WAYNE RILEY
When I was a youngster, I was told to drive my legs like Jack Nicklaus, have the shoulder turn of Seve Ballesteros, emulate the putting stroke and timing of Ben Crenshaw and chip and putt with the work ethic and technique of Gary Player. My compatriot Greg Norman also emulated Nicklaus. Back in the day even coaches copied players – Ben Hogan especially because his swing was so perfectly on plane.
Back then, the only option available to players and coaches was to copy other people and get ideas from the few golf books that existed – one being Golf My Way by Jack Nicklaus, which I remember getting as a present one Christmas back in Sydney and excitedly reading. The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelley and Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons were others out there, but there weren’t a huge number to choose from.
Now, the landscape is certainly different. There are huge numbers of books out there and coaches are developing new, interesting ideas about the golf swing and how to maximise a golfer’s potential. Perhaps more importantly, they aren’t afraid to share ideas and philosophies that might have been considered the musings of mad men not so long ago.
There are a number of exciting young coaches coming through, who sit alongside the established names like Pete Cowen, Denis Pugh, Butch and Claude Harmon and Sean Foley – they are at the top of the game and their clients have enjoyed success all over the world. They are worth every penny that a player has to pay for their services.
Then you have people like Bryson Dechambeau – a world-class player when he gets round to hitting the ball – who takes guidance from others but very much does things his own way. I find him an intriguing individual. At a recent tournament, I stood there and watched him on the practice ground and it was fascinating. We’re talking about a guy who goes out and purposely practises in the rain so he can see the effect of water on the ball and the clubhead. What’s more, the likes of Jim Furyk are still enjoying success out on tour, despite the fact his backswing points towards Plymouth and his club faces Aberdeen at the top. But you know what, at impact he’s bang on Southampton.
Uniqueness and difference is something we’re starting to see more of in golf, and I think it’s great. It’s an acknowledgement that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Lessons have been learned from the past and used in conjunction with modern thinking, data analysis, technology and so on to create a number of diverse thoughts and philosophies on how to swing the golf club. I’m all for these different approaches.
Different is certainly a word you’d associate with Matthew Wolff. You watch his golf swing and think he should be playing for the New York Yankees, but he’s already won on the PGA Tour and never looks like finishing outside the top 15. The left heel is four inches off the ground and the whole action seems incongruous with what we conventionally know as a good swing, but my god it’s effective! We’re now in an era of evolution and experimentation – one that understands there is more than one blueprint for success.
It’s not just the case in golf, either. Look at Steve Smith. I love the guy, but I’m sure most of you lot are sick of the sight of him! He is totally unconventional but England simply couldn’t get him out during the recent Ashes. It also extends to the broadcasting sphere. When I first started commentating, I was told my style was ‘different’. I’m still here 15 years later! Why shouldn’t you have fun when you’re commentating? There are a lot of boring people in the world and good luck to them, but I don’t want to be like that!
I think we could start to see more exceptional talents with unconventional golfing moves. In the past, these might have been coached out of them, but there’s now evidence that different approaches can yield impressive results. Golf is certainly a more interesting place when diverse approaches are employed and I’m fascinated to see how things develop over the coming few years.
“We’re in an era of evolution for the golf swing, which is great for the game”