Golf Digest analyzes amateur's shot 80 once "extracurricular" swing

[nevets88]

The article title says it all: This dude shot 80 once -- yes, with this swing. Reddit is arguing over "swing your swing" versus "this swing has a scoring ceiling". Thoughts? Starts out "normal", then super steep and hinge, pretty much pointing shaft directly at ball, followed by super shallow.

 

[CarlSpackler]

[newtogolf]

Charles Barkley is laughing at this guys swing.  

[Groucho Valentine]

Is this serious or trolling? Why would somebody do that? 

[Rainmaker]

I'm gonna say . .it's not as weird as it looks and I bet somebody (or maybe he, himself) showed him that move as a sort of drill to correct something - probably a swing plane issue -  and he just adopted it. 

Nobody would probably ever make that move on purpose - but what he does after it (although it's a little hard to see . .wish I could see it in slow-mo) is semi-conventional.

I believe it.

 

[Hacker James]

Looking closely, it is not all that different than Trevino's wide figure 8 swing. It differs in orientation, but looks as if he is getting through ball in an in to out path. Perhaps that weird part is not unlike a hesitation trigger move.  He is hitting from the top, but somehow or other gets it on plane.

[Groucho Valentine]

My tendons in my elbow are thinking about tearing off just looking at that. 

[Hacker James]

let us not forget the "Fosbury Flop" in pole vaulting. Everyone mocked him, now it is practically the norm.

3 hours ago, Rainmaker said:

I'm gonna say . .it's not as weird as it looks and I bet somebody (or maybe he, himself) showed him that move as a sort of drill to correct something - probably a swing plane issue -  and he just adopted it. 

Nobody would probably ever make that move on purpose - but what he does after it (although it's a little hard to see . .wish I could see it in slow-mo) is semi-conventional.

I believe it.

 

I just kept pausing the video and its pretty much a normal swing until he gets to the top, then intentionally brings arms out in front and deliberately points the club head at the ground, then in a move to the outside sorta like Stricker, gets back on plane and comes through. As I mentioned sort of a vertical figure eight Furyk?  I tried it just for fun with a lob wedge, and was not difficult to emulate. But definitely weird.

[natureboy]

Maybe he did it as an anti-casting / anti-flip move to not lose lag? If he starts with the hands that far over at the top his 'natural' move doesn't have time to cast/flip the club head ahead of the hands too early.

Harvey Penick said, "...don't be afraid of the player with a good grip and a bad swing. Don't be afraid of a player with a bad grip and a good swing. The player to beware of is the one with the bad grip and the bad swing. If he's reached your level, he has grooved his faults and knows how to score."

[Hardspoon]

Crazy.  If you cut a few frames out of the video, it's just a sort-of-average older-male golf swing, interrupted briefly by a (very) weird and (very) lengthy move at the top.

[Hacker James]

1 hour ago, Hardspoon said:

Crazy.  If you cut a few frames out of the video, it's just a sort-of-average older-male golf swing, interrupted briefly by a (very) weird and (very) lengthy move at the top.

Exactly, I tried it, and when you point the club to the ground, your right arm is completely rolled over your lead arm, and then you reverse course, and it automatically puts you into a not so bad position coming sort of up into the ball, left wrist bowed, and driving with the right side. I can see how it could work for this guy with enough practice. Also not a lot tension. Never say never, I guess. But alas, I will pass...

[Abu3baid]

I would rather keep shooting my 95 with my own ugly swing than 80 once with that one.

[iacas]

14 hours ago, natureboy said:

Harvey Penick said, "...don't be afraid of the player with a good grip and a bad swing. Don't be afraid of a player with a bad grip and a good swing. The player to beware of is the one with the bad grip and the bad swing. If he's reached your level, he has grooved his faults and knows how to score."

As I understand it, the guy once shot 80. Let's not pretend he's a good golfer.

[StefanUrkel]

Probably on a par 3 course.  I did shoot 85 once with starting my swing at the top. Backswing was crazy right elbow flying

[natureboy]

3 hours ago, iacas said:

As I understand it, the guy once shot 80. Let's not pretend he's a good golfer.

Fair enough. Probably an average handicap (~14), and I expect a good putter / short game guy. Doubt he drives it far, possibly straightish though.

The Penick quote is still applicable, because Penick said 'at your level'. That's a relative comparison. This guy is more likely to play other 'average' handicappersd (who I know you consider bad golfers). He sure looks like a hopeless beginner / duffer, but he can play okay compared to most golfers...not the best golfers. I wouldn't recommend this technique as a model to anyone.

11 minutes ago, StefanUrkel said:

Probably on a par 3 course.  I did shoot 85 once with starting my swing at the top. Backswing was crazy right elbow flying

Article says it was on a relatively solid full-length course rated ~69 to 72 depending on the tees played...most likely white tees.

[70sSanO]

I was going to say that at least he goes way past parallel... lol

But all kidding aside, and in light of the thread on quitting golf, this it so refreshing...

“I took a lesson about eight years ago, and I thought the pro was going to have a heart attack,” says Jack, a native of Belgium who recently shot 80 at his home course, Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., site of the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship. “He gave me a few pointers on squaring the clubface at impact and told me to continue to enjoy the game. I love it, every swing I take.”

What a novel idea to continue to enjoy the game.  As bad as his swing looks, he says he loves it, every swing he takes.  I'll bet there are a lot more players out there spending hours working on traditional swings that are stagnant and frustrated and aren't enjoying the game as much.

John

Edited September 14, 2016 by 70sSanO

[Joey G]

There's hope for an old hack like me yet....

[boogielicious]

21 hours ago, iacas said:

As I understand it, the guy once shot 80. Let's not pretend he's a good golfer.

This swing should be illegal in all 50 States!