The triumph of brain and brawn

Views from around the world. These opinions are not necessarily shared by Stuff newspapers.

Every so often someone comes along who revolutionises a sport. Donald Bradman did it in cricket in the 1930s with batting so perfect the English bowlers had to resort to bodyline – bouncers directed at his head – to curb him. Californian 27-year-old Bryson DeChambeau may have an even bigger impact on golf than ‘‘the Don’’ had on cricket – authorities are already discussing changing the composition of the ball to reduce the distance he can hit it.

His bomb and gouge approach is rendering great old courses impotent, offending golfing purists who dislike his power game, his ugly, allaction swing, the fact he doesn’t much care whether he hits the fairway or not – distance, not accuracy, is the key – and his brash persona. What the fuss is about is a power hitter proving unstoppable in a sport where artistry and touch are supposed to be the keys to success. Some of Mr DeChambeau’s contemporaries can at times match his driving lengths, but no-one consciously brutalises a course the way he does.

Nostalgists may have to accept the world has changed. We are unlikely to see another CB Fry, who at the turn of the 20th century represented England at both cricket and football and equalled the world long-jump record before turning down the throne of Albania. The age of the graceful, gifted amateur is over. Science trumps art and 10,000 hours spent in the gym are never wasted.