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All seven episodes of the third season of “Full Swing” hit Netflix on Tuesday. But now we want to take a look at the highlights. Consider this a guide for the most intriguing takeaways from the documentary. All of these instances are “looks behind the curtain” that, despite the series’ occasional missteps, make “Full Swing” such an intriguing watch.
1. Keegan Bradley is even more intense than we thought
Last season, Bradley was a great subject, and having the cameras follow him around as he tried and eventually failed to make the Ryder Cup painted a picture of a man who, more than other professionals, lives and dies with his fortunes on the golf course. After Bradley endured a decade in the wilderness, with a few snubs along the way, his Rome rejection at the hands of Zach Johnson hit you like a sledgehammer, even though you already knew what happened. This season, there’s redemption for Bradley, who not only makes the Presidents Cup team, wins a big Day 1 match and clinches the winning point, but also gets named Ryder Cup captain.
Through much of the season, the story is uplifting, but in the final moments, with a speech to the Presidents Cup team that begins with “I’ve been underestimated my whole life,” you can see the red-hot fire burning. We won’t spoil what comes next, but to call it bulletin board material for Team Europe is a massive understatement, and it shows yet again that beneath a sometimes placid exterior, Bradley burns with a desire to prove himself, fueled by a strong undercurrent of resentment for the respect he feels he deserved but never got.
2. You’re going to love Neil Shipley
Of all the new players highlighted, Shipley probably gets the least screen time, but in his brief moments the amateur standout who turns pro mid-year comes off like an absolutely lovable golf dork. His personality actually surprised me—when we try to guess at new players’ demeanor just from watching them play, we can often read things incorrectly, and I was definitely guilty of that with Shipley. Far from the frat-bro vibes I thought I picked up, Shipley comes off like a gentle soul, and one who’s still young enough that he can still marvel at his childhood encounter with Tiger Woods, and proudly show off the calligraphy on his Masters invitation. There’s a scene with his dad at Augusta that stands out as one of the feel-good moments of the whole season.
Sean M. Haffey
3. Two caddies, Ted Scott and Carl Smith, are the best characters
We probably should have seen it coming from the Geno Bonnalie appearances previously, but yet again, two of the most compelling voices in Season 3 belong to caddies. Scott is the more familiar of the two, having looped for Bubba Watson and now Scottie Scheffler, but from his laidback attitude and frequent nuggets of wisdom, you can see why he’s such a valuable presence on the course. Smith, who caddies for Sahith Theegala, comes off as thoughtful, competitive and even appropriately world-weary. When you see guys like this rooming together in a house, and giving the viewpoint from a little lower on the totem pole, they come off as more human and more relatable, not to mention smarter, than a lot of the players. Their episode is more proof that if you made a documentary just about caddies, it’d probably be a massive hit.
4. Min Woo Lee does not seem serious enough to become a great player
This observation is a little harsher, but after watching a full episode of Lee in his (ultimately successful) bid to make the Olympics, you can’t help come away with the tough appraisal that at least for now, at age 26, he lacks the inner drive that characterises some of his contemporaries (including his successful sister Minjee, an LPGA major winner) and might be a little too obsessed with his social-media image. Min Woo obviously has got loads of talent, but he seems child-like in a way that led me to question his ability to make the leap into greatness. There’s a vaguely Nick Kyrgios-like quality to him, although he’s much more pleasant than Kyrgios. In all, though, the profile that emerges is of someone who isn’t constitutionally geared to work hard. Then again, maybe he’s got it right … there’s nothing wrong with making a lot of money playing golf and still managing to have fun.
5. Somehow, Justin Rose remains one of the show’s most compelling characters
There’s nothing about Rose that screams at you, “this guy will be a great ‘Full Swing’ subject,” but somehow his quiet dignity just works. His attempt to win the Open at Royal Troon is, for my money, the best depiction of on-course action all season, because you can feel the weight of how much he wants the claret jug for his legacy.
David Cannon
6. The Gary Woodland and Camilo Villegas stories will hit you extremely hard
Woodland’s journey back from brain surgery—he had a tumour removed because it was pressing on the fear centre of his brain and turning his everyday life into hell—and Villegas and his wife Maria’s coping with the loss of their young daughter Mia to brain and spinal tumours are the most gutting and memorable parts of the new season. You think you’ve seen real strength with Woodland, and then the next episode rolls and your heart breaks even more. There’s a ton of courage on display, and these episodes highlight the fact that when “Full Swing” manages to reach the humanity of the players, it’s at its best. As I said in the season review, if your eyes are dry after watching, you’ve done better than me.
Main Image: Netflix Full Swing Season 3
