Watching the 89th Masters Tournament live ranks among my favorite sporting moments ever. Witnessing Rory McIlroy slay his “white whale” at Augusta National Golf Club and finally bring home the career Grand Slam was a genuine privilege. Watching him go back-to-back and win the 90th Masters earlier this month wasn’t such a bad evening, either.
Ever since that fateful day in April 2025, when McIlroy became only the sixth player (and first European) to complete the career slam, I’ve been eagerly anticipating reliving the moment via Netflix’s golf docuseries, “Full Swing.” Since its premiere in 2023, “Full Swing” has done a great job of capturing the highs and lows of the sport, providing insight into victorious moments, crushing defeats, and the on-course narratives.
The previous three seasons of “Full Swing” have been excellent, so I had little doubt that season 4 would continue that trend and cover McIlroy’s win with the grandeur it deserves. So, consider me shocked that the docuseries has served up an underwhelming recount, with all the hallmarks of being a “rush job.” You could say it butchers the moment.
Let’s get this over with
The first episode of “Full Swing” season 4, entitled “Unfinished Business,” tackles the 89th Masters, and it doesn't do the momentous occasion justice.
For starters, the episode is the shortest of the season at 39 minutes. Once you strip away the accoutrements like the "hype reel" introduction and the questionable focus on Keegan Bradley (we’ll get to that later), there’s around 30 minutes of footage specifically centered on Augusta.
That is not enough time to properly tell the story of not only the events of the 89th Masters, but all the context explaining why McIlroy’s win was such a huge moment, a victory 14 years in the making. The episode also puts focus on Justin Rose, who ultimately came second, and while Rose’s involvement is important to the story, it further dilutes things.
For comparison’s sake, while Netflix’s “Full Swing” dedicates about 30 minutes to McIlroy’s Masters win, over on Prime Video, there’s an entire 90-minute documentary on the subject, “Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait,” which is a much better watch for anybody wanting the scoop.
The Ryder Cup in the room
I can’t help but feel like the filmmakers behind “Full Swing” only included the 89th Masters out of a sense of obligation. After all, it would have been a very curious creative choice to omit such a landmark moment in the game of golf in a docuseries all about the sport.
Still, it’s quite clear that “Full Swing” season 4 is only really interested in one tournament: The Ryder Cup. Almost every talking-head interview in “Full Swing” season 4, episode 1, brings things back to Bethpage. That includes taking time to observe US captain Keegan Bradley at home, and constantly commenting on the pressures that come with being a Ryder Cup captain.
Then, as we watch Justin Rose surge up the Masters leaderboard to set up a nail-biting playoff against McIlroy, the framing is largely about how the English golfer has only been named in a single Ryder Cup squad and desperately hopes to make the cut for the 2025 edition. Even when the Masters is supposedly taking priority, the Ryder Cup looms large.
I’ve no problem with “Full Swing” wanting to emphasize the Ryder Cup. It’s a big deal in the golfing world, and the 2025 edition of the tournament (which is covered in episode 4, “The Last Stand”) certainly had enough dramatic moments to be worthy of taking the spotlight. But I can’t help but feel like maybe “Full Swing” should have just committed to making season 4 solely about the Ryder Cup, rather than trying to speed through the rest of the season in a very rushed fashion.
Perhaps the show's attention being monopolized by the Ryder Cup is to capture U.S. interest. After all, the 89th Masters was ultimately a showdown between an Englishman and a Northern Irishman (the highest-ranking American was Patrick Reed, finishing 3rd). Meanwhile, the Ryder Cup is a U.S. vs. Europe contest, so it has broader appeal and is more likely to capture the interest of American Netflix viewers.
Nevertheless, “Full Swing” has always done a marvelous job of encompassing the full breadth of the PGA tour, so it’s disappointing to see it stumble when the 89th Masters teed it up for a masterpiece.
Watch "Full Swing" season 4 on Netflix now
