Ugly swings that play really well

[SomedayScratch]

I've seen these types of guys before too. Who comes to mind for me is my college golf coach. He has very delayed wrist hinge, wild hips, then yanks the handle steep and jabs the club into the ball. It sounds worse than it is, but it is technically very poor, but looks relatively smooth. Anyways, his swing looks probably like a 5 or more handicap, but never makes any mistakes and has the best hands and short game I've ever seen from an amateur, so he plays to about a +2 maybe even a hair better. The only thing holding him back is he never really goes super low. He generally shoots 69-74 on our two home 6900 yard courses, but even on more challenging courses, he doesn't shoot much higher because his short game and course management is that good. He shot 75 at Augusta from the Masters tees. He now moved down to Scottsdale from the midwest for retirement so I'm sure he is even better now!!!

[JDIL]

You guys want to see an ugly swing:

 

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The beginning of the second video is purported photo proof of the guy winning tourneys.

[Mike_C]

Besides a great short game, what I see in these type of guys is simply a repeatable swing, which produces similar outcomes almost every time. I always play my best when I can groove one shot, and not try to be a master ball striker who works the ball both ways depending on what the shot "calls for". If I could play a 20-30 yard slice almost every time off the tee, and 100% knew if I aimed at the left edge if the fairway, there was zero percent chance of my ball going further left, my handicap I'm sure would drop instantly.... same with approaches, aim at left side/edge of green, always be to the right of that line somewhere, I will be on the green 90% of the time....

[rwc356]

I have the following quote from John Jacobs near my desk at home

 

" The sole purposes of the golf swing is to produce a correct, repeatable impact, and the method employed is of no significance as long as it is repetitive."

 

Spend some time watching the Seniors on TV and you can see the wide variety of swings. Should be hope for all of us without that cookie-cutter beautiful swing. :golfer:

[Doyouevenblade]

Is it wrong these players drive me crazy??

 

I'm in that 2-3 range with that pretty ball flight but I can't make a birdie putt to save my life. I hit tons of greens, but just can't out birdie the occasional bogey you accumulate.

 

Another guy in my usual group is around the same cap but has a ton of mishits, only his front foot on the ground at impact and judging by ball flight I honestly couldn't tell if he hits 4 iron or 8 iron. Just low bullets... Makes par from EVERYWHERE.

 

I know the end score is all that matters but I can shot the world's most routine 74 and get clipped by a guy that you would swear shot an 81

 

/Rant

 

 

[Petunia Sprinkle]

Is it wrong these players drive me crazy??

 

I'm in that 2-3 range with that pretty ball flight but I can't make a birdie putt to save my life. I hit tons of greens, but just can't out birdie the occasional bogey you accumulate.

 

Another guy in my usual group is around the same cap but has a ton of mishits, only his front foot on the ground at impact and judging by ball flight I honestly couldn't tell if he hits 4 iron or 8 iron. Just low bullets... Makes par from EVERYWHERE.

 

I know the end score is all that matters but I can shot the world's most routine 74 and get clipped by a guy that you would swear shot an 81

 

/Rant

 

Maybe they’re teaching you a lesson you don’t want to learn. That can be pretty annoying.

[Harleyweedwhacks]

I have played with several of these guys, big over the top swing with that they can hit the target with. IMO better than dumped under, stuck, hooks but that’s debatable. Here’s my take:

 

1. Most of them HAVE TO HAVE superlative short games or they wouldn’t be breaking 90. Definitely playing to their strengths.

If I was an awful putter, (besides working on putting) I would work on my chipping to give me shorter putts or irons to have closer approach shots. The great short game springs from necessity.

 

2. Most them aren’t long hitters, so they might shoot par on a short course and struggle to break 80 on a longer course.

 

3. They are good at golf, not golf swing. Master tacticians with zero ego and play within themselves. This is something that players with “pretty” swings don’t always have. Especially the ego.

 

 

The only thing that makes a swing ugly to me is bad rhythm. Some swings are unconventional for sure, but I have yet to see a swing with good rhythm and tempo that was ugly.

 

The lines in bold are what I consider most golfers' attitude towards the short game. They think it's not important and that people with great short games aren't necessarily golfers. People usually think that they can just get by on great ball striking and excellent putting. This is missing the point and something that I believe most golfers don't understand.

 

The short game is the most important part of the game, more so than putting and iron play. I'd say that you can have more confidence in your long game, and especially in your overall game if you absolutely know you're going to get up and down. You can miss every green but get up and down 11 out of 18 times and shoot 7 over 79. That's just over 50% up and down percentage, so that's certainly attainable if you leave yourself in good spots.

 

If you know you can get up and down from almost anywhere, especially easy spots, you can have serious confidence. You can mishit the ball and expect to make par. This part of the game can't be ignored.

 

I disagree with the fact that they can't play longer courses, especially since you can play from any tee box. Most golf courses don't play past 6,900 yards from the tips, and the men's tee usually plays around 6,300 yards max. If they can't reach greens, they need to move up a tee, which they usually do if they're smart. In tournaments, the older players past the 50 year age marker usually play the grey tees anyhow, and usually the only reason they are short hitters is because they are older anyhow. If you see a younger player with a weird swing, usually he can get it at least past 250 on average if he's strong enough, and had decent contact. It's not always the swing that matters, it's what happens at impact, how you think, and your short game. How you think is certainly a topic for another thread...

[MountainGoat]

It's been my experience that when my swing looks good of video, it doesn't work very well. On the other hand, when I'm hitting well, I can see obvious flaws on video.