Although my grand-daughters (ages 4 and 2) like to watch age appropriate movies on NetFlix, I find that I spend very little time on that streaming service. However for the past two years, I have been a big fan of their inside look at life on the PGA Tour that is titled “Full Swing.” The inaugural season of 2022 that aired in 2023 not only gave us inside looks at the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tony Finau, and Ian Poulter, but we also got much further down the money list to marvel at the life and times of golfers such as journeyman Joel Dahmen. The series was such a big hit that the cameras rolled for a second season and began airing season two this past March. While the series this time around wasn’t as riveting as it was last year, it’s still a big hit from my perspective. It’s must see TV for golf fans.
Full Swing has eight episodes and each episode runs a little less than one hour. The year 2023 was a big year for LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabian funded tour that runs counter to the PGA Tour. There is a lot of emphasis on LIV Golf this time around and I personally see that as one of the weak points of this season’s series. Nonetheless, there are a lot more birdies than bogeys when it comes to Full Swing. It closely follows the majors, the Ryder Cup, and the personalities.
Episode 1 is entitled “The Game Has Changed Part 1” and spends the majority of its time focusing on the PGA Tour- LIV Golf controversy. The series visits the Masters that is won by Spaniard Jon Rahm and then heads to the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, and the runaway win by LIV golfer Brooks Koepka. There is a vulgarity laced commentary by Butch Harmon, the pro to the stars who works with Koepka, and there is a lot of hand-wringing by the face of the PGA Tour, namely Irishman Rory McIlroy
The second episode reflects upon “The Game Has Changed Part 2” and jumps forward to June of last year when the surprise announcement came out regarding a merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Rory expresses his shock at the developments, describing himself as a “sacrificial lamb.” Yet the interesting part about episode two features the 185th ranked golfer in the world and his climb back to the top. We’re talking about the uber-popular Rickie Fowler who reunites with Harmon and starts playing better golf. Rickie climbs up the leader board at the U.S. Open in June, only to falter in the final round. Wyndham Clark is the surprise winner and Rory finishes second. Rory contends, “We’re going to one of these sooner or later.” Later that summer, Rickie prevails in a three way playoff at the Rocket Mortgage in Detroit and takes home the $1.584 million first place money. It is his first win in four years and five months.
Episode 3 is called “Mind Games” and features Joel Dahmen and Wyndham Clark. Dahmen struggles with his newfound popularity because of the year one series. He describes himself as “the lowest ranked player with the most fans,” and decides he doesn’t exactly like his celebrity status in the world of golf. His game suffers and his longtime caddie and former high school teammate, Geno Bonnalie, begins to strongly encourage Joel to seek out a sports psychologist to assist him with his mental outlook upon the game. Joel is super resistive. Meanwhile world number 109, Wyndham Clark, is in a year long process of seeking out help through a sports psychologist, namely Julie Ellian. Clark’s Rock of Gibralter as a youngster was his mother who died of breast cancer. He has had difficulty dealing with her passing. He has always been a negative golfer, but Dr. Ellian has him thinking more positively over time. Clark wins the U.S. Open and states that “I now realize that good things are going to happen.” Meanwhile Bonnalie keeps pestering Dahmen insisting that the golfer “stop quitting” on himself.
The fourth episode of Full Swing features 20 year old South Korean golfer Tom Kim and is entitled “Prove It.” Kim started the summer of 2023 as a veritable unknown, had a couple of high finishes on the PGA Tour during the summer, and amazingly won the last tournament of the regular season in Greensboro to not only become exempt on the PGA Tour, but to get into the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. Later that autumn Kim was chosen to be a member of the International Team at the Presidents Cup and was the star of the show, even though his squad lost to Team USA. Kim was described as a “generational talent.”
The second half of the series (episodes five through eight) focuses on Matt Fitzpatrick one year after his U.S. Open win, the formation of the Ryder Cup team and controversial captain’s pick Justin Thomas, and the Ryder Cup itself, featured in the final two episodes. While I would be the first to say that the series was nowhere near as entertaining or riveting as it was during year one, it remains must-watch television to fans of the game.
We’re just a couple of weeks removed from the playing of the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville and we will spend the next few weeks reviewing that major championship and its history throughout the years. Meanwhile the weather has finally turned for the better in Lake County. Hoping to see you on the links.
