LOUISVILLE—Walk down a driving range and you'll notice golfers making rehearsal moves. It's true at your local driving range, and it's true at the 2024 PGA Championship.
Most golfers a swing thought or two they show up to a tournament. A position, or move, in their golf swing they want to engrain in their golf swing. The difference between a swing thought and a swing feel is that the feels are what players go searching for. That's what they take out onto the golf course. That's why you see so many rehearsal moves, and often why these rehearsals can look very exaggerated. That helps them find a feel that both solves their technique, and helps them bring it to the golf course.
"It's easy to revert back to some old stuff when you're on the course," Viktor Hvoland says. "That's why I kind of exaggerate my feels. I was able to apply those feels, and I saw improvement right away."
Hovland wasn't the only one rehearsing feels at Valhalla Golf Club. Here's a handful I spotted throughout the week. Can you notice the differences?
Ludvig Aberg Feel
Ludvig Aberg Real
Xander Schauffele Feel
Xander Schauffele Real
Adam Scott Feel
Adam Scott Real
Billy Horschel Feel
Billy Horschel Real
Si Woo Kim Feel
Si Woo Kim Real
Alex Noren Feel
Alex Noren Real
Tony Finau Feel
Tony Finau Real
Justin Rose Feel
Justin Rose Real
Jason Day Feel
Jason Day Real
Jake Knapp Feel
Jake Knapp Real