Kevin Na Swing Analysis: Doesn’t Have to be Perfect When You Have the Best Short Game on Tour

I love to watch guys like Na who don’t drive the ball particularly long or straight and aren’t the best ball strikers around but play consistently great golf. After all, the game is about scoring, and Na has been #1 in Strokes Gained Around the Green 3 times in the last 10 years while having solid putting stats. Na is 5’11”, the same as Hideki Matsuyama, but Matsuyama outweighs Na by 30 pounds and is 15 to 20 yards longer off the tee. You might expect Na to be among the most accurate drivers considering his lack of length, but that is not the case. At times Na’s iron play has been exceptional, as in 2016 and 2017 when he was 2^nd and 8^th in SG Approaching the Green, but generally his ball striking stats are not stupendous up against his PGA Tour rivals (of course he is way better than players not on the Tour), which tells you just how amazing his short game is. Watching his swing we see a flawless backswing which gets him to the top in what I would consider perfect position. From transition on things get a little quirky, as Na maintains his left wrist extension a long while into the forward swing and utilizes a throw type release to square the face, not unlike another consistent performer, my one-time employer Kevin Streelman. When you watch Na’s release action you realize that with enough natural ability, mental toughness, and a great short game you can still be successful on the PGA Tour.

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