Most Unorthodox Swing in the Game?

[mvmac]

Tommy Gainey and his homemade swing won this past week’s McGladrey Classic. Does he possess the most unorthodox swing in the game? GolfChannel.com writers weigh in.

Jason Sobel

Quote:

There is nothing orthodox about Tommy Gainey ’s rise through the ranks of professional golf. He grew up in rural South Carolina; attended Central Carolina Technical College; worked on an assembly line before trying his hand at a golf career and, of course, wears two gloves for all shots – even putts.

Instead, he owns a maneuver that Brandel Chamblee once said “looks like he’s trying to kill a snake with a garden hoe.” Interesting imagery. With those two gloves, I’ve always thought he appeared more like a lumberjack chopping down an invisible tree.

Whatever your descriptive terminology preference, it’s clear to see that Gainey is unconventional in the best way. He uses a true baseball grip, bends more at the waist than any instructor would recommend and dips his head like an 18-handicap. He lists his brother as his lone swing coach, perhaps because no one else could teach that move, let alone help him maintain it.

Whatever your descriptive terminology preference, it’s clear to see that Gainey is unconventional in the best way. He uses a true baseball grip, bends more at the waist than any instructor would recommend and dips his head like an 18-handicap. He lists his brother as his lone swing coach, perhaps because no one else could teach that move, let alone help him maintain it.

Tommy Gainey

Ryan Lavner

Quote:

Furyk’s hands are so low, it looks like he’s trying to receive a snap under center. His downswing looks like he’s trying to slap a hockey puck. His lower-body action looks like he’s trying to hula-hoop.

Space is limited, so let’s merely gloss over his ever-changing putting stroke and unique pre-shot routine. Grip and re-grip. Back off and settle in. Hike up the pants. Consult and calculate.

Yet despite all of his quirks, the 42-year-old Furyk has won 16 times on Tour. He’s earned more than $52 million. He’s a lock for the Hall of Fame.

All of which makes him the most successful unorthodox swinger in the game’s history – and the envy of unconventional players everywhere.

Jim Furyk

Randel Mell

Quote:

Nobody gets more double takes in golf than Josh Broadaway on the Web.com Tour.

Nobody’s swing gets more snickers and giggles

That’s because nobody defies convention more than Broadaway, not Jim Furyk nor Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey. Notably, it’s not really the motion of Broadaway’s swing that makes it the most unorthodox in pro golf. If you were watching from afar, you might not notice anything odd. It’s his cross-handed grip that makes his swing radically different from any in golf.

Josh Broadway

Rex Hoggard

Quote:

In this cookie-cutter age of swing theory and the sometimes overzealous pursuit of mechanical perfection Bubba Watson is the prince of unorthodox swings.

In fact, it’s not even a contest. Just consider Tommy Gainey’s take on the big left-hander’s unique action, “I mean Bubba just . . . I mean he slashes at it. That’s about the only word I can use that would come close to the way he hits it.”

This from a man widely known as “Two Gloves,” who admittedly has a hate-hate relationship with the ubiquitous TrackMan machine that dissects players’ actions.

Watson’s swing is long and loose and virtually uncoachable. In the wake of his Masters victory in April numerous swing coaches said they wouldn’t take on Watson as a student because, as one coach said, “there is no way to teach that.”

Bubba Watson

[boogielicious]

I would say yes, but it is a very athletic swing, no finesse, just power.  I bet he would be an outstanding hockey player.  Guys like Bubba swing with unheard of flexibility.  TG is all strength.  Interesting to watch.

[inthehole]

interesting, my swing is alot like Gainey's ... same abbreviated backswing, limited wrist hinge, big hip turn ... but I lack his big followthrough.    Glad to see a good player with a swing that looks familiar ....

BTW - that can't be one of Bubba's best swings - there's absolutely no weight transfer forward.     I imagine thats not his best effort ... amirong ?

[nevets88]

Let's give the Euro tour some love...

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by nevets88

Let's give the Euro tour some love...

Eamonn Darcy - pure poetry in motion.

[inthehole]

^^ it's interesting how such an odd swing can somehow find its way to come through the ball in the proper manner.    It's all about where the club winds up at point of impact, not what it looks like getting there  ...

[k-troop]

Sometimes I wonder if folks like us--the unwashed masses--can learn more from Bubba and Two-gloves than from the "perfect swing" guys like Oosthuizen.  It really doesn't matter how you get to the back of the ball, so long as you get there consistently, and with a path and face angle that produces a good, repeatable ball flight.  Add in some hip rotation, lag, and forward shaft lean, and, in addition to hitting it solid, you can hit it really far.

Look at some of the legends of the game like Palmer, Trevino, and Ray Floyd:  these guys swings look nothing like the robots on tour today, but everyone would agree they were masters.  If Trevino were a PGA Tour rookie this year, we'd all be making fun of his move.

[saevel25]

What's great about bubba's swing is, if you just stop it at impact, he's solid. Both feet on the ground, his head's way behind the ball, but for the driver i think he does this to really hit up on the ball and get a high angle of attack (positive). But, you see his finish were he rotates his foot back, that is all after he hits the ball. They say he does that because it takes the torque off his knee, its to protect against injury. If you look at his wedge swing, its much more compact, and he doesn't move is feet at all.

[Dave2512]

Yeah Bubba is a little different in that he doesn't really have one swing.

[mvmac]

You can skip to 1:20

[FlyKixz23]

Jim has a very unique swing and I have even tried a swing like that for the heck of it before and it actually yeilded good results. I did not stick with it but just fooled around at my old country club! If a swing works then so be it! I am from York, Pa the county over from Jim Furyk coming out of Lancaster, Pa and I think his swing is very unique and he is a great guy!

[notsohard]

the old saying...its not how, but how many.

[caniac6]

Just finished watching the Shark Shootout. Kenny Perry's swing is one of the most unique.

[plum]

unique and still impressive how far he can hit it at his age

[wadesworld]

Originally Posted by caniac6

Just finished watching the Shark Shootout. Kenny Perry's swing is one of the most unique.

Agreed.  If you were watching him for the first time and didn't know who he was or the context, you'd probably say he'd struggle to break 90.

[sawguy]

I don't know how Kenny gets it back to impact. It looks like he is afraid to start the down swing.

[ghalfaire]

Just goes to show that the cliche' "there are not style points in golf" is true.

[xxsoultonesxx]

Ryan Moore has a wacky swing, too.