If you ask Marshall Smith which of the touring pros with whom he has worked over the years had the best swing, he doesn’t hesitate.

“It was Dave Hill,” the Miami, Okla., golf coach said while taking a break from a series of lessons the other day at Peoria Ridge Golf Club near Miami.

That might seem a surprising choice, given the caliber of the players Smith has been associated with.

What made Hill’s swing superior to all those others — including Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player, Mickey Wright and Craig Stadler — in Marshall’s eyes?

“Dave had the fundamentals,” Smith said. “He was by far the best iron player I’ve ever seen. He stayed on his right side longer than anyone, and he always set the club at the top for a one or two count, or whatever it took for him. It was just a beautiful swing that repeated and repeated.”

If the slightly built Hill had a weakness, it was a lack of length off the tee, Smith said. Still, Dave won 13 times on the PGA Tour, won the 1969 Vardon Trophy for scoring average, was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1969, 1973 and 1977 and had a solid Senior Tour career.

Dave also could be controversial. He was plain-spoken and straightforward. If you didn’t want to hear his answer to your question, then you shouldn’t have asked. Despite his reputation for frankness and ruffling feathers, Hill was “nothing but a gentleman at all times,” said Smith.

Dave’s brother, Mike, was an interesting contrast. On the PGA Tour, he was considered as the other Hill brother. But on the 50-and-over circuit, Mike and Lee Trevino paired to dominate the Legends of Golf, the tournament that gave birth to the Senior PGA Tour, and he developed into one of the circuit’s premier players.

The golfer with whom Smith worked longest and had the greatest success was Rodriguez. Chi Chi once said that he didn’t really have a swing. But he was an exceptional striker of the ball, always working shots from right to left or left to right and high or low. Few players had hands as gifted as his.

“He had a tendency to get a little too loose with his swing,” Smith said. “But he was a good listener and had a lot of natural talent.”

Smith and Rodriguez were together for 22 of Chi Chi’s Senior Tour wins.

The “Z Man,” Walt Zembriski, a high-steel worker who credits Marshall for making him a millionaire on the Seniors Tour, is Smith’s pick as his best putter.

“He didn’t hit the ball far off the tee, but he was a solid player, especially after we worked on his short game,” Smith said.

Marshall considers Stadler, with whom Marshall still works on occasion, the best driver among his pupils, and Dave Hill, as mentioned, was the best iron player.

During his 50-plus years as a golf instructor, Smith estimates he has worked with 75 to 100 top amateurs and pros.

“Of those, I probably had seven or eight who wanted my help but wouldn’t listen,” he said. “They had their own ideas. I don’t remember any of them arguing with me, but I did have a few daddies try to get involved even though I had their kids winning tournaments. Eventually, those players and I parted company. You can’t have more than one teacher.”

Smith believes that the simplicity of his teaching philosophy has kept him in demand with amateurs and pros alike.

“I try to keep everything simple,” he said. “Some teachers can get too technical and complicated. They talk about where the clubhead has to be at all times during the swing and things like that, and they wind up confusing those they’re trying to help.”

Marshall’s energy and enthusiasm seem boundless. He loves to share his knowledge of the swing, the core of which was imparted to him by his close friend and early mentor, Ky Laffoon. Laffoon was considered one of the PGA Tour’s top players and teachers during the 1930s and 1940s and worked frequently with Ben Hogan.

As he nears his 82nd birthday this week, Smith shows no sign of slowing down. “I gave four lessons today,” he said with a chuckle. “I think I’m a better teacher today than I was last year or the year before. And it’s amazing to me how many players want lessons. I had a guy from Palo Alto, Calif., come in for a lesson. It was raining hard that day. So we went to Golf USA in Joplin to use the indoor driving area there for about an hour. He left happy.”

Actually, it is difficult not to be happy around Smith with his upbeat personality. His positive outlook is a key to his longevity and success. He always will be young at heart.

And by the way, happy birthday.

Former champions

Six former champions have entered the 40th annual Briarbrook Invitational, scheduled next weekend at Briarbrook Golf and Country Club.

The former winners are Bob Turner (1978), Terry Key (1980, 1982,1983), Dan Tourtelot (1985), Chuck Land (1998), Lou Rapalino (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) and Jim Lucas (2002, 2005).

The field also is filling. “We’ve had a great response,” said Randy Brownlow, tournament chairman. “We have a guy coming in from Virginia and groups from Wellington, Kan., and Olathe, Kan.”

Among the highlights will be the appearance of American Idol contestant Asia’h Epperson of Joplin at the Saturday night party.

Address correspondence to Clair Goodwin at sports@joplinglobe.com.