BELLAIRE, Fla. — As the 7 a.m. tee time ticked closer and closer to 6:30, there were hushed sounds and whispers. Was there a traffic jam? Has anyone seen her? The LPGA and tournament organizers had hoped Wednesday would go off without a hitch, but they were worried the day would start off without a hitch.
Then, about 19 minutes before tee time, Caitlin Clark strolled onto the driving range at Pelican Golf Club. A casual and cool employee wearing Nikes from head to toe. I carried my bag to the edge where a camera was set up to record my first swing. She culled the first couple, but soon launched them into the sun above the tree line. After an introduction to his caddy, an assertion that he didn't care if his club fell on the next 18 holes, and a cart ride, Clark stood at Annika's first tee box next to namesakes Annika and Nelly Korda. Ta. , She is the world's No. 1 golfer, and her handicap is 16.
This is normal for Caitlin Clark, but it's something special for this golf tournament. After the world's biggest women's basketball star hit a tiny white ball, the crowd swelled to thousands.
“We messaged her a little bit on Instagram beforehand, but I was able to spend time with her and see the impact she has on people and brings people here, and the impact she has just on sports. I was able to see how amazing it is. I'm really glad I was able to see it with my own eyes today,” Korda said.
So what is Caitlin Clark's golf swing like?
In short, I can relate.
The Athletic sent multiple videos of his swings at Wednesday's pro-am to golf coach Dana Dahlquist, who works with Bryson DeChambeau and others. Dahlquist's biggest takeaway was that, like many amateurs, Clark didn't have enough power on his left side and couldn't square the clubface quickly enough. So by the time you reach impact, you have to “stand up” to try to hit the ball with a square face, reducing your potential for power, speed, etc.
“It's interesting to amateur golfers that all golfers who aren't high-level players struggle with the same things,” Dahlquist said. “They tend to spin a little bit more and they tend to grip the face more often. If you're taking lessons, it's important to educate them on how the club releases in their hands, and also on the left side so they can straighten the club. There is a balance between learning to reach properly and make good contact with the golf ball. ”
At the same time, Clark's superior athleticism and understanding of her body allow her to recover and generate considerable head speed. Her first tee shot was on the same line as Korda, only about 20 yards behind him, and her average tee shot distance this year was 269 yards. She always had the length to reach the green, even if her approach game tended to leave the left of the target and pull her irons.
Clark said he first started playing golf with a set of pink junior clubs, going to courses in Iowa with his father and watching Rory McIlroy on TV. She then upgraded to Callaway and earlier this week (founded through Gainbridge, the LPGA Tour's title sponsor and one of Clark's sponsors) from former LPGA pro Martha Feuer Faulconer in Indianapolis. Golfweek reported that he is taking lessons. .
Golf and basketball fans flocked to Clark at the end of Wednesday's pro-am. (Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports)
Clark said in the offseason after the Indiana Fever playoffs that he wanted to become a professional golfer. Surprisingly, this was a joke that was taken seriously by some, but Clark still wants to play competitive golf against his friends for bragging rights. “That's what I enjoyed. It's challenging,” Clark said.
Professional golf has sometimes been accused of being too hungry for attention from other professional athletes and celebrities, trying to bring younger energy and audiences to a sport that skews older. It can lead to strained relationships and partnerships that seem inauthentic.
This will be Clark and the LPGA's second pro-am appearance, following the 2023 John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour, but it won't be. She's a golfer, speaks the lingo casually and comfortably, and has Pebble Beach on her list of lifelong goals. As she waits for her next shot, she absentmindedly cleans the grooves on her iron on the tee.
But she faces unique challenges compared to others. For example, LPGA pros line up to take selfies with her as she walks down the 18th fairway. Or when he walked and talked No. 7 on the Golf Channel and had to swing right away, Clark asked for and received a mulligan after chunking his shot 100 yards, and after finally airmailing the green. , Hall decided it was over. “I'm just an average golfer. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. It is what it is,” Clark said.
The amazing thing about Clark's game is that the WNBA Rookie of the Year, known for his competitive nature, was able to shrug off even the worst shots. A shank tee shot on the third hole caused some members of the crowd to duck and hide.
Clark played Korda on the front nine and then Sorenstam on the back nine. The former said he was focused on tournament preparation and light conversation, while the latter provided Clark with thoughts on his swing.
“It was more like just tempo. She hits a little faster,” Sorenstam said. “She plays with Nellie up front and Nellie is a power-oriented player, so of course when you play with a player like that you want to swing harder and faster. I think I have to find my tempo and try to get the clubface more square to the target.”
The Athletic's Gabby Herzig contributed to this article.
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton/The Athletic, Photo: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
