Jump to content
IGNORED

Most Unorthodox Swing in the Game?


mvmac
Note: This thread is 3994 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

  • Moderator

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

Mike McLoughlin

Check out my friends on Evolvr!
Follow The Sand Trap on Twitter!  and on Facebook
Golf Terminology -  Analyzr  -  My FacebookTwitter and Instagram 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Moderator

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.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

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 ?

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Moderator

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

Steve

Kill slow play. Allow walking. Reduce ineffective golf instruction. Use environmentally friendly course maintenance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

^^ 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  ...

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

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.

Kevin

Titleist 910 D3 9.5* with ahina 72 X flex
Titleist 910F 13.5* with ahina 72 X flex
Adams Idea A12 Pro hybrid 18*; 23* with RIP S flex
Titleist 712 AP2 4-9 iron with KBS C-Taper, S+ flex
Titleist Vokey SM wedges 48*, 52*, 58*
Odyssey White Hot 2-ball mallet, center shaft, 34"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

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.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • 1 month later...

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!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 4 weeks later...
Note: This thread is 3994 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • Thanks for the feedback. @StuM, we are a "club without real estate" so no facilities or pro. We have a membership of around 185 players and we only play together as a group at our tournaments, which are held at public access courses. A group of us setup the tournaments, collect the money and dole out the prizes.
    • In general, granting free relief anywhere on the course isn't recommended.  Similarly, when marking GUR, the VSGA and MAPGA generally don't mark areas that are well away from the intended playing lines, no matter how poor the conditions.  If you hit it far enough offline, you don't necessarily deserve free relief.  And you don't have to damage clubs, take unplayable relief, take the stroke, and drop the ball in a better spot.
    • If it's not broken don't fix it. If you want to add grooves to it just because of looks that's your choice of course. Grooves are cut into putter faces to reduce skid, the roll faced putter is designed to do the same thing. I'm no expert but it seems counter productive to add grooves to the roll face. Maybe you can have it sand-blasted or something to clean up the face. Take a look at Tigers putter, its beat to hell but he still uses it.     
    • I get trying to limit relief to the fairway, but how many roots do you typically find in the fairway? Our local rule allows for relief from roots & rocks anywhere on the course (that is in play). My home course has quite a few 100 year old oaks that separate the fairways. Lift and move the ball no closer to the hole. None of us want to damage clubs.
    • Hello, I've been playing a Teardrop td17 F.C. putter for many years and love it. It still putts and feels as good or  better than any of the new putters I've tried and it's in excellent condition except the face has dings in it ever since I bought it used that kind of bother me. I was just wondering if it's possible to have some really shallow horizontal grooves milled into the face on a "roll face" putter. I think I would rather spend some money on it instead of trying to get used to a new putter.  Thanks
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...