads like a global “Who’s Who” (think Presidents, celebrities, executives, etc.), who fly him everywhere for lessons, this preternaturally calm, thoughtful guru may be the future of golf teaching. His mantra is “You need to focus on the critical things and there are only a few things you can manage.” He uses images, video, aids and verbal cues to allow the player to feel what the correct motion should be and gives them drills to achieve that. It looks and sounds simple but that is the genius of the man.
One of Baker’s regular pupils is legendary former world champion Wladimir Klitschko, surely one of the greatest boxers of all time.
An intelligent, articulate man, Klitschko is a relatively recent convert to golf and understands the value of a teacher like Baker. “If you are ill you get the best doctor. Legal issue? Get the best lawyer. I wanted to get the best golf tutor.” As we talked, I pointed out that Robert Baker reminded me of Klitschko’s late manager Manny Stewart. Clearly moved, he immediately understood what I meant. “They both have analytic minds”. We discussed how both avoided dramatic changes and instead focused on making strengths stronger and reduce weaknesses. An Olympic Gold medalist, Klitschko had lost two of his previous four fights (and his world titles) before retaining Steward in 2004. In the next eight years, until Steward’s death, he never lost again winning every title available to him and a decade long unbeaten streak as World Heavyweight Champion was the result.
Klitschko is as dedicated to golf practice as he was to boxing training, and Robert Baker clearly sees him as a star pupil. He looks very dogged on the range, but as he explains, he is trying to get his swing to the point where it’s grooved. “Golf and boxing are the same. If you have to think about your technique when you swing a club or your fist, it won’t work as well.” He has played all over the world and is adamant that Trump’s course at Mar-a-Lago is his favourite course. As we got up to go, “Vladdy” put out a fist as big as my face for a fist bump. An unforgettable, if nerve-wracking, moment!
