Why Ross Left the Driver in the Bag on Every Par 5 (And Shot Level Par)
Colin and Ross are back with a spring-in-the-air episode that finds both of them actually getting outside for a change (Scotland hitting double figures apparently counts as tropical). Colin, flying the flag for the high handicappers, reports back on the swing drills he's been grinding through at home, specifically the towel-under-the-armpits connection drill and the now-infamous chair-behind-the-backside drill to stop his Elvis-style hip thrust. Spoiler: both feel deeply, profoundly weird, but Ross talks him through why forcing the extreme is actually the point. Colin is also off to Portugal for his annual British Invitational, sporting a freshly chopped handicap of 21, and he's wrestling with the classic dilemma of whether to bring his half-built new swing on holiday or just leave it in the suitcase.
Ross then walks through his first medal of the year, played in 25mph winds on firm greens, where he managed level par by fully committing to his pre-shot routine and, more importantly, his new Claude Harmon-inspired par 5 strategy. Three-wood off every par 5 with water, including a 605-yarder, and somehow he got inside 100 yards for his third shot every single time without a driver in hand. He breaks down the whole thing hole by hole, along with his full pre-shot routine (diaphragm breathing and all) for Colin to nick. There's also a proper dive into travel bags for flying with clubs, the new Cleveland wedges Ross is waiting on, and a rundown of pairs comps they're eyeing up around Dumfries and Galloway, Southerness, and the brilliant-sounding Spey Bay summer solstice event where you can tee off at 4am.
The back half is pure Masters chat. Both lads watched most of it, loved the finish, and get into Rory's near-collapse, Justin Rose's missing intensity compared to last year, the mixed feelings about Cam Young and Scheffler's robotic energy, and Shane Lowry's hole-in-one that Sky replayed roughly every twenty minutes. They close out with the Colville Park open and Colin getting very excited about the new season of Full Swing landing the next day.
Episode Highlights
🟢 Why the chair-behind-the-bum drill feels like being in a straight jacket, and why Ross reckons that's exactly the point when you're trying to kill a swing fault
🟢 Ross's full par 5 masterclass, including why three-wood off a 605-yard hole left him wedging in for his third shot (and how driver had been costing him for years on the same hole)
🟢 A proper step-by-step walkthrough of Ross's pre-shot routine, from the practice swing behind the ball through the diaphragm breathing to the open-shoulder alignment trick
🟢 The travel bag rabbit hole, hard cases versus soft cases versus the hybrid Amazon special Colin took a punt on for his Portugal trip
🟢 Masters post-mortem, including the Cam Young emotionless debate, why Justin Rose looked flat compared to last year, and Shane Lowry's 7th at Pebble and 17th at Sawgrass hole-in-one collection
Gear & Resources Mentioned
🟢 Claude Harmon's podcast, referenced for his par 5 strategy advice about removing stress and big numbers, available at most podcast platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/son-of-a-butch-with-claude-harmon/id1561803455
🟢 Cleveland Golf wedges, which Ross has on order https://www.clevelandgolf.com
🟢 Southerness Golf Club in Dumfries and Galloway, former Open qualifying venue https://www.southernessgolfclub.com
🟢 Spey Bay Golf Club and their summer solstice exhibition weekend on June 21st, with tickets from £180 to £300 https://www.speybaygolfclub.com
🟢 Royal Dornoch (the Struie course), mentioned from a previous trip https://royaldornoch.com
🟢 Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright, and Dalbeattie courses in the Dumfries and Galloway area
🟢 Full Swing on Netflix, new season landing the day after recording
🟢 The towel-under-the-armpits drill for swing connection and the chair-behind-the-backside drill for early extension
🟢 Both Sides of Par website and email https://bothpar.com and hello@bothpar.com
Weekly Competitions
🟢 Colville Park Golf Club Open, Motherwell, Sunday 2nd August. A James Braid designed course with a tough opening stretch including a 200-yard par 3 and a couple of 400-yarders. 28 handicap limit, £15 per person. Format not specified on the show, contact the club for details https://www.colvilleparkgolfclub.com
Chapter List
00:00 Intro and who's actually the high handicapper
01:30 Swing drill update, towels, gloves and the chair behind the bum
07:30 Portugal trip prep and the British Invitational
11:45 Ross's first medal of the year in 25mph winds
14:00 Par 5 strategy, three-wood everywhere and removing the stress
20:30 Pre-shot routine broken down step by step
25:30 Indoor sims, Inverness update and winter practice
27:30 Travel bags for flying with clubs
30:45 Cleveland wedges incoming
31:30 Planning pairs comps, Dumfries & Galloway and Spey Bay solstice
35:30 Masters recap, Rory, Rose and the Saturday wobble that never came
40:00 Cam Young, Scheffler and the emotionless player debate
42:00 Shane Lowry's hole-in-one collection
44:00 Colville Park weekly open
45:15 Full Swing season drop and sign off
