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Different Strokes for Different Folks

by Jeff Skinner

With Tommy Two Gloves Gainey showcasing his homemade swing as he hacked his way to victory at The McGladrey Classic the boys over at The Golf Channel got to thinking “Who has the most unorthodox swing in the game?”

Ryan Lavner posed that question to a few of his colleagues at The Golf Channel and as expected there wasn’t a consensus but rather four different candidates possessing their own unique way of getting the ball in the hole.

With Tommy Two Gloves’ sizzling 60 still fresh in his mind, Jason Sobel stuck with the latest winner on the PGA Tour.   “Whatever your descriptive terminology preference, it’s clear to see that Gainey is unconventional in the best way. He uses a true baseball grip, bends more at the waist than any instructor would recommend and dips his head like an 18-handicap. He lists his brother as his lone swing coach, perhaps because no one else could teach that move, let alone help him maintain it.”

Rex Hoggard cast his ballot for Bubba Watson’s swing that gives him the long driving title and at the same time has more curves than Beyonce.  No golfer works the ball like Bubba who plays a twenty to thirty yard draw or fade depending on what shot he feels like at the moment.  “Watson’s swing is long and loose and virtually uncoachable. In the wake of his Masters victory in April numerous swing coaches said they wouldn’t take on Watson as a student because, as one coach said, “there is no way to teach that.”

Ryan Lavner’s pick is old reliable Jim Furyk. David Feherty once said Furyk’s swing looked like an octopus falling out of a tree and he wasn’t far off.  But like all our candidates it’s repeatable, for him at least, and it has served him well.  “Furyk’s hands are so low, it looks like he’s trying to receive a snap under center. His downswing looks like he’s trying to slap a hockey puck. His lower-body action looks like he’s trying to hula-hoop.”  Whatever it looks like it has earned him over $52 million on tour and there are plenty of classic swings who can’t come close to Furyk.

Randell Mell went off the reservation for his pick and chose the Web.com Tour player Josh Broadaway.  If you’re looking for unique, here it is.  Want unorthodox, you got it.  I thought Tommy Gainey was a shoe-in for this honor but after seeing Broadaway I have to agree with Mell.  Josh Broadaway has one very different golf swing.  He’s a natural left handed player that still uses his left hand grip on a set of right handed clubs.  He hits it cross handed and I don’t know how he doesn’t break his wrist.  “A left-handed batter in youth baseball, Broadaway couldn’t find left-handed clubs growing up, and so as a young boy he put his left-hander’s grip on the right-handed clubs. He tried to change for a time to a conventional grip, but it never felt comfortable, so he went back. Broadaway, 34, was good enough cross-handed to Monday qualify for The Honda Classic last year and make the cut. He barely missed graduating to the PGA Tour last year, finishing 28th in money winnings on the now Web.com Tour, three spots short of a PGA Tour card. He’s 75th in money this year but still determined to someday become the first player to win a major cross-handed.”

Check out Broadaway’s swing and be you’ll be amazed at how relaxed and smooth it looks.  This has to be the most unorthodox swing in the professional game.

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