In what ways is Nelly Korda's shot one of the best in golf? Photo: Custom image
Sam Snead and Ben Hogan are among those who have been praised for their excellent golf swings over the years, but who stands out in the modern game? Here are Telegraph Sport's top 10…
10. Anne van Dam
The Dutchwoman is proof that you can have a swing to die for and at the same time have a scoreboard to sigh about. There's so much that goes into it. She is ranked 89th in the world, but her stroke is in the top 10. She is that rare example of a player who swings very hard and very long, but is also technically traditional. When she learns to use this power, she will split the United States.
I'll be right back, watching Anna van Dam's swing on repeat all day 🤩#RaiseOurGame | #BelgianLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/kApAwyR1Qo
— Women's European Tour (@LETgolf) May 26, 2023 9. Patrick Cantlay
Not to everyone's taste, but his swing is a picture. It takes forever to get there and then slowly, slowly builds up before peaking on impact. It used to be much shorter, but due to a career-threatening back fracture, he redesigned it and made it much more attractive and effective. If only he'd hurry up.
⬇️Leave an emoji below to describe the back-to-back win for #BMWCHAMPS winner @patrick_cantlay.
#BMWCHAMPS pic.twitter.com/Zw9OreLzod
— BMW Championship (@BMWchamps) February 8, 2023 8. Ernie Els
The reason many of us tuned in to the USA Senior Tour. The South African is 54 years old, but his success is timeless. He doesn't really like the nickname “The Big Easy”, but it describes his rhythm perfectly. He looks like he's only swinging at 60 percent, but the pace is such that he never lacks length. There's a flying elbow, but otherwise it's poetic.
One of the smoothest swings ever performed is 5°1°.
Happy Birthday, @TheBig_Easy! 🎂 pic.twitter.com/wxzbG1N0ko
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 17, 2020 7. Minjee Lee
There is a beautiful fluidity to Lee's hitting that makes her one of the best strikers in the women's game. It is technically sound, has little weight transfer and a wide width for speed. There is no tilt in her head. This move is extremely effective and, like many others on this list, keeps mistakes to a minimum.
Minjee Lee's swing is very smooth. 👀#KPMGWomensPGA pic.twitter.com/UpP7qJy3zN
— KPMG Women's PGA Championship (@KPMGWomensPGA) June 3, 2023 6. Louis Oosthuizen
The South African is a flasher. This may be the smoothest shot in the game, and it is executed without any fear of missing. Again, it's all about timing and rhythm, and if you look closely, you'll see that he's standing closer to the ball at address than the others. This should be a red flag for amateurs, but thanks to the 2010 Open champion, it allows him to maintain excellent posture.
Louis Oosthuizen with one of the shots of the day 6th on the par four 🚀#DunhillChamps pic.twitter.com/o97ZXAHyyV
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 8 2023 5. Tommy Fleetwood
His driver movement is good enough, but his swing from the irons is heaven sent. It's all about follow through. It is short and to the point and will not appear in any textbook. But it is the balance he strikes that is key. Experts will tell you that his hands used to get stuck behind his back, and that he designed this truncated extension to solve that problem. Whatever. It's nice to look at.
Tommy Fleetwood's swing – ____.pic.twitter.com/2rbSBshZYI
– Golf Digest (@GolfDigest), March 1, 2020
Recent Comments