The Ontario, Canada-based . Luke Kerr-Dineen is the Game Improvement Editor at GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. Unlike a fine wine, however, his swing seems to be getting worse with age. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'golfjourney365_com-leader-1','ezslot_8',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-golfjourney365_com-leader-1-0'); I have a personal story as I was fortunate to play a course Arnold often played while he was in the Coast Guards. He wasnt trying to replicate some swing that he saw from the past or in some major golf publication. But you definitely can copy his posture at address, which is ideal. Every golf swing is unique and different but the best golfers in the world have one thing very much in common, the impact position. Here is our list: Best Golf Swings of All Time Tiger Woods Ben Hogan Sam Sneed Bryon Nelson Tom Watson Fred Couples Ernie Els Jack Nicklaus Bobby Jones Arnold Palmer Michelle Wie Rory McIlory Seve Ballesteros Steve Elkington Actor and comedian Adam Sandler reacts to the recreation of the unorthodox golf swing belonging to one of his most famous characters, Happy Gilmore. He swings the club high, the elbow is flying, but then he is able to slot it and the club just falls from the sky and boom, he delivers with such power and grace. Wolff is the 54-hole at Winged Foot at the 2020 U.S. Open, and sports fans around the world are witnessing golf's most unique swing. During the downswing you will notice Watsons open stance allows him to make sure his hip has cleared to generate as much power as possible through the ball. RELATED: We need to talk about Michael Jordan's . Some interesting stuff here and proof that owning your swing, whatever it may look like, is priority No. Our Services | IZOD Men's Golf Swing Flex Cargo Short. It exposes weakness in your swing that your strong side may be compensating for. From chaos, he could produce some beautiful shots, good enough in 87 to help him beat Ben Crenshaw in singles with the Europeans winning the Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village. Hes inside the line and laid off while taking the club back, nowhere close to being on plane, and then his hands redirect skyward toward the top of his swing before he drops the club back inside into more classic position on the way to the ball. Gankas believes the hips should turn considerably, which runs contrary to the idea that the pelvic rotation should be at least somewhat limited to create resistance between the lower body and upper body. To win as a professional in three decades absolutely requires a swing that not only works under pressure but is able to withstand the test of time. Contact Us | When you watch his swing it often looks like hes trying to wrestle a snake. To compensate for the strong left hand grip he first learned to play with, Palmer developed a hook-preventing whirlybird finish, a helicopter hang-on that became the trademark of golfs most beloved follow-through. One of the key questions golfers need to answer is whether they should select a 50 or 52 degree wedge. . He maximizes his swing speed and uses tempo to stay online and be one of the best. In bygone eras, before teaching became so scientific, before video recordings standardized fundamentals, golf swings were more colorful and personal signatures than they are today. We wrap it by providing our number one takeaway from the all time great swings. Rules Guy: What do you do if your ball moves as you are preparing to address it? Start the New Year right with InsideGOLF ($100 value - just $20). It's a gargantuan content mountain to climb and I'm inevitably going to fall off the edge at some point, but we're going to go for it. As Lee Trevino was learning the game, he fought a nasty hook. When he first turned pro, he was a soft looking young man without much muscle and some excess body fat. He lived by his fathers strong advice of Hit it, go find it and hit it again. He would hit the ball hard every time, and then would follow through to something of a crouching corkscrew finish. If I could pick the tempo of any golfer that ever played the game and put it into my game, I would take Fred Couples tempo. He won five PGA Tour events in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Nobody comes into the hitting zone more violently than Thorpe, whose corkscrew finish looks like it could snap a normal mans vertebrae. Using the swing coach club can be. He performs the move even on half-wedge shots. His upper right arm returns to his side, carried there by the unturning of his hips and shoulders. the answer is how efficient your swing measures compared to the best players in . Sure you can, but it comes with some qualifiers, Gankas says. So, lets take a look at some unusual swings that your coach most definitely will not want you to copy. 3.4 miles from Altmuehltal-Radweg. These are highly promoted by many of the instructors out there today. She finished in a three-way tie for ninth place at 8-under par, a stroke behind hall of famer karrie webb, who shot a final round 72. But look at his hands. Stiff arms. Its been done before, and he wont be the last. The following list is a testament to that. Like a baseball player, Wolff starts the forward motion by shifting his weight to his left and unwinding his lower body as aggressively as possible. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'golfjourney365_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-golfjourney365_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Jack Nicklaus overpowered courses and hit clutch shots his entire life and Tiger Woods changed the game forever with his power and overall athletic ability. A dramatically inside takeaway. Furyk is a major winner and also the winner of the 2010 FedEx Cup. Its just that there arent nearly as many of them. The 11 Strangest Golf Swings of All Time By Josh Sens October 19, 2016 Jim Furyk Fred Vuich There is no one right way to hit a golf ball. A classic slice move. Top Speed Lag | Finally Enjoy Effortless Power. Arnold Palmer learned the game by hitting the ball as hard as he could in any way that worked. What fans are witnessing is an unorthodox power player who, unlike previous weird-swing wonders such as Jim Furyk, Miller Barber and Eamonn Darcy, delivers a blazing 132 miles per hour of clubhead speed with the driver. Really, it's strange there continues to even be a conversation at all about whether the beauty of someone's motion matters. Youll also notice he has a long pause at the top of his swing. 1 in the national NAIA rankings, Luke moved to New York in 2012 to pursue his Masters degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Dont try this at home. Maybe a golfer that should have won more, but struggled with back issues the majority of his playing career. And some of those work very well. And after watching these swings at least you can lay down tonight at think, "Well, at least my swing looks better than some of the pros.". Clearly to be one of the greatest golfers of all time, a text book swing is not required. Some people even say that he's playing well despite his unorthodox looping golf swing. Do this drill, says Top 100 Teacher, This is the type of ball high handicappers should use, according to a Top 100 Teacher, Want to hit a wedge that spins on the green? Jim Thorpe is a big man with a big golf swing. About this item. Matts a charismatic guy. Back in his younger days, Ray Floyd's swing was not as unorthodox. Patrick immediately flattens his path and shallows the club as he starts down. Some may criticize him for this, but I believe it has helped his game, his brand and his overall confidence. With straight, rigid arms and minimal hand and knee action, Norman could repeat his swing as well as any player who ever lived. He also became the first Indian golfer to break into the top 100 of the World Golf Rankings. Hes far more interesting than that, The embarrassing reason Adam Scott wont be at the Phoenix Open, Hayden Buckley said this part of his game cost him at the Sony Open, 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times, Meet the new GOLF Top 100 Teachers of America, Adidas announces adicross additions, plus shoes to come soon, World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, Why new mom Paula Creamer is more motivated than ever to make a run at the LPGAs young guns, 2023 American Express odds: Rahm, Scheffler, Cantlay highlight strong field. Change Privacy Settings, Copyright 2007-2021 Golfshake.com Ltd. All rights reserved. To begin with, the European Tour player hovers the club, which is quite unusual in this day and age although greats such as Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus have done this in the past. The lift-and-turn action makes the club feel light. My major takeaways from Jacks swing is that it doesnt have to look perfect to be the best golfer of all time. Its more a wicked lash than a golf swing that Thorpe used to win three PGA Tour events in the 80s and later to win 13 times on the Champions Tour. People rave about his ball striking and his overall power and accuracy with the driver. If you were at an event watching Murphy begin his back swing, you could probably have bolted to buy a hot dog at a nearby concession stand and returned in time to see him finish his swing. Well, Green joked he didnt like it. Poulter's swing isn't really that ugly, but it's perplexing. Isn't the point of golf about how one hits the ball, not . As for the two gloves, you cant help but love the kids style. Clearly that athleticism didn't translate from the hardwood to the tee box. Check in for highlights from every tournament plus player interviews, player profiles, tournament previews, swing analysis and all the greatest shots and amazing moments. The ONLY thing of importance in the golf swing is 'impact'. Starting back, Wolff takes the clubhead well outside the target line, and the clubface remains closed because he doesnt rotate his forearms. Its pretty offensive putting Ballesteros at the top of the list, he has an awesome golf swing. At the same time, he turns his hips as far as he can, his left foot rising up on its toes and his right leg straightening to accommodate. His mindset and mentality are something we could all benefit from. (Notice the huge drop by his hands.) And despite his character issues, Daly is one of the game's best characters and enjoyable to watch play. Part of all of that is a double overlapping grip and more loops than the rides at your favorite amusement park. . The one that jumps out the most is Ben Hogan. Straight-Line Release | Let It All Go for Maximum Speed. But its very close to what Miller Barber did, and he won almost a dozen times in the 1960s and 70s. Things to do near Gasthaus Eichelgarten on Tripadvisor: See 435 reviews and 643 candid photos of things to do near Gasthaus Eichelgarten in Gunzenhausen, Bavaria. At the top of the swing, his wrists are not set and the club is laid off. Hosung Choi is causing quite a stir in the golf world with . Hes a professional. Welch actually slows his body turn to give his left hand more time to flex and rotate the clubface back to square. Whether its the Masters or The Open, The Ryder Cup or WM Phoenix Open, build your own bespoke package with the experts at Golfbreaks.com. There is no one right way to hit a golf ball. He ranked T-4th in the field in driving . To them, both past and present, we pick the five ugliest swings in golf: 1) Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey: Our winner hails from nearby Bishopville, SC, but we're not homers when it comes to breaking down his hideous swing. Immensely successful by any measure, they represent 11 of the strangest golf swings of all time. And you definitely can learn to bow your left wrist on the downswing, which will make for a very effective impact. Take a look at the unique stroboscopic photographs and marvel at his unique method. He hits it forever. Its very effective., If Matthew Wolff showed up on my doorstep with that swing, I wouldnt try to change it. It is clear to see before Tommy Gainey even strikes the ball that he doesnt do things the conventional way. Golf is the greatest sport in the world and we hope that you get to play often and enjoy the many benefits of a round of golf and being on a journey to improve physically and mentally. It may not be the prettiest of swings but if it works and a player can count on it, you could be Eammon Darcy and win four times on the European Tour. Following any particular swing flavor or method automatically is going to cause you frustration, because your mileage with it will certainly vary. 20 Minute Shallowing Fix | Shallow the Club on Every Swing and Hit the Most Solid Shots of Your Life. The driver swing might be the most beautiful site in golf today. I also love the full turn and the follow through which is so graceful. HIs ability to flight the ball and play in any conditions is truly amazing. His ability to hit the stinger shot was highly impressive. His weight distribution is awful, the club goes back all over the place and his backswing is very short. Arnold Palmer knew his swing wasnt a classic by any means. Marvellous Marbella Golf Courses. So yes a high cap can have a swing that is pleasant on the eyes, but break it down and it's highly inefficient and inconsistent. I enjoy learning about the golf swing and am currently studying to be a certified professional golf instructor. link to 50 vs 52 Degree Wedge: Which is best for your game? One thing I would like to go over is the terminology of . The grip is the original designer and maker of its golf grip tapes. Eamonn Darcy is one of. Simply amazing! Here is our complete review. I absolutely love the golf swing of Sam Snead. After he healed, in an act of self-preservation, he resisted rotating his shoulders aggressively through the hitting area, which produces the slightly open position most good players have at impact. The complete story isnt finished yet with Rory as he bursted on the scene winning 4 majors and we expect him to win many more in the coming years. I am an amateur golfer on a journey to get better, enjoy the game as often as possible and share my passion and knowledge with others. His swing includes some lifting, then a dip, and a lot of hanging back on the follow through. He was able to repeat it frequently and hit the shot that was needed. He shot 60 with it Sunday at Sea Island. The most amazing part about his accuracy was the power that he also possessed. I have coached high school golfers at a high level and have a great passion for the game and want to give back. Why? Instant access to the latest news, videos and photos from around the world of golf. He hit the ball. This causes Gulbis to over rotate leaving her arms almost wrapped around her back with the club head pointing way to the right. Also, notice his extra-wide stance, which as youll see plays a major role in his backswing. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. But he led the PGA Tour in driving, 315.5 yards average, and swing speed, 124.69 miles per hour. That produces a lot of leverage. Natalie Matching search results: The American had the shortest backswing in the professional game, barely ever taking the club beyond hip height. His body rotation is sequenced from the ground up and happens so well, the hands and club move onto the correct plane and path with no conscious thought. I have no answers. Don't worry if you have never heard of him though, since he spent his entire career playing on the European Tour and never once played in any majors besides the Open Championship. The second-year pro with an unorthodox swing surged to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday after beginning the round four strokes off the lead. But he also knew he could make the ball do what he wanted on most occasions and that was his main concern. 5). That Eamonn Darcy is interesting, he actually takes his left hand almost completely off the club at the top of the swing, only his fingers are touching. Wolffs swing, the outline of which was in place at age 14 when he began working with Gankas, has been refined, but not dramatically, from the action he adopted intuitively as a child. Consider the golfers in this list. with instructor George Gankas about five years ago and immediately gained more confidence when Gankas told him that his swing was "one of the best he's ever seen." . Eammon Darcy Jim Furyk won the Sony Open in 1996 at 25 years old and now 26 years later, in Round 1 of the same event, he turned back the clock. Golfjourney365.com is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Hands upright at address. Although his backswing is, quite frankly, all over the place his timing is brilliant. Its easier to believe in leprechauns than to believe Darcy won four European Tour events with his swing. Their swings let them strike the ball solid just about every time, they could control the curve of the ball (some played a fade, while others played a draw) and they all had enough power to play a course. Its a low-impact swing physically, as natural to Wolff as walking. He's earned more than $52 million. There are many variations of 'good golf swings' that it leaves the beginner or amateur wondering, 'well..what aspect should I try to make sure I'm doing?' And it's the five keys that answer that. His swing would make Ben Hogan puke, Johnny Miller said during a live telecast of the 2004 Ford Championship at Doral. and An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. We will see how many more majors they can add int he coming years! Lets just say this: his wild elbow-flying swing is one of those things you cant un-see. The 12 golfers you find on the next slides are the ones I felt had the strangest swings. And some of those. The most fun part about watching golf is the swings. Again, Furyks swing just proves that timing is key. Some took the club straight back like Rory McIlroy, while others wrapped it more inside like Sam Snead. Tommy Two Gloves Gainey reminded us with his victory Sunday at the McGladrey Classic how heart, guts and determination can trump textbook mechanics. At 16, Wolff broke his left collarbone crashing to the turf in a game of touch football. Hubert Green didnt do much of that but still won 19 times in the 1970s and 1980s, including a pair of majors. Combined with his slashing downswing and torso tilt as his ball took flight, there was something of the commoner to Arnies action. He knows how to repeat it and does a great job of shallowing the club into the ball. But, the winner in the category of big dipper has to be American Natalie Gulbis. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. What happens from the top is unorthodox and the gasp-inducing signature of Wolffs swing. Green was a wise-cracking guy and said he wasnt overly fond of his swing. Two of our all time greats: Tiger Woods and Fred Couples! leave your comments below (Comments), Help | As long as he rotates hard out of the way, hes going to hit it well. I can always identify the spot where hes been practicing. Then, as Wolff nears impact, he thrusts upward from the balls of his feet, his body still turning. However, if you look closely, you will realise Jeev is one of the best ball strikers on tour. He changed the game with his power and his overall size and strength. He smashed the ball with a blacksmiths lash and that crouching corkscrew finish. In golf, its not what it looks like, its the results. Eammon Darcy - This Irish golfer may have had an unconventional swing, but it earned him four victories on the European Tour, and he competed in the Ryder Cup four times, according to Golf Magazine. On plane? Wolff's and Berger's swings have come to be as a solution to the task of hitting a golf ball as far and accurately as possible. . It's not the $25 checks that come in the mail. What we can learn from Fred Couples:if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'golfjourney365_com-box-4','ezslot_3',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-golfjourney365_com-box-4-0'); We have all at one time or another dreamed about hitting every driver down every fairway and keeping the game simple. From the stories we hear, he loved to emphasize the importance of the grip. Useful Links. Watson appears to have several moving parts making up his swing and not many of them appear to be moving in concert. Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder and when you look at the wide variety of golf swings in use in the game yesterday and today, some of them really require some beholding. But lets be honest, not many people have his flexibility or athleticism. Darcys right elbow went beyond flying. But there are, of course, many ways to get the job done and the world of golf is full of players who have achieved huge success by throwing away the rule book and doing it their own way. Copyright 1996 - By the end of the day, he was in sole possession . Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. At the tour level, the question is, Will the swing work under pressure? GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. The leg action and the straightening of the back knee was so perfect. What makes this swing so unusual is the positioning of Darcy's arms . Over the last six months, Young ranks inside the top 20 of this field in strokes gained off the tee, driving distance, birdies or better, par-5 scoring and proximity from 100-125 and 150-175 yards. Floyds homemade swing won him 22 PGA Tour titles, including four majors. And last week, bargain pick Matt Kuchar ($7,900) posted a top-10 finish and two more picks were in the top 15. Heres a look at the top 10 unorthodox swings in tour golf history (Click for GolfChannel.com debate on today's most unorthodox swing): Gone for eight years now, congestive heart failure taking him from this world, Normans legend lives on. Our Partners | A quarter-century has passed since Daly announced himself to the world with his run-away win at the 91 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick. Rafael Nadal is one of the best tennis players of all time, and he is also a keen golfer, finishing T6 after shooting scores of 74-74-77 at the Balearic Golf Championships, a 54-hole low-professional tournament in Mallorca, Spain last month. Chi Chi was an 8-time PGA Tour winner and a 22-time Champions Tour winner. But Norman taught himself to play that way. But they are all fascinating to watch. One size fits all is not the way to teach. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. HAPPY Gilmore eat your heart out, there's a new crazy swing in town. It was the basis for my A Swing. A lot of great players have had a steeper look going back. John Daly goes so far over the top on his back swing it is shocking. His swing is very odd, and is the basis for the swing theory called "Natural Golf." Michelle Wie changed the womens game forever with her power and was able to play in some PGA tour events. If you blinked your eyes, you could easily miss his compact, quick swing that was big on wrist cock. Wide stance. Only if one happened to be flying overhead. Right. In his prime he seemed to hit everything pin high and truly control his distances. Jim Furyk and David Duval are excited to begin the next chapter of their relationship on the PGA Tour Champions. Jeev Milkha Singh has a quirky swing that gets in positions that no coach would ever suggest you copy. The compilation video above might make you better just from watching. Though most swings of players barely out of their teens are works in progress, Wolffs swing is where he and Gankas say they want it permanently. Jim Furyk has one of the most unorthodox swings on tour yet has still been competing at the top of the game for a very long time. In this edition of the unorthodox swings, I look at Chi Chi Rodriguez. I still believe that one is more likely to achieve the five keys with a more conventional swing but it certainly isn't limited to that. His finish made him look like he was trying to stab a cloud, but he was famous for how straight he could hit the ball. Wolff began rehearsing the position he wanted at impactshoulders open, hips clearing, right knee angled toward the targetbefore returning to a conventional address position. I also knew Calvin Peete very well, and he took the club back that same way, outside the hands going away. Some of the game's greatest players and biggest names have some of the most unorthodox swings, but they still have the trophies and the big bank accounts. By the end of the day, he was in sole possession . How you should time the firing . He did come out to Australia one year and won the Westlakes classic by heaps, so he could play. A lot of funny things have been said about Furyks funny-looking swing. Instead make an athletic motion and play more target based golf where you see the shot and then hit the shot. There are many that come to mind when you start to create a list, but we did our best job through much debate and discussion to identify our top 15. The Merry Mex became one of the best ballstrikers since Hogan. All of Butch Harmon's swing theories rolled into one nicely proportioned body. There are a lot of different-looking swings in the Hall of FamePalmer, Trevino, even Nicklaus. The guys who take the clubhead way outside, it forces them to do a radical shallowing move in the downswing. Barber won 11 PGA Tour events as a contemporary of Arnold Palmer with a backswing that never came close to reaching parallel. Instead he owned his swing and made the most of it. As long as he gets in the same position at the fundamental stages of the swing, Furyk knows the ball will go where he wants it. Theres a lot of sizzle to the whole thing. With a double overlapping grip, with a looping takeaway to the outside and a looping drop back to the inside on the downswing, Furyks action is the most distinctive of his generation of players. Playing those beautiful shots the players dazzle us. Furyk is a major. As this downswing progresses, Wolff performs a Sam Snead-like squat, his knees bending and separating as he applies downward pressure to the ground with his feet. Warranty: No Applicable Warranty. ORLANDO - The topic of a swing's aesthetic is kind of an odd one in golf. His posture and spine angle remain unchanged from address. Jim Furyk is probably the best-known golfer who possesses an unorthodox swing but it's a swing that allowed him to become a major winner and have a wonderful career. He was so smooth and fluid and wasnt worried about using a high speed camera to figure out if he was hitting certain positions. When he first appeared on the PGA Tour, his swing drew lots of comments and stares. The American Express 2023 tees off on Thursday, Jan. 19 in La Quinta, California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDGZpWAAVcw&t=252s, Fred Couples Golf Swing Compilation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDGZpWAAVcw&t=252s), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rfs1EGVYKs&t=323s, Ben Hogan 1965 Shell Swing Compilation Regular speed and Slow Motion Training Guide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rfs1EGVYKs&t=323s), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzwPWiU7vBw, Arnold Palmer Golf Swing / Frame-by-Frame (1960) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzwPWiU7vBw), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoLhumRB9kU, Rory McIlroy's 2019 swing analysis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoLhumRB9kU), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNkUryf1yJY, Rory McIlroy shares tips to improve your drive | GOLFPASS: Lessons with a Champion Golfer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNkUryf1yJY), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HzLO88ryCU, TIGER WOODS IRON SHOT 15TH HOLE BEAR TRAP AT 2014 HONDA REG & SLOW MOTION 1080p (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HzLO88ryCU), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHOpT-1K0I, Tiger Woods: How to Hit a Stinger | TaylorMade Golf (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHOpT-1K0I), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFm8nRYVVjQ, Jack Nicklaus Montage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFm8nRYVVjQ), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBM0-HCCwwY&t=50s, Rock Sam Snead Hands Over the Top 14Sep2013 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBM0-HCCwwY&t=50s), Gain 30-40 yards in 30 Days Swing Man Golf, Move your head off the ball or dont move your head off the ball. Wolff jumped up to the top college rankings after registering three consecutive wins. You can copy his sequence of motion on the downswing, which happens from the ground up regardless of your technique. Privacy Policy. The downswing is all that matters, said Barber, an 11-time Tour winner. As signatures go, Palmers swing is a classic. Gulbis has a wide, athletic stance, which ultimately leads to an excessively wide backswing where her wrist hinge happens incredibly late. Sport; Golf; Hosung Choi's unorthodox golf swing is just crazy. Known as Pipeline Moe, Norman stood over the ball like a man with bolt cutters lining up to snip a chain. As for it being good or bad, how do you not like 330 yards off the tee? That was his way of deflecting criticism of his backswing, a loopy motion with a chicken-winged right elbow that was once compared to a man trying to open an umbrella in the wind.