Okay, so I decided to spend some time looking into Ken Duke’s golf game recently. It wasn’t like some big research project, more just me tinkering around on the course and at the range, trying to see what I could pick up from watching him play over the years.
Getting Started: Observation
First thing I did was just watch some old footage. You see guys like Duke, they’ve been around, seen a lot. His swing isn’t what you’d call classic, maybe? It’s got its own rhythm, its own path. That’s what got me curious. It looked effective for him, even if it wasn’t straight out of a coaching manual.
I paid attention to his setup, the takeaway, how he moved through the ball. Looked pretty compact, not a lot of wasted motion. Seemed very… controlled, maybe? Like he knew exactly where the clubhead was the whole time.
Hitting the Range: Trying Things Out
So, I grabbed my 7-iron and went to the range. Didn’t try to completely copy his swing, that’s usually a disaster. Instead, I focused on one or two feelings I got from watching him.
- Tempo: Tried to smooth things out. Not rush the transition from backswing to downswing. Just feel a nice, even pace.
- Compactness: Focused on keeping my arms feeling connected to my body through the swing. Less flailing, more turning.
It felt a bit different, naturally. First few shots were nothing special. Some were okay, some were a bit off. But I stuck with it for a bucket of balls. The goal wasn’t to become Ken Duke, just to see if focusing on those elements changed anything for my own swing.
On the Course: Putting it (Sort of) into Practice
Next time I played a round, I didn’t try to force the ‘Duke swing’ on every shot. Too much thinking is bad for my game. But when I felt myself getting quick or sloppy, I’d think back to that smoother tempo I was working on. Just a little reminder.
I also spent a bit more time watching his short game clips. He always looked pretty solid around the greens. So, I dedicated an extra 15 minutes before my round just to chipping and putting. Focused on a simple, repeatable stroke, trying to stay steady like he seems to.
Wrapping Up: What I Learned
End of the day, my handicap didn’t magically drop five strokes. But the practice was useful. It reminded me that there isn’t just one ‘right’ way to swing a golf club. Watching guys like Ken Duke, who found success with a less conventional style, is a good lesson.
The main takeaway for me was focusing on tempo and trying to be a bit more compact. It didn’t revolutionize my game, but it gave me a couple of things to work on and think about. And spending that extra time on the short game? That never hurts, no matter who you’re watching.
So yeah, that was my little experiment looking into Ken Duke’s approach. Just some time spent observing, trying things out on the range, and seeing if any of it felt useful for my own game. Good reminder to keep learning and tinkering.
