Bubba Watson

 

The simple message that I take from this sequence – shot on the 12th tee at Doral, which sets up beautifully for one of Bubba’s 330-yard fades – is that there’s a huge benefit to be had if you go out to the range and just experiment with what it is possible to do with the golf ball. Leave convention in the locker room. Lay a club on the ground so that you undertstand where you are aiming – that is one of my ‘musts’ – and spend some time learning about the swing path what you can do with the ball.

 

The great thing about Bubba we all enjoy is that he will give it a go from absolutely anywhere – even winning a Masters from out of the trees! You cannot copy his swing – it’s unique. But what you can copy is the philosophy that says ‘I can take any club and work miracles with it.’ Why not? You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from a better understanding of the way the swing path in relation to the target line affects ball flight. Quite apart from anything else it makes practice a lot more fun.

 

Bubba does it the old fashioned way. When he hits a hooking wedge he stands and aims his body lines 20 yards left, swings seriously in-to-out and hooks it with his arms. I watched him warm up recently. He started out with a wedge - as most of the guys do. He hit about 30 balls, the shots ranging from choppy, dinky fades of around 70 yards to high, looping draws of 140-150 yards. For his piece de resistance, he fired raking hooks at a green in the distance. I asked his caddy how far it was: “176 yards,” came the reply. All the shots I saw made the carry. That’s Bubba’s unique talent.