‘The Golfers Aren’t Boring. But, Crucially, They’re Not Exciting’ – Netflix Struggles For Stars And Storylines In Full Swing Season 3

The first season of Netflix’s docuseries Full Swing was lauded in almost all quarters and cracked the global top ten and the top two in the UK and USA. More than 60% of viewers went on to watch the PGA Tour in the two months following its release.

Naturally, a second season followed. While not as riveting, it still had some good moments, thanks largely to the shock PGA Tour/LIV merger announcement and the Ryder Cup, which provided the series with a natural conclusion and story arc.

In February, Netflix released Full Swing Season 3. With novelty no longer a factor, it was always going to be hard to hit the heights of the previous two. In reality television, you’re also beholden to the storylines that emerge.

Unfortunately for the producers, they were hamstrung by the lack of LIV drama, the absence of a Ryder Cup and the fact they were unable to convince Xander Schauffele – a two-time Major winner in 2024, whose successes are largely ignored – to participate.

When you’re not dealt the best of hands, the storytelling and the characters have to do most of the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, both leave a lot to be desired in Full Swing Season 3. Again, I sympathise with the producers here – there’s a randomness to the show’s construction and chance plays a big part.

They can’t write the script and have to be reactive. What are you supposed to do if your contributors aren’t involved in the biggest moments of the year?

Wide of the mark

But some of the storylines feel very forced and manufactured. Far too much time is dedicated to Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. I presume the analysts were surprised to learn they’d be speaking so extensively about a mid-tier event on the PGA Tour.

Other storylines that don’t quite hit the spot are Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin attempting to make the Canadian Olympic team, Min Woo Lee doing the same for Australia, Sahith Theegala finishing third at the Tour Championship and the Presidents Cup, which has a whole episode dedicated to it.

I understand why the producers went down this path – a lack of other viable options – but trying to elicit excitement from a notoriously one-sided contest seems slightly desperate.

The other element that lets Full Swing Season 3 down is the people, and again, the producers aren’t really to blame here. Men’s professional golf is indisputably short of characters or those who go against the grain. The one man who is, and does, Bryson DeChambeau, didn’t want to appear in the show.

His victory at the US Open (and his second-place finish at the dramatic PGA Championship) was undoubtedly the stand-out moment of 2024. Sadly, we don’t hear about it first-hand. He’s presented as a villain-turned-hero and the colour around this transformation is interesting, but you can’t help feeling short changed that you haven’t heard from the protagonist himself.

Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy is as candid and eloquent as ever, but I feel a sense of Rory fatigue – probably a product of his overexposure in recent times. Ludvig Aberg is a star in the making, but he hardly sets the pulse racing, and while Scottie Scheffler is a genuinely lovely and warm character, he doesn’t stir the senses.

To be clear, these characters aren’t boring. But, crucially, they’re not exciting. The same can be said for Taylor, Hadwin, Theegala, Wyndham Clark, Tom Kim and others. Min Woo Lee – who has an episode dedicated to him – is presented as the exciting, swashbuckling young buck, but even he falls short of expectations. On the other side of the coin, Neal Shipley is a breath of fresh air.

Against this backdrop, Tiger Woods’ continuing absence looms large, as does the lack of female professionals. Minjee Lee plays a small part in the episode with her brother, but we see nothing of Nelly Korda – who enjoyed a historic 2024 – Lydia Ko or Charley Hull, who you feel could have made a real impact.

A strong finish

I still enjoyed elements of the series, though, and the insight and access-all-areas motif will clearly appeal to golf fans. I don’t think Season 3 will be captivating a new audience a la Drive To Survive or even Season 1, however.

The unexpected star of the show is Gary Woodland and the series really picks up over the last couple of episodes. Many of us knew Woodland had undergone brain surgery in September 2023, but weren’t clear on the specifics.

In Full Swing, we learn a lesion was putting pressure on the part of his brain that controls fear and anxiety. He was struggling for some time before seeking help and he describes how everyday activities were causing him anguish and distress.

At one point, he reveals how we couldn’t spend a full day with his children because everything was too overwhelming. He also details the toll heavy post-surgery medication is taking on him and the various other ailments he’s still battling, including almost constant headaches. But, as he explains, “I was raised that you carry on playing as long as your heart is beating”.

It’s raw, powerful and emotive. Woodland is brought to tears on a couple of occasions, most notably when he recounts writing letters to family members ahead of his surgery in case the worst happened. His son Jaxson, who is six or seven years old (depending on when certain scenes were shot), knows his job is to “protect the family” if Woodland is no longer around.

Justin Rose also features prominently in the Woodland episode, even though I suspect the producers would have been anticipating leaving most of his scenes on the cutting room floor. But his story is compelling – winning local qualifying to make it to Royal Troon and then coming agonisingly close in The Open Championship – and it gives great insight into the mindset of an ageing future Hall-of-Famer who’s desperate to prove he still has a Major in him.

Raw honesty

The final episode of the series delivers yet more emotion as Camilo Villegas and his wife, Maria, open up about the death of their daughter, Mia, who passed away at 22 months after tumours were discovered on her brain and spine. It’s poignant, moving and brave.

Keegan Bradley and his wife, Jillian Stacey, also feature in this episode and both come across well. They’re close friends with the Villegas family and we learn Mia was part of Jillian’s bridal party, even though tribalism means they must ignore each other at the Presidents Cup.

Bradley was the unsung hero of Season 2 and he comes across very well again, as does his wife. Netflix details his desire to make the Presidents Cup team following his Ryder Cup snub and his relief when he’s selected. The show ends with an impassioned Bradley speech in the aftermath of victory as he looks ahead to this year’s showdown at Bethpage Black.

Did I enjoy Full Swing Series 3? I did, for the most part. But there’s no question it sits behind Series One and Series Two (in that order) and I’d be surprised if it’s popular enough – especially with a non-golf audience – to justify another season.

Perhaps the Ryder Cup and long-awaited LIV/PGA Tour merger will be enough to persuade Netflix executives that it’s worth continuing, but in truth, production should probably have ceased after the second series. There simply aren’t enough gregarious characters in men’s professional golf to prop things up when the storylines don’t deliver.