THERE’S not many things I like better than watching a beautiful looking golf swing. That actually sounds quite sad doesn’t it? I guess when you’re my age priorities change… maybe?… Nah, it still sounds bloody sad. Anyway I’d like to share my thoughts on some of the best swings I’ve seen in my 40 years as a Pro.
In no particular order, I’ll begin with Adam Scott. Yes, it’s common knowledge to anyone who I’ve spoken to either in social circles or on radio I have something of a man crush on Adam. But you have to admit this walking, talking, golfing specimen is flat out perfection in Footjoys. If you were going to gift someone with what could be the most flawless golf swing on the planet you’d give it to the most flawless looking bloke on the planet wouldn’t you? And let’s throw in the fact he just happens to speak perfectly as well. His press conferences are like watching Chris Hemsworth speaking with the voice of Morgan Freeman. I remember asking Adam a question once after he won the Australian Open at La Perouse. The question I asked was garbage but he looked me straight in the eye and gave a thoughtful and respectful response without once saying aaahh or aarrm. I was smitten, readers!
Maybe I should talk about Adam’s golf swing now before the police arrive and slap another restraining order on me. It begins with textbook posture which doesn’t change during the whole motion, meaning the clubhead returns to pretty much the same position from where it began and all in perfect balance. Combine this with never wavering shaft plane and you pretty much have the lot. (Have I talked about his clothes yet?)
Lets move on! (I hear you say). Not all my favourite golf swings are as technically perfect and my next one is an example of that. Rory McIlroy has a slight lowering of his plane as he starts his downswing which occasionally and I mean “Occasionally” gets his clubhead a tad inside the perfect path. I’m really picking a straws here though. I just love how his swing is totally freewheeling with absolutely no sense of contrived positions. It’s as if his action has never needed to be adjusted which allowed him to learn to play by pure feels and clubhead awareness. And that’s the same reason the little fella is bloody long!!
I’m going back a year or two now. I mentioned not all my favourite swings are technically perfect but this is more a case of not all my favorites are nice blokes either. I will never forget Sam Snead stepping onto the first tee at Coolangatta Tweed where his playing partner for the day, Wayne Grady, put his hand out and said something like, “Hi, I’m Wayne Grady, nice to meet you.” Sam responded loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Wayne who?”. In terms of golf swing though, Snead was the mid nineteen hundred’s version of Rory. Everything just fell into place with no thought of static positions allowing him to hit any shot he wanted and with distance at his fingertips. His impact position is still revered by students of the game.
Speaking of players from the 1940’3 and 50’s with revered impact positions, Ben Hogan was extraordinary. Has there ever a better ball striker?
I’m going to throw a curvy in here now with my old mate Terry Price. Pricey or “The Spotted Rock” as we who know him well enough to not be belted with a ‘Flying Reverse Roundhouse Kick’ call him (he is a black belt in Martial Arts), has also been gifted with a golf swing to die for. His is a combination of crazy amounts of natural coordination and perfect positions throughout what appears to be effortless power. Seriously, Spotted Rock looks like he’s hitting a chip shot with every club… until you look up and see how long his sphere is staying in the air. Unfortunately his career was severely hampered by an horrific leg injury. I wonder if he could still kick the living crap out of me?
Karrie Webb is another of my ‘must watch’ on the practice range players. Beautiful rhythm and plane lines are rare in the one golf swing but Karrie has both in spades. Another thing I see with gorgeous swings like Karrie’s is the sound and purity of the strike and seeing her hit a golf ball is akin to watching a graceful dancer slide across the floor barely making a noise. My wife Sandra is a great dancer… just sayin.
Finally my favourite swing and probably player for that matter is the late Seve Ballesteros. Sure he had some imperfect moves in his swing but for natural talent and clubhead awarnes he was a thing of beauty. There is a video of him hitting a long iron into the 13th green during the 1986 Masters you have to see. Im old enough to remember that shot when it happened. That swing is not only flat out gorgeous but it epitomises Seve’s incredible ability to swing the clubhead on whatever path and at whatever speed he wanted.
Thank you for indulging me readers. I’d love to hear from you about your favourite golf swings and please stay safe and well….. until next month.
Larry
