Okay, so I saw this thing online about Charley Hull and John Daly, and I was like, “I gotta try this.” Basically, it’s about how they both have this super unique, kinda wild swing, and people were talking about whether it’s something you can actually learn from. I’m no pro, but I figured, why not give it a shot and see what happens?
Getting Started
First, I watched a bunch of videos of both of them. Charley’s got this really compact, fast swing, and John’s is, well, you know… HUGE. I tried to pick out the main things that stood out.
- Charley Hull: Super quick backswing, almost looks like she’s barely taking the club back. Lots of wrist hinge.
- John Daly: The club goes WAY past parallel. Like, seriously far back. And he really lets it rip.
Hitting the Range
So, I headed to the driving range with my newfound “knowledge.” My goal wasn’t to copy them exactly, just to try and feel out some of the key elements of their swings.
I started with Charley’s swing. I tried to keep my backswing short and fast, focusing on hinging my wrists. Honestly, it felt weird at first. I’m used to a much longer, smoother swing. But after a few balls, I started to get the hang of it. I definitely felt like I was generating more clubhead speed, and the ball was going pretty straight, maybe a bit further than usual.
Then, it was time for the John Daly experiment. I gotta admit, I was a little nervous. I mean, I’ve seen the guy hit the ball a mile, but I also knew that his swing is pretty… unconventional. I took a few practice swings, trying to get the club way back there. It felt so unnatural! When I finally swung at the ball, I almost whiffed it. It took a few tries, but I finally connected. And man, did that ball GO. It was definitely the longest drive I’d hit all day. But it was also the least accurate. I was spraying the ball all over the place.
The Results
After a couple of hours of messing around, here’s what I figured out:
- Charley Hull’s Swing: I think there’s something to be learned from her quick, compact swing. It definitely felt like I was generating more power, and my accuracy was pretty good. I’ll probably try to incorporate some of that into my own swing.
- John Daly’s Swing: Fun to try, but definitely not for me. I just don’t have the flexibility (or the guts) to swing like that. I hit a couple of bombs, but it was way too inconsistent.
The Takeaway
It was a fun experiment. I’m not sure I’ll ever swing exactly like Charley Hull or John Daly, and that’s ok, but I did learn a few things. It’s always good to try new things and see what works for you. You might surprise yourself!
Don’t be scared to experiment! You might not become the next long-drive champion, but just maybe you will find some small improvement in your own golf game.
