Full Swing

As a keen golfer, I was really looking forward to this behind the scenes documentary series. Do t get me wrong, I did enjoy the insight into what it's like to be a pga tour pro, particularly the varying abilities and expectations. What I didn't like was the heavily biased anti LIV golf message. All the LIV players are portrayed as greedy, unprincipled, and shallow, whilst those who reject the advances of LIV are saintly, loyal, morally superior, and caring for the community. I have no horse in this race personally but I do respect individuals right to choose, and think political and cultural differences are far too complicated to be solved on the golf course or sports field. I do hope there is another series that doesn't focus on the Political arguments and LIV rivalry so much, and more on the tour and the individuals involved. I would also welcome input from more globally well known golf journalists and commentators rather than the frankly boring comments from Sean Foley and Amanda Renner.

Netflix has done a great job with their sports documentaries, and their golf series is no exception. 2022 was an excellent year to start following golf, and the episodes are packed with emotion and suspense. Golf is a sport that translates incredibly well to television, and the stakes are high - one poor shot can be catastrophic and ruin any chance of winning. In contrast, a tennis match is often long and grueling, and a single mistake may not determine the outcome. Like Formula One, the intensity of golf lies in the knowledge that one misstep can knock a player out of the running for the win.

Like Drive to Survive and Break Point, there is a lot of information we already know (rules, etc) but it's explained quickly. These shows are aimed at general sports fans, and in that aspect, they're great. Even if you're already familiar with golf and its players, it's still fascinating to gain an intimate look into the athletes' thoughts and emotions - and perhaps even more so for more casual fans who may not have seen this side of the sport before.

I'm a keen golfer, I'm now retired so I play golf a lot, fortunately my wife also loves the sport and plays just as much as me.

I play it, watch it and try to improve constantly, much like many of the players highlighted in this documentary.

The difference is that I don't have millions in the bank, private jets and even though I try hard I'm still average at the game!

This is a fascinating look behind the scenes at the world of professional golf, I loved it.

Seeing some of the players that we see everyday on TV up close and personal and getting a look into their lives was eye opening.

I've now got much more respect for some of the players.

Some others less so, Tony Finau and Joel Dahman what lovely guys.

(Reviewed after Season 3).

A behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional golf. From superstars like Rory McIlroy to journeymen like Joel Dahmen and many in between we get to experience the highs and lows of the sport and what goes into being a professional golfer.

A great, though not consistently so, look at the world of professional golf. We don't just see the lives of the superstars but also the everyday, just-getting-by golfers and players of various levels in between. For me it was the struggles of the less-good golfers that were most interesting though I did also like to see what made the megastars so good and how they approach the game.

It's not consistently engaging though: some episodes focus too much on the golfers' families and tend to feel quite padded. The best episodes focus on the golf.

This mix between golf and the golfer's private lives is the main determinant of the quality of the seasons. Season 1 starts more family-focused but ends very strongly. Season 2 continues where S1 left off. Season 3, while covering the main golfing events of 2024 and still being quite interesting, does feel a bit padded towards the end.

Season ratings: S1 8/10, S2 8, S3 7.5.

What I hoped to be a deeper inside look into the players lives was more surface level than I had hoped. It might be a useful watch for those who are just becoming acquainted with golf and to learn all that goes into being a pro golfer, even though I think they didn't even scratch the surface on this either. I was hoping for more behind the scenes than straight up player interviews that consumed huge amounts of time. The other half was just recapping tournaments we'd already scene this last year. Golf channel already does these specials adequately already.

Overall the themes get a little repetitive with few episodes really varying from the other. The formula is basically :

1. It is incredibly hard to play on the PGA tour because of all that talent there is and it is getting harder and harder

2. There are a lot of things outside the golf course that people don't see that goes into it.

3. Looming threat of LIV golf that goes into no more detail than what someone following golf already knew.

4. Recap the chosen players big event for that year.

I was looking for more gossiping and getting the behind the scenes look. Not what I was hoping for as an avid golf fan, but maybe it will bring the average netflix viewer who hasn't been as exposed to golf into the fold.