Fifty one videos, 126,000 subscribers and 278,210 views on YouTube, Pádraig Harrington’s series of ‘Paddy’s Golf Tips’ are a huge hit amongst amateurs across the world and even some touring professionals.
Harrington became somewhat of a social media icon over the 2020 Covid lockdown, filming videos in his back garden where he would demonstrate tips and amusingly hit golf balls over his house in Dublin.
These have continued with the three-time major champion offering pointers to help all amateur golfers improve and take their game to the next level. In typical Harrington fashion, many of these drills and techniques appear unconventional. The tips cater for beginners to the advanced amateur looking to increase their swing speed and it’s unlocked an inner passion for him.
“I started doing it during COVID. I’ve always liked coaching, I actually like playing pro-ams and giving a few tips out there. I think I should be able to get every golfer in the whole wide world to a single figure handicap. I think that’s a very reasonable goal,” said the 52-year-old.
“It’s hard to be a scratch golfer, but to get to 9, it’s not that hard. When I say it’s not that hard, there’s some simple things you can do to get there and that’s what my videos are mainly focused on. I’m really just trying to help the weekend warrior get to a level where if you’re a single figure golfer, you can walk into any clubhouse with your chest expanded. It’s a level of achievement. That’s what I’m focused on.”
While amateurs across the world feast on Harrington’s knowledge in the search for perfection, his videos have struck a chord with his fellow professionals.
“I was literally walking out the door, the pro said (inaudible) is really helping him. I just did a recent one with stepping in your swing, try and get the proper sequence in at the movements. Remember, I said movements. You don’t stay still when you’re swinging a golf club, you’ve got to move.
“Yeah, it’s nice when the pro, even though — I’m not trying to make these lessons for my fellow pros, I’m trying to make them, as I said, for beginners and people who are kind of stuck in the game, who aren’t improving and trying to get them across that threshold of, you know, being able to break 80, be a single figure golfer.”
Keep your head still, don’t use your wrists, keep your feet still, stand nice and steady at address, just some of the common golf tips you will get from your local four ball at the weekend.
Harrington aims to quash these age old views in his videos and he encourages golfers to use their wrists in the swing for increased power and distance while he is a big advocate for incorporating the stepping drill into the on course golf swing.
“I started doing it in COVID because I like doing it, it was something to do. I tried to post a video every day, then obviously we expanded to now doing it on YouTube on Paddy’s Golf Tips. It’s enjoyable. It’s a great way to get access to the public directly.
“When it comes to golf, people who come to golf, especially athletes who come to golf, they seem to have some crazy ideas about keeping your head still or keeping your head down or swinging slowly. God, they’re like 100 percent, I think. Won’t be 100 percent, but 99 percent of golfers would be better off doing the exact opposite of what they think would be better.
“Just swing away, that’s probably the best advice you could give. You’ll just get used to it and time it after that rather than to try and get good too quick, too early. We could talk about this all day.”
The feedback is universally positive, although you won’t catch the Dubliner scrolling through Twitter comments!
“I get some great feedback, or one on one and personal. I’m sorry to say it is social media so you try not to read comments. I know my comments would be pretty positive, but still I think that can be — for the guys that get involved in social media, that can be the downside if you get too involved in what the feedback in the comments. So I have somebody else that goes through that and we kind of collate it.
“I love when people — it’s happening more and more when people come up to me and say they like my videos, it’s helping. One of the pros said it to me inside there, one of my fellow competitors said it’s really helped him.”
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