The Natural
Adam Schriber is a name that may not quite resonate in the swing instruction category like some others but he's somebody who knows what it takes to play at golf's elite levels.
And when he looks at Anthony Kim, Schriber sees a young golfer with all the skills.
In baseball, a five-tool player is the ultimate prospect. That is somebody who can hit for average and power, run, throw and field.
Kim, 22, winner of the Wachovia Championship two weeks ago, is golf's equivalent of a five-tool player. He possesses all the requisite golf skills.
"I've coached a lot of good players and been around a lot of good players," Schriber said. "He's the total package. He's got the power. He's got good shotmaking ability. He's got a short game and imagination.
"You just don't see those combinations a whole lot. You may see three out of four but not all four. He's the real deal, for sure."
Schriber is the only swing instructor Kim has ever worked with. They've been together on a regular basis since Kim was 14.
Schriber is an instructor at Crystal Mountain Resort's Brad Dean Golf Academy in Thompsonville, Michigan, in the state's northern part of the Lower Peninsula. He was working for noted golf teacher David Leadbetter when introduced to Kim, a Los Angeles native, during a half-day session at one of Leadbetter's junior academies.
"I was teaching a group of juniors in Palm Springs when Anthony came over," Schriber said.
They hit it off. Instantly, Schriber was impressed with the young man's demeanor and game.
Schriber, 45, is originally from Hollywood, Florida. He is in his fourth summer at Crystal Mountain after a tenure overseeing six academies for Leadbetter as director of instruction/Western U.S. and U.S. liaison. When Schriber started with Leadbetter, there were five instructors. By the time he left, the program had grown to 130 teachers and 21 academies.
Schriber isn't a household name like Leadbetter, Butch Harmon or Rick Smith, his neighbor in Northern Michigan, but he's gaining a reputation as an outstanding instructor, especially with aspiring golfers.
"That's my thing," Schriber said. "I love working with young golfers."
Schriber, who also works with Candie Kung of the LPGA on a regular basis, meets with Kim at least once a month either in Dallas, where the player lives, or at a PGA Tour stop. They spent some time together between Kim's victory in North Carolina and The Players.
"It's been more often than (monthly) this year and it's fun because he's been way into it," Schriber said. "We've worked hard. He's got some big goals this year. We're getting there."
Schriber said Kim is "hitting it so good" at the moment that the most recent work has been limited to touching up some of the basics to make sure those remain intact.
Not surprisingly, Kim is getting the star treatment for the first time in his career. He is answering all the questions and soaking in the attention that go with being a PGA Tour winner.
Something else happens after a victory — the thought process, the expectations and preparations begin to change.
Kim acknowledged he'll be taking another look at his schedule for the rest of the PGA Tour season.
Schriber and Kim have discussed the possibility of the golfer basing himself in the Thompsonville area this summer to be near the big mid-season action — including the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and the season's final major, the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club.
"It's changed because I want to do what the best players in the world are doing," Kim said. "I'm trying to emulate what they're doing, and there's a reason they're on top. I'd like to base my schedule around the major championships and take a couple more weeks off to get ready, because after playing in the U.S. Open last year, I realized how draining that tournament is.
"When you miss a fairway by a yard and you're chipping out sideways, that's no fun. So I'm going to plan my schedule around the majors, the British Open, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. So we'll see how things change."