04/19/24
November 28, 2009
Testing the Happy Gilmore Golf Swing: Earlier this year, the Fox Sports Network show Sport Science decided to test whether the Happy Gilmore running hockey swing would actually work in golf. "To find out, we brought in the only person who was willing to try such a bizarre swing ... Padraig Harrington."
man, do I agree with all of the comments on the youtube page...enough with the slo-mo shots...that thing was unwatchable.
Anyway, it seems to make sense that you could get some extra yardage, but would give up too much accuracy using the Happy Gilmore shot. Can't see many pros using it, but I may give it shot on one of the courses I play. One hole has a 230 yd carry from the tips (I have absolutely no business playing from the tips, get forced to every now and then) and this may come in handy.
posted by dviking at 02:28 PM on November 28, 2009
Well, good for Paddy hitting the damn ball at all. I played hockey for 20 years before I took up golfing, which I've now been doing for over ten, and have yet to successfully complete the Happy Gilmore swing. I've given it about ten tries over the years, with results ranging from a twenty yard toe slice to damn near breaking my club on impact with the ground. I know he's a pro, but I'm really amazed at his making such good contact. Something tells me that the 30 extra yards aren't going to convince the tour players, though.
And yeah, all the slo-mo and build up almost made that unwatchable.
posted by tahoemoj at 04:24 PM on November 28, 2009
I would love to see a tour pro do this over an entire tournament. That would be a very interesting weekend.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 07:56 PM on November 28, 2009
Padraig Harrington is wicked cool. I'm sure a guy who can swing like that would never have a car accident in his own driveway.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:00 PM on November 29, 2009
Harrington is too professional for something like that, Weedy. He'd have had that hydrant moved or covered in styrofoam long before he drove into it. And he'd know that an 8-iron is far too much club for breaking a window.
posted by JJ at 07:25 AM on November 30, 2009
Also - possibly mentioned in the video, but I couldn't watch it all the way to the end as it was hurting my brain - Padraig played his share of hurling as a lad, so running up to and belting a ball isn't as alien to him as it might be to most pro golfers.
posted by JJ at 07:33 AM on November 30, 2009
Awesome -- Daly'd do it.
However, I wish they'd have asked him to take 100 swings like that. I'd be curious to see how quickly he could meld a slightly slower approach with a slightly more cautious swing to see if he'd end up one-stepping for an extra 5-10 yards with accuracy.