The Loop

To master the art of imperfection, look no further than Ryan Moore

September 12, 2013

With only two more events left in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, it's fair to expect that the audience's eyes will gravitate towards the big guns -- Tiger, Phil, Adam Scott -- one last time before the season draws to a close. But for golfers still trying to shave those last few strokes off their game before season's end, they'd be better off casting their eyes toward a different pro: Ryan Moore. Moore's swing may not be as pretty as, say, Adam Scott's, or as fluid as Ernie Els', but therein lies its genius: It doesn't need to be. All his quirks, some of which are common among average golfers at your local club, never hinder his ability to square the club at impact.

Related: Ryan Moore on how to max out your power and still find the fairway  Moore's swing is entirely homegrown. By conventional standards, his stance is too open and probably too wide. His grip is too strong. His hands hang too low. His clubhead is too outside on the way back, too steep at the top, and his downswing is a frantic (and much-needed) race to neutralize all these moves.