Nothing conveys the allure of golf to the outside world better than a graceful swing. From Bobby Jones to Julius Boros to Luke Donald, seeing the difficult task of maneuvering a little ball great distances with a seemingly effortless motion is one of the wonders of sport. Interestingly, the prettiest swings are not always the soundest technically. As smooth and classic as Donald looks, for example, he is prone to being crooked off the tee, while the less poetic Tim Clark is relentlessly straight. Still, smooth and fluid are never bad, and these five were all extremely good.
1. Sam Snead
Aesthetically, the game's all-time standard. As Dave Marr once said, "There have been a lot of so-called natural golfers. Sam is supernatural." A superb all-around athlete who was also a self-taught trumpet player, Snead moved with a perfect blend of power and music. He usually swung with only 85 percent effort, and his mantra was "feel oily." It wasn't completely by the book -- Snead aimed right, took the club slightly inside and looped it back on plane -- but Snead's swing worked beyond his third place finish in the 1974 PGA Championship at age 62. "Watching Sam Snead practice hitting golf balls," said John Schlee, "is like watching a fish practice swimming."
More on GolfDigest.com
Where to play
The 20 Best Golf Resorts
Our ranking of the top destinations in North America has a new No. 1.
News & Tours
Golf's All-Time Biggest Breakups
We revisit the highest-profile splits in golf throughout the years.
- Keywords:
- golf,
- swing,
- Sam Snead,
- Al Geiberger,
- Jerry Pate,
- Payne Stewart,
- Steve Elkington,
- My Five,
- Jaime Diaz
The latest on golf digest
Photos
Who's That Girl?
Exclusive outtakes from our photo shoot with the Golf Channel's Holly Sonders.
Features
The Most Annoying Golfers
The only thing worse than playing with one of these golfers is being one of them.
Get Game Ready These 14 fixes will put you in mid-season form now.
What's In My Bag
Nick Watney
Nick Watney
Rankings
America's Toughest Courses
America's Toughest Courses
Swing Sequences
Louis Oosthuizen
Louis Oosthuizen
