Updated on April 10th, 2020 at 06:15 pm

Creativity and Innovation in Golf – Bryson DeChambeau’s Slow Mark

Understanding the nuances of golf is difficult and crafting a form of pseudoscience to better understand the hole, seems almost necessary. But for so long, the best golfers have been the ones that can read the numerous factors that affect where the ball will land. Factors like wind speed, direction, curve of the course, topography, etc. The best golfers take every detail into account and adjust their swing to meet the needs of the course.

A relatively new member to the top golfers’ club, taking on the PGA tour, is Bryson DeChambeau. His style of golf is commonly referred to with this idea of pseudoscience and studying the course before the swing. Bryson most of all takes his time to study the course, his average speed while playing a hole shows his lack of urgency — something his fellow competitors seem to be rather worked up about. Bryson’s method of golfing doesn’t differ in just the speed at which he takes a hole.

Most golfers at any level will tell you that different clubs provide different swings. The longer your distance from the hole is, the longer and heavier your club should be. Bryson DeChambeau takes a different approach to this as well. All of his irons are cut to the same length, leading some to refer to him as “golf’s Galileo” as he attempts to break from the norm and take the course in his own style. But does DeChambeau’s new and unusual methods truly make him someone to keep an eye on as he develops and learns? It’s quite possible that we will be seeing much more from Bryson DeChambeau and his creative and innovative techniques on the PGA tour for years to come.

Bryson’s History And Entrance To PGA Tour

DeChambeau, born September 16, 1993, in Modesto, California, began his professional golfing career in 2016 at the RBC Heritage where he landed in fourth place. DeChambeau then qualified for the US Open where he tied for thirteenth place and boosted his world ranking to 148th. Bryson DeChambeau then qualified for the 2017 PGA tour after winning the DAP Championship. This was Bryson DeChambeau’s first professional win which led him into the spotlight of the Tour.

While on the PGA Tour, DeChambeau won the John Deere Classic, qualifying him for the 2017 open championship. Bryson DeChambeau started his professional career relatively recently and has already put some stats under his belt. After the 2017 tour, Bryson DeChambeau won events like the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, the Northern Trust playoff, the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Bryson DeChambeau has yet to get a major title to his name, but his quick lift off in the professional competitions indicates he might not be too far from one.

Bryson DeChambeau’s methods might be unique and laughable by fellow professional golfers, but they provide results. His approach to golfing appears to be a few decades behind from the pack, but the number of wins and prize money Bryson has accumulated indicates there is a method to his madness. While his nickname might have been out of spite, The Scientist seems to know what he’s doing, and the amount of time he takes on the course is well-used. Bryson’s creative approach and innovative use of single-length irons seems to have something to it.

Single-Length Irons – Innovative or Crazy?

DeChambeau’s clubs seem to be one of the largest differences between him and his fellow golfers. If you want to alter your swing, you change your stance and the length of your club. Bryson DeChambeau doesn’t subscribe to that ideal and seems to prefer a one length iron and wedge. Each of his irons and wedges are cut to 37.5 inches and have similar angles. The only difference between each club is their lofts. Most golfers find the idea of using a set of similar length clubs to be nearly impossible, yet DeChambeau has made his professional career based on them.

The single length of his irons and wedges keeps Bryson’s swing on a single plane, deterring the twisting of his wrists during the wind up. Bryson also employs the use of one of the largest grip pads available to professional golfers which alters where his hands grip the club. Bryson DeChambeau has either made it his goal to be as unique as possible, or truly is the scientist each of his competitors seems to mockingly claim. His approach to golf is unique, surely, but his approach to his swings seems to carry the most variation. This means that by avoiding any variable that alter his swing throughout a course, DeChambeau is able to allow himself different opportunities within a swing.

Bryson DeChambeau might be a different character when it comes to technique and ability, but he seems to be here to stay. If there was no method to his madness, DeChambeau would have crashed and burned within his first year of professional play. But, he’s still here, and he’s still touring with the PGA which means there’s something to his pseudoscience approach.

A Polarizing Figure On The PGA Tour

One thing that fans and players alike can agree on about Bryson, is that he is slow. He takes his time to set up a shot, and sluggishly moves to the next one. One time, Bryson DeChambeau took nearly three minutes to analyze, set up, and find the best route for an 8-foot putt which he then missed. Hard to believe right? Here is the video if you have a few minutes to spare.

Although DeChambeau insists that he is not slow, and he walks faster to the ball on the course than his opponents, he is still considered one of the slowest players in the game.  Golf Digest timed him on the tour championship and shared the results recently. Bryson’s slow and analytical approach to golf seems to have gifted him some disapproval, especially from fellow golfers. One altercation during the PGA tour with fellow competitor Brooks Koepka led to the PGA needing to intervene.

Bryson DeChambeau takes his time preparing shots, analyzing the ground, and taking into account each factor that could affect his shot. It’s annoying to fans and players, but it seems to work. His innovation with his clubs and his slow method have gifted him the nickname, The Scientist. But the Scientist’s creativity and unique approach has placed his name with the top athletes on the PGA Tour today.

While Bryson DeChambeau uses the same length irons to improve his game, others rely on Golf training aids and lessons to improve their game. Our goal at AEC Info is to provide you with the latest information and reviews on golf gadgets including Golf launch monitors, clubs, Best golf coolers, golf shoes, the Best driving iron, our top rated Glove, balls and more. Be sure to check back in often for our latest reviews on golf products.