By Paul Myers
There are many reasons to watch golf on TV. For one, it can provide incredible drama. The excitement of the last few holes of a golf tournament when all the pressure starts to be felt by the players in the lead is unlike anything in sports. Just the drama alone is enough to make non-golfers watch from the edge of their seats.
Beyond that excitement, there are many other elements to watching pro golf that make it compelling. For avid golfers, watching the swings of the professionals is one of the most interesting parts. We all have our own golf swings, so it is fun to compare how we swing the club to the swings of the best players on the planet. While we are usually far short of the power and accuracy the pros can accomplish, we can at least copy portions that we like and develop our swings to be a little closer to the best golf swings.
This article (and Part Two) will look at five of the best golf swings in the modern game. Each swing is a little bit different, yet they all share some common elements which allow them to be used so effectively. Read on to see if your favorite swing has made our top-five list.
Rory McIlroy
It should be no surprise that the swing of one of the best young players on tour lands on our list. McIlory does just about everything right on the course, and that includes making a beautiful and powerful swing. Over the last year or so, McIlroy has improved even further on the swing that has already netted him two major titles. Where the top of his swing used to have a little bit of a loop, it is now a much more-direct path from top of backswing down to impact.
One of the most impressive things about Rory’s swing is the power he can generate from his smaller-than-average frame (by tour standards). Rory is in excellent physical condition, but stands just 5’9’’ tall. Most long hitters are taller than six feet, but Rory is able to make up for his lack of height with considerable speed. Despite giving up a few inches of height to many of his competitors, McIlroy is able to bomb it out there with all but the very longest hitters. That power is a testament to not only his body, but also the quality of his swing itself.
Tiger Woods
Quite possibly the best golfer to ever play the game, the history of Tiger Woods swing is an interesting one. While he has played phenomenal golf throughout his professional career, it hasn’t always been with the same swing. He has gone through a couple transformations during his time on tour, whether in response to a desire for added consistency or to compensate for past injuries. Either way, Tiger always seems to morph his old swing into a new one as effectively as anyone in the history of the game.
Obviously, the results of Tiger’s swing speak for themselves. Second on the all-time majors list, Woods was on track to pass Jack Nicklaus until injuries slowed him down – although he may still get there in time. Power and strength have always been a big part of what Tiger’s swing has been about, as he ranks among the longest hitters year after year. Combining the physique of an Olympic athlete with a technically sound swing has provided the foundation for Tiger to have the historical career that he has recorded. All this made Tiger a certain member of the top five best golf swings…
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Please see Part Two of this post for a look at the other three of our top five modern-day golf swings.