"Did You See That Golf Swing?"
(A PGA Tour Player Misses The Golf Ball)
This week I want to dedicate this issue of GIW to the “Miss Adventures of Kevin Na”. Yes, “Miss” Adventures as in … a swing and a miss. On Monday, we posted on our Facebook page, video of PGA Tour Player Kevin Na swinging and completely missing the golf ball with his Driver during a PGA Tour event.
We have posted a link to the video lower in this article.
Now contrary to popular belief, whether a Golfer addresses the golf ball or not, really doesn’t matter as to whether a stroke was taken.
The Rules of Golf deems a golf swing as: A "stroke" is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.
Kevin Na apparently told the PGA Tour official that he decided on his downswing not to hit the golf ball. Wow, how convenient to say after totally missing the golf ball. However, since this is a game for ladies and gentlemen … the PGA Tour Official took him at his word.
Now, I have been watching and studying golf swings for more than a few years … and I have watched Kevin make this swing many, many times in the last 2 days … in my opinion, he tried to hit the golf ball and missed. I am not one to jump to conclusions and say “guilty” without looking at all the angles. And I have to be especially careful in doing so in such a public forum as writing in Golf Improvement Weekly goes out to over 52,000 people. However, what Kevin Na has done is terrible!
Here’s the scenario: It is a par 4 that is playing 341 yards downhill … so it can be pretty easily reached by the guys on the PGA Tour. The hole sets up for a right handed Golfer to draw the golf ball (curve the ball to the left) into the green. I believe Na tried to hit a big draw and just whiffed.
If you were able to watch the original video, it is almost exactly the same as his next swing when he does hit the golf ball. Unfortunately, the original video (posted by the Golf Channel) which showed the whole process of him missing, regrouping, then hitting his next shot was taken down from youtube. Most likely at the request of the PGA Tour.
However, if you were able to compare the two golf swings – as I was able to do on Monday – you would see they were almost exactly the same. The swing speed was the same, the first movement down was the same … the only thing different was that he missed the golf ball on his first attempt.
If there is one thing that the game of golf stands for (and apprarently Kevin Na does not) … it’s the honesty and integrity that Golfers are entrusted to uphold. In no other sport that I am aware of has there been so many Players, that in important situations have called penalties on themselves, as there has been in golf. To spare you the details of every time that a Player has called a penalty on them self during an important match or event, I will give you just two recent instances:
One – JP Hayes, 2009 PGA Tour Qualifying School. JP disqualified himself for the opportunity to qualify for the PGA Tour by letting an official know he was using a non-conforming golf ball. He was playing a Titleist, but it was a prototype that was yet to be approved. Yet, no one would have ever known this as it looked like every other Titleist.
It was just a sample that his tour rep had given him to practice with to get his feedback. Although, he accidently put it in play during the tournament. However, upholding what golf stands for – he disqualified himself from getting his Tour Card. Could you have done that yourself?
Two – Brian Davis, 2010 PGA Tour Heritage Classic in Hilton Head. Brian made an exciting birdie on the last hole to force a playoff with Jim Furyk. Brian, who had never won a PGA Tour event was in position for his first win … a dream every Golfer looks towards – yet he gave himself a two stroke penalty for something no one else saw.
He had ever-so-slightly nicked a loose piece of grass during his backswing while trying to recover from the sand next to the 18th green. It was basically impossible for anyone in the crowd or on television to see. But not to Davis, who was pretty sure he knew what had happened and called over the rules official to verify his judgment.
Which brings me to Kevin Na, who just won a tournament in Las Vegas – despite coming up with an excuse that in my opinion is a lie!
Na’s version is that he aborted his swing in the downswing and tried not to hit the golf ball. "My transition is what I'm always working on," Na said. "It's always my bad habit is I get quick. And on the way down my transition doesn't feel right, and I try to stop, and obviously it's impossible for me to stop. The only way for me to stop is I have to come up and go over the ball."
I am in disagreement with anyone that says that he intentionally tried to miss the golf ball! That was a golf swing! His movements on the way down were almost exactly the same as the next swing in which he hit the golf ball.
If he did intentionally miss … wouldn’t you think his swing speed would’ve slowed down a little on his downswing. Yet, it doesn’t appear that it did. Kevin Na whiffed.
Thus, he should have written down a 5 on his scorecard instead of the 4 that he wrote. Thus, he should be disqualified for signing a wrong scorecard!
You can call me a conspiracy theorist if you would like … however, why is it that the original video has been taken down from youtube.com? All it states is “The video has been removed by the user.” Why would this video be removed other than the fact that someone is trying to hide the details? Yes, there are a couple other videos still on youtube … however, they do not include the whole sequence including the next swing where he actually hits the golf ball. Thus, not allowing you to see Na's reaction after missing the golf ball, as well as comparing how similar the two swings were.
As there are Golf Channel executives that are subscribed to GIW, and have been readers for more than a few years … I must ask you – why did you take down the video? Why are there no details on the golfchannel.com about him whiffing? Did the PGA Tour ask you to take down the video and not write about it as they might be embarrassed on what Na has done? They know it is bad PR to let it out that someone blatantly cheated.
Harsh words? Yes they are. But this was a harsh circumstance that Kevin Na brought upon himself. Disrespecting hundreds of years of tradition just to benefit himself!
However, you be the judge. We have posted the video of Na missing the golf ball on our website (not the original video as that has been pulled off of youtube), but one that is good enough to see that he whiffed.
We have also included the video of Kevin Na when he scored a 16 on a hole during a PGA Tour event this past spring in Texas.
Thus we have called this page on our website – “The Miss Adventures of Kevin Na” as opposed to the “Misadventure of Kevin Na” because he did miss the golf ball. You will see Na standing on the tee about 13 seconds into the video. Watch for yourself.
Click here to see the videos -
http://golfmadesimple.com/tribute-to-kevin-na-golf.html
Plus, to see videos like this (including Darth Vadar playing golf), along with other tidbits that we often add -- become a fan of our Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/Golf.Schools.Golf.Swing.GMS). As we send out GIW once a week – we’re always adding interesting information and videos to our Facebook Page much more often.
Why am I so adamant about this? Because golf is a special game to me as we are supposed to police ourselves on the golf course. The game of golf affords us the opportunity to trust our fellow competitors and know they are true to the game. And this past weekend, Kevin Na failed the game of golf. He took it upon himself, for his own self interests, and changed what golf stands for.
Regards,
Marc Solomon
Your Instructor For Life
http://www.GolfMadeSimple.com
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