Netflix’s first season of Full Swing was released in 2023 to great acclaim and the second season of the popular behind-the-scenes golf programme is now available to watch. In Full Swing Series 2, a host of returning players from the first season, including Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Joel Dahmen, are joined by several new faces – Tom Kim, Rickie Fowler, Wyndham Clark and others.
It’s a must-watch programme for anyone with even a passing interest in professional golf and a fascinating insight into life of tour. From behind-the-scenes access at Major Championships and the Ryder Cup to coverage of the shock LIV Golf/PGA Tour merger announcement, Full Swing Season 2 is compelling viewing.
Below, we’ve picked our 20 favourite quotes from Full Swing 2 – there’s despair, humour, anger and everything in between.
Rory McIlroy:
“F**k… someone has got more Majors in my era than I have. It’s hard not to define myself as one of the best golfers in the world, so when you struggle like that you feel a little lost” – an honest McIlroy reveals that Brooks Koepka passing him did hurt.
“Why did I just waste 12 months of my life to fight for something that was always gonna come back together again?” – His reaction to the PGA Tour/PIF merger announcement
“I s**t myself with left pins. My technique isn’t anywhere near as good as it used to be. I almost feel like I want to do a complete reboot” – A clearly distressed McIlroy following the final round of the US PGA Championship
Claude Harmon III: “Everybody kept saying at Augusta, the worst thing that can happen to professional golf is if a LIV player wins a Major. I was keeping receipts” – Harmon took clear umbrage with the anti-LIV brigade before The Masters
Collin Morikawa: “What the f**k just happened? Just chaos” – Morikawa’s response to finding out about the merger
Dustin Johnson: “The guys that went to LIV Golf, we took a lot of criticism. You know, we’re the ones that took the risk so why should they be compensated? Obviously if this merger comes along there’s gonna be a lot of guys that wishes they signed” – DJ doesn’t think players who turned down LIV should be compensated for staying on the PGA Tour
Paulina Gretzky: “There were people sending death threats and awful, awful, awful things. People were aggressive, that’s for sure. That’s when I shut it down for a little bit” – A startling revelation from Gretzky
Rickie Fowler: “Who’s in charge of tee times? We played the last three holes in the dark” – Fowler wasn’t happy with the light conditions during the third round of the US Open
Joel Dahmen:
“What is happening? This is really weird. Monahan flipped 180 – they did it in secrecy, they didn’t tell anyone, there was no votes, there was nothing” – Dahmen was similarly shocked about the surprise PGA Tour/PIF announcement
“Being famous and shooting 76 is f***ing the worst thing in my life. It’s the worst f***ing thing in the world. When you’re golf famous, that’s fun, because you’re playing good and they cheer for you. Shooting 76 and missing the cut by one… you couldn’t put me in a worse spot in my life” – Dahmen opens up on his struggles with form and fame
“Thanks for caring about me. Hey, I love the f**k out of you. I wish you would’ve got another bag. But now we might be okay. I’m gonna go and get rich” – In one of Full Swing 2’s most poignant scenes, Dahmen has an emotional exchange with his caddie, Geno Bonnalie
Geno: “I definitely thought about giving him an ultimatum. If he doesn’t see someone then what’s the point of me being here anymore. Why would we keep showing up to events and not trying?” – Bonnalie questions his employer’s attitude
Wyndham Clark: “I had trained my mind over years of belittling myself and thinking negatively, locking myself in rooms and not coming out for a long time, drinking to excess or being mean to people. I didn’t want to play golf” – the US Open champion on his mindset before starting work with sports psychologist Julie Elion
Tom Kim: “When people are seeing this, just hit me up. I’m available” – Kim discusses his love life
Jordan Spieth: “I know if I’m at my ceiling, I will beat anybody” – despite an indifferent few years, Spieth is still confident in his own ability
Alex Fitzpatrick: “It is a goal to get out of Matt’s shadow. Whether or not it’s actually doable, I don’t know. Matt has a lot of things, if not all the things, that I would like. I’m definitely jealous, that is a no brainer” – Alex discusses the difficulty of life as Matt’s younger brother
Justin Thomas: “I literally lie awake at night and can’t freaking sleep thinking about the Ryder Cup and thinking about wanting to play better and why what’s going on is what’s going on” – a fascinating insight into the all-consuming nature of Ryder Cup qualification
Keegan Bradley: “Okay Zach, I understand. Wishing you obviously good luck and hope that you guys go over there and win it” – in arguably the most gut-wrenching scene in Full Swing 2, Bradley reacts impressively to finding out he hasn’t made the US Ryder Cup team
Shane Lowry: “Hey Joe, get out of the way you p***k” – Lowry isn’t best pleased with Joe LaCava’s hat-waving antics at the Ryder Cup
Jon Rahm: “I want to cry” – Rahm’s response to McIlroy saying “you make me want to be better” in the wake of Europe’s Ryder Cup victory
