In the middle of February, Netflix dropped a series that has appealed to diehard fans of golf as well as casual streaming viewers looking to be entertained. Full Swing is a show that takes fans behind the scenes of professional golf and introduces them to players in a way they’re not accustomed to. The eight-episode series takes a look at the personal struggles they go through, as well as their preparation to be the best they can be on match day.
It seems like the show has taken off with regard to its viewership, and the PGA commissioner has already confirmed that there will be a second season. As the golf schedule starts to heat up, let’s take a look at three narratives from the show that have captured the attention of fans.
Matt Fitzpatrick’s Ascension
Credit: Netflix
READ MORE: Sports Movies to Stream on Disney Plus
One of the most likeable golfers on the series is Matt Fitzpatrick, who originally hails from England. Fans in Europe likely flocked to https://www.bodog.eu/sports in order to wager on the up-and-coming star. He’s known as one of the most dedicated to his craft, as his brother often appears in the episode and confirms that no one works harder. And on Bodog, Fitzpatrick’s odds of winning the Valspar Championship remain at +1600, as fans anticipate his performance at the PGA Tour.
Fitzpatrick’s journey has taken him all over the world. He went to university in the United States but ultimately decided that he wanted to seriously pursue professional golf back home across the pond. He was consumed with the sport and eventually came back to America to face off against the top-level competition.
He won the largest amateur competition in the country, setting the stage for the young man with boyish looks. As it turned out, the 2022 U.S. Open major tournament was held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, which was the same course Fitzpatrick won the amateur championship at. Prior knowledge of the grounds helped him tremendously, as he won the U.S. Open.
Dustin Johnson’s Jump To LIV
One of the biggest topics in the sport in the last year or so has been the rise of the startup tour called LIV. Its origins and funding are highly controversial, but the organization has made inroads against the PGA Tour. LIV has thrown lucrative amounts of money at some of the best golfers in the world, and some of them have jumped at the chance to bolster their bank accounts.
Full Swing broaches the topic of LIV in different ways with a few golfers, and a lot of them have deep moral dilemmas about making the leap. Ian Poulter had to think long and hard about his decision, as a defection to LIV might cause him to lose out on a well-regarded Ryder Cup captain nomination. Other competitors did not like the political ties the tour had to reportedly corrupt groups, which has created another layer of trepidation.
However, that level of indecision did not seem to plague Dustin Johnson, who was one of the biggest fish LIV was able to lure away from the PGA Tour. Johnson was quoted in Full Swing as saying that there was no way he could turn down the boatload of money he was being offered while playing in fewer tournaments. It seemed like a pretty clearcut choice for him, which was interesting considering the amount of doubt others had about the new golf organization.
Brook Koepka’s Internal Struggle
One of the most fascinating deep dives of the show came early on in the series, as Full Swing decided to follow Brooks Koepka around. He’s widely known as one of the best golfers in the game today, and his peers realize that he’s always a threat to winning a major championship. However, the series came into Koepka’s life during an uncertain period in his career.
A few years ago, it seemed like Koepka would ride a wave of momentum and take his place amongst golf’s greatest players. Last season proved to be a difficult one for him, though, as his struggles highlighted the mental side of the game that many people don’t often think about. Instead of showing up to tournaments with the steadfast belief that he was going to win, Koepka’s approach featured an astonishing amount of self-doubt and negativity.
Watching Koepka try to power through a difficult emotional stretch can be painful, but also fascinating, as people learn just how frustrating a missed cut is for a golfer. Full Swing did a great job of humanizing players as well, as Koepka’s wife is shown trying to cheer up her husband as she recalls the good old days when he used to dominate. This peek into Koepka’s world will allow fans to understand just how much work goes into being a professional athlete, and this context will help shape his future successes or struggles in a different light.
What do you make of this feature? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages! And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcast, The Small Screen Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts!
There are no comments
Add yours