If the 55-second trailer is anything to go by, Netflix’s upcoming documentary series on the PGA Tour will be fascinating.
February 15 is the date golf fans have pencilled into their diaries when the much-anticipated ‘Full Swing’ series will finally air.
As Ian Poulter correctly assesses in the trailer, Netflix have picked “a hell of a year to start following the PGA Tour.”
The series will take viewers inside the ropes as well as allowing them to see what the PGA Tour stars are really like behind the scenes.
The show is being made by the same people behind the widely-acclaimed ‘Drive to Survive’ which gave a superb insight into life in Formula 1.
It’s almost time 🎬
𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 premieres Feb. 15 on @Netflix
pic.twitter.com/0W9y8SJkck— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 11, 2023
But, when Netflix agreed to their deal with the PGA Tour, the producers of ‘Full Swing’ could never have predicted the drama caused by the emergence of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour which has thrown the golfing landscape upside down.
A stellar line-up of PGA Tour players agreed to take part in the series, including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa and Tony Finau.
But it is the appearance in the trailer of the players who have defected to LIV – such as Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Poulter – which is just as intriguing.
How much viewers will see of the discussions between these players and the PGA Tour on their decision to quit for LIV remains to be seen.
Open and accessible
From a media perspective, golf is very accessible in comparison to other sports.
I have always found it incredibly refreshing when covering a golf event such as The Open, the Scottish Open or the Dunhill Links.
A player can three-putt the final green to miss out on victory by a shot and will be carrying out interviews on their pain minutes later.
Some of the most gripping golf interviews have been conducted in these moments, especially when we think of some of the engaging quotes McIlroy has produced following his near-misses over the years.
By contrast, when covering football, it is often the case that the main protagonist of the match is not available for an interview post-match.
The chances of getting a couple of minutes to interview the player who scored the crucial own goal or who changed the flow of a game by getting sent off is slim to none.
They are more often than not shielded by a club’s PR team and a more experienced team member, usually the captain, is put forward to face the music.
This is understandable, especially if a young player has made a game-altering mistake, but hearing from a remorseful player in the aftermath defeat could make fans feel sympathy towards them rather than frustration.
In the many games I have covered over the years only one occasion springs to mind when this happened.
I remember when Ross Tokely was sent off after only 39 minutes on the final day of the 2008-09 season when Caley Thistle were relegated from the top-flight with a 1-0 defeat by Falkirk.
It was a complete shock when he emerged from the ICT dressing room to do a very honest and refreshing post-match interview on his part in the club’s demotion.
Netflix doc will help grow the game
I’ll certainly be tuning in to watch the Netflix documentary when it lands next month.
A huge amount of these behind-the-scenes series have appeared in recent years on almost every sport imaginable.
I’m not a massive follower of American football or basketball but I’ve found several of these documentaries a riveting insight into these sports.
Given the drama that unfolded on the PGA Tour in 2022, I expect Full Swing to entertain an audience well beyond the golf’s usual parameters.
And if the ultimate aim of doing the docuseries is to grow the game then that can only be a good thing.
