“Full Swing” is good, not great — but we expected more

Here’s my one-sentence review of Netflix’s golf documentary “Full Swing:” It’s good, not great.

That probably isn’t going to make a billboard, but especially if you consider yourself a hardcore golf fan you might come away underwhelmed. The fact is, the golf fan isn’t the target audience; it’s geared toward welcoming a new audience to the game and I sincerely hope it succeeds to do for golf what “Drive to Survive” has done for Formula One.

Although I have my doubts.

My biggest gripe of all is that it just isn’t edgy enough. With the exception of a few too many curse words, especially from Brooks Koepka, you wouldn’t know this isn’t a series from the PGA Tour’s house organ, PGA Tour Entertainment. For all the unprecedented access that Netflix supposedly received from the Tour and golf bodies that run the majors and the players, I wanted more. There should have been more locker room scenes and fewer sponsor-driven activities.

That’s not to say there isn’t some good material. I finished the first episode, which centers on the relationship between Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth and even though it was past my bedtime, I couldn’t help but binge another episode.

Mike Thomas, JT’s dad and swing instructor, steals the show for me. He tells the story of the time Jordan had JT’s rental car moved from the WM Phoenix Open parking lot. It’s a great prank and that anecdote will probably resonate with new viewers, but it would’ve been so much better if they could’ve come up with fresh anecdotes rather than rely on an oldie but a goodie.

It has previously been reported that Netflix suits requested a re-cut to take Koepka out of the first episode because it was too much of a downer and that was a wise call. It was fascinating to see the fragility of the four-time major winner’s confidence and self-belief in his game and perhaps explains his jump to LIV better than he has done publicly to this point. He opened up more than any player, which was great, but it also may make some viewers check out. And topping the list of those who come off poorly in the show is Koepka’s then-fiancee, now wife, Jena.

Episode 3 highlighted Ian Poulter and his decision to go to LIV and how much the Ryder Cup meant to him. This finally begins to introduce the LIV Plotline.

But it is the one that follows that I expect to become a cult favorite. For those who remember John Feinstein’s book, “A Good Walk Spoiled,” the unsung hero was Paul…