Full Swing documentary is well done

NetFlix special has total access to PGA, LIV Tour golfers

Before I get to the matter at hand, NetFlix currently has a great documentary entitled Bill Russell: Legend, a close-up look at the University of San Francisco, Boston Celtic, and social activist hoops legend. Yet what has really struck me on NetFlix is a current eight-part documentary entitled Full Swing. It is a fascinating, all-access series of documentaries about the 2022 season in the world of the American PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV

Golf circuit.

When I say Full Swing has all-access, I mean full all-access. The cameras follow golfing families on private jets. They are inside the tour gyms with Rory McIlroy expressing a common vulgarity toward Phil Mickelson. They watch up close as rookies Saheeth Teegala and Mito Perreira crash and burn at the end of the Phoenix Open and the PGA Championship, respectively. It is a fascinating portrait into the lives of professional golfers, caddies and their families.

Part one follows Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. They first crossed paths as adolescents and there is some great archival film of their childhoods. Along the way Spieth wins at Harbour Town while Thomas captures his second PGA Championship. They have their ups and downs, they yuck it up like college frat brothers, and they seem to get the most out of tour life. A telling quote is from Mike Thomas, Justin's father and coach. He states quite succinctly, “Let's not forget you're pretty good too,” when his son is down. Full Swing starts out on a great note.

Part two is an inside look at Brooks Koepka. He won four majors some five years ago, but now his body is breaking down and he seems to lack confidence in his game. Brooks contends that “If I can be healthy I can compete with the best in the world,” but adds “This is the most I've struggled in my whole life.” This episode ends with Koepka joining the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.

The third episode begins with the formation of LIV Golf but quickly morphs into the ultra-complicated life of Englishman Ian Poulter. Poulter has been a world class golfer for more than 20 years, is a European Ryder Cup hero, and yet he is pushing age 50. He is no longer in the world's top 50 and yet he is hell bent on finding a way into getting into the four major championships. However, he can't. He has a very colorful family life, an extensive clothing collection and considers his golf career to be “an amazing journey.” Poulter ultimately joins LIV Golf as well, stating that at age 46, “This is the right decision for myself and my family.”

The fourth edition of Full Swing is my favorite. The cameras follow Joel Dahmen, a journeyman best known for taking off his shirt and waving it around at the Phoenix Open. Dahmen is somewhat of an underachiever who states, “Someone has to be the 70th best golfer in the world.” He is from a small town in northern Idaho,

not exactly a golf mecca, and his caddie is a former high school teammate. His caddie is a great reader of putts and constantly bugs Joel about his minimal effort. They go to U.S. Open qualifying and Dahmen shoots even par during the first 18 holes. Joel wants to withdraw, but his caddie won't let him. During the second 18 he catches lightning in a bottle, shoots 67 and qualifies into the National Open. They go to the Country Club where Joel is tied for the 36-hole lead and ends up with his first top 10 in a major. The last line from Joel is when he says, “My caddie called me a golfer today!”

Part five follows the ups and downs of Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, a “can't-miss kid” who won the U.S. Amateur at the Country Club as a 17-year-old. Fitzpatrick has won in Europe but never in America and he is frustrated. He is the co-leader after 54 holes at the PGA, but he falters in the final round. The next month he returns to the Country Club and the U.S. Open. It is the site of his finest amateur moment, and he hangs in there to win the tourney by one stroke following a phenomenal fairway bunker shot on the last hole. Mom and little brother add a lot of color to this episode. Fitzpatrick is a tortured individual who finally comes through.

Episode six features Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa, two 20-somethings. They got turned onto the game by Tiger Woods. Morikawa owns two majors and leads a very structured life. Finau travels with his family of five kids and his wife. Other pros say that Tony's lifestyle is a distraction to winning golf. Finau gets hot in the summer and wins back-to-back tournaments in Minneapolis and Detroit. Finau states his mantra is “A winner is a loser who never gives up.”

Part seven is all about rookies Mito Perreira of Chile and NCAA champion Saheeth Theegala of Pepperdine University. Both men are learning about life on the tour. Perreira has a support system, traveling with fellow countryman Joaquin Neiman and their wives. Theegala has just moved out of his parents' home and is learning to live and travel on his own. Both come close to winning tournaments, but come up short in the end. Nonetheless, they keep their tour cards and see their respective rookie seasons as successes.

Full Swing concludes with what golf instructor Sean Foley calls the “season of disruption.” The film crew goes to the British Open at St. Andrews where Cam Smith holds off Rory McIlory to win the Claret Jug. Rory concludes his season with an $18 million win in the Fed Ex Cup finals. Cam jumps to LIV. This episode also follows the player's only meeting in Delaware led by Tiger and Rory in a response to the PGA Tour and LIV. The end result will be the designated events that are now a part of this year's PGA Tour schedule with its elite fields and $20 million purses.

Full Swing is a great look at a year on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Each and every week I come up with the theme for a column and I do some degree of research so that it all makes sense. On occasion it can be a tedious exercise. Yet watching eight 40-minute episodes of Full Swing on NetFlix was a total joy. The series is well done and I would advise any fan of the game to spend a cold wintry day watching it. It really is a great look at the personalities of professional golf.