Would you rather a pretty swing or an ugly functional one?

[supercow]

Would you rather a pretty swing or an ugly functional one. Handicap for pretty swing is 2 while handicap for ugly is 0. Pretty swing hits drives about 300 yards while ugly swing hits drives about 270 yards. Pretty tends to break down under pressure, ugly works pretty much all the time but you cop flak because of it.

[lamebums]

I've always been told to watch out for the guy with the dysfunctional swing or grip, because he's found a way to make it work. An ugly swing combined with a good game would add to your intimidation factor.

[Dyna]

I vote ugly because that's what I have & most likely always will have. Functionality can be exclusive of perfect form.

[gotgolf?]

I vote "pretty."

Most of the older guys I see with "ugly functional" swings have worked really hard to make their swings work for them. I would rather start with good foundation - a prettier swing will be more versatile and workable. I am also guessing a pretty swing won't be that hard to make functional (assuming pretty is loosely equivalent to ideal.)

[supercow]

I vote "pretty."

I guess the question is. Would you rather play well but look ugly or look good but play worse? Also, you there's no outside assistance in this which means you can't change your swing...

[loki]

Well the obvious answer here is look ugly but play better, however i've just naturally fallen into having a textbook like "pretty" swing and i hit way better than when i didn't use all of my body. The funniest thing is i thought it wasn't needed and wasn't going to do it, then i just started doing it subconsciously to hit the ball better and further.

[sboardz006]

I'd rather have a pretty swing. If something goes wrong with it, it'll be easier to fix it. If you start hitting bad with an ugly swing, it might take longer to fix.

[Dent]

Id rather have a pretty swing, id have to say i do, and it is functional, but yes your right.. pretty swing does fall under pressure :P

[Diggitydog]

Dent, I agree with you. My coach told me, and on tape I would agree, that my swing was as good as you could expect. Positions on the way back at the top, approach angle, impact position, finish. The works. Problem is that it would crumble under any pressure. That doesn't mean the swing is bad but mentally it was too unstable for me to repeat when other stuff is going on around me. I use the analogy of a high maintenance girlfriend. Everybody thinks they want one until they have to live with her. The pretty swing you see on tour and on high end amateurs are honed and refined for hours every day. I don't have that kind of time so I've moved to Stack & Tilt. I wouldn't say S&T is really ugly but it doesn't look like the norm right now. Results are as good as a pretty swing without the repeatability issues that my old swing had.
I voted for ugly but functional.

[Big Lex]

Totally disagree with those who want the pretty swing. I would much, much rather be the better golfer.

As Forrest Gump might have said "pretty is as pretty does!"

Plus, the "prettiness" of the swing only pertains to someone who's watching the golfer, not the golf shots. You can't really even see your own swing, so if you want pretty, you're more concerned with what someone else thinks rather than how you play. Plus, the _shots_ of any scratch golfer are going to look beautiful, so what's the problem?

[King Cobra II]

Ugly, if it were consistant. My only fear would be if I got out of whack, no one could really offer me advice, because it's probably unconventional.