Welcome to Play Smart, a game-improvement column that drops every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Game Improvement Editor Luke Kerr-Dineen (who you can follow on Twitter right here).
I spend most of my time reading, watching, and learning about golf swings. It’s only natural that along the way, people get very interested in trying to find out what golf swing I “like” the best, or what my “favorite” golf swings are.
The truth is that answer changes all the time. I love every golf swing in their own way, and learning how they each work is of endless fascination to me. And besides, the answer is so subjective, based on a series of personal preferences that I have no idea are actually good or not.
But I realize that isn’t a very satisfying answer, so instead, I decided to have some fun with it. Let’s throw the question to the people: Who has your favorite golf swing of all time? Let’s find out, using one of those March Madness brackets that everyone gets really into this time of year.
The Rules
Rule 1: The first rule is that this is all a bit of fun, so don’t take it too seriously.
Rule 2: The winner of each match up will be the one that gets the most votes via a Twitter poll, which you can find below. We’ll vote on golf swings by round, which will correspond with the NCAA basketball tournament rounds.
Rule 3: What does it mean to have a favorite golf swing? Who knows. Embrace that it’s a subjective term. Maybe you like the way it looks. Maybe you like it from a technical perspective. Maybe you like how effective it is. Maybe you don’t know why you like it but you just do. That’s fine! Vote whichever golf swing you prefer, for whatever reason, and move on.
Rule 4: How do you seed golf swings? You can’t, really. Zephyr Melton and I were committee responsible for the seeding this bracket based on the categories you see below. Individual seedings are based mostly on a combination of how true they are to their region, and overall success with their move.
Rule 5: You can cast your vote at the bottom of this page, or right here.
Rule 6: If you find yourself annoyed with any part of this process, please resist rule 1.
The Bracket
** Scroll to the bottom of the page to cast your vote **
The First Round Matchups
POWER REGION
Jack Nicklaus (1) vs. Justin Thomas (16)
LKD Analysis: JT’s an elite pound-for-pound hitter with a great move, but it’s an exceedingly tough matchup for the kid. Gotta be Jack.
Tiger Woods (2) vs. Ian Woosnam (15)
LKD Analysis: It’s a testament to Woosie’s strength and cult following that he’s in this tournament, but 2000-era Tiger isn’t losing in the first round.
John Daly (3) vs. Seve Ballesteros (14)
LKD Analysis: Daly’s high seeding is because he’s a team in the “power” region. Seve is a legend, but more of a short game maestro. Daly gets this one done.
Arnold Palmer (4) vs. Lexi Thompson (13)
LKD Analysis: Really tough match up for Lexi. I love her golf swing, and she’s been an elite ball striker for 10 years — and counting. Personally, I’d vote Lexi, but the King will win the public.
Bryson DeChambeau (5) vs. Gary Player (12)
LKD Analysis: Bryson’s may be GOLF Magazine’s playing editor, but unfortunately, also the first upset of the tournament. Player put power on the map.
Bubba Watson (6) vs. Laura Davies (11)
LKD Analysis: Davies’ longevity is a big factor for me, but Bubba is a generational driver of the ball whose swing changed the game.
Johnny Miller (7) vs. Dustin Johnson (10)
LKD Analysis: This contest is too close to call. I like DJ’s swing more, slightly, I guess, but I’m also biased because I’ve been able to witness it in person. Flip a coin.
Brooke Henderson (8) vs. Greg Norman (9)
LKD Analysis: Another tough one to call. Norman’s wide, powerful swing helped him become the best player in golf in his prime. But Brooke’s swing is just too cool. She gets my vote.
SILKY REGION
Fred Couples (1) vs. Davis Love III (16)
LKD Analysis: Fred’s unconventional move, with a buttery tempo, makes him a deserved top seed in this region, and he’s not going out in the first round.
Ernie Els (2) vs. Gene Sarazan (15)
LKD Analysis: The Squire didn’t really fit cleanly into any region, so blame the committee on that one. The Big Easy’s textbook move and smooth tempo will see him off.
Annika Sorenstam (3) vs. Phil Mickelson (14)
LKD Analysis: Phil’s long flowing swing went from silky to speedy as time went on. Annika’s stayed buttery smooth throughout.
Bobby Jones (4) vs. Vijay Singh (13)
LKD Analysis: Bobby Jones is going to be a hard swing to pull an upset on.
Payne Stewart (5) vs. Tom Weiskopf (12)
LKD Analysis: Payne’s long, free-flowing move isn’t one you see as much anymore — and the public still loves it.
Inbee Park (6) vs. Lorena Ochoa (11)
LKD Analysis: I’d give the edge to Inbee’s tempo, which other pros use as inspiration, but wouldn’t rule out an upset.
Louise Suggs (7) vs. Byron Nelson (10)
LKD Analysis: Suggs will keep the favorites dominating this side of the bracket.
Retief Goosen (8) vs. David Duval (9)
LKD Analysis: Too close to call. I think Duval edges it, but don’t underestimate Goosen’s golf swing following.
TEXTBOOK REGION
Ben Hogan (1) vs. Mac O’Grady (16)
LKD Analysis: Mac’s got a great move, but Hogan literally wrote the textbook.
Nelly Korda (2) vs. Justin Rose (15)
LKD Analysis: Tough match up for my childhood hero Justin Rose. I may vote for him for personal reasons, but Nelly will win this match up.
Adam Scott (3) vs. Al Geiberger (14)
LKD Analysis: Adam Scott could well go all the way in this contest. He’s the swing you pin up on the wall, and wish you had.
Rory McIlroy (4) vs. Yuka Saso (13)
LKD Analysis: How do you judge two swings that are so similar? I give the edge to Rory in a contest that’s ripe for an upset.
Mickey Wright (5) vs. Nick Price (12)
LKD Analysis: I have spent countless hours studying Nick Price’s swing, but Mickey Wright could win the entire thing as a five seed.
Sam Snead (6) vs. Collin Morikawa (11)
LKD Analysis: Tough match up for Collin coming up against Snead, who will edge him out.
Louis Oosthuizen (7) vs. Michelle Wie (10)
LKD Analysis: Tough one to call. Peak Michelle Wie’s swing gets my vote. But will it be enough to pull off the upset?
Nick Faldo (8) vs. Se Ri Pak (9)
LKD Analysis: It is literally impossible for me to cast a vote against Nick Faldo.
UNIQUE REGION
Jim Furyk (1) vs. Jordan Spieth (16)
LKD Analysis: It depends how the public interprets unique. Jim Furyk is iconic it its quirkiness.
Eamonn Darcy (2) vs. Jon Rahm (15)
LKD Analysis: I’d rather Jon Rahm’s swing. But hard to believe it’s more unique than Eamon Darcy’s.
Moe Norman (3) vs. Sergio Garcia (14)
LKD Analysis: Moe Norman’s ball striking is the stuff of legend. His mystique will get him the win.
Jim Thorpe (4) vs. Calvin Peete (13)
LKD Analysis: Thorpe’s move is one of a kind, but Calvin Peete was a sharpshooter. He gets my vote.
Matt Wolff (5) vs. Walter Hagan (12)
LKD Analysis: Wolff’s move will see off Hagan in this match up.
Raymond Floyd (6) vs. Miller Barber (11)
LKD Analysis: Raymond Floyd’s move has late career heroics fueling it, which may give him the edge.
Allen Doyle (7) vs. Joe Durant (10)
LKD Analysis: Doyle’s move was probably more unique, but Durant used his to become an objectively better ball striker.
Jimmy Bruen (8) vs. Lee Trevino (9)
LKD Analysis: Absolutely brutal match up for cult hero Jimmy Bruen, but Trevino will get the W.
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