NETFLIX FULL SWING
Full Swing executive producer Chad Mumm talks about the making of season two, the highlights, the process and the challenges
When the first season of the Netflix FullSwingdocuseries was announced, expectations were high. The DrivetoSurvivefly-onthe-wall documentary led to a massive boost in the popularity of Formula 1 and the golfing world wondered whether FullSwing might do something similar for our sport. But along with the hopes, there were concerns, too. How could golf, an ostensibly slow-moving, methodical sport, be portrayed as dramatic and exciting? Would a docuseries on golf just be a bit boring?
It was anything but. FullSwingshowed the raw emotions in top-level professional golf, the highs and lows, the challenges, the rivalries and the camaraderie. It was a hit. Figures released at the end of 2023 showed the series had 53 million viewing hours in the first half of the year. A phenomenal number. It was such a success, a second season was commissioned and released this March.
This time, the question wasn’t would it work? We knew it did. The question was, could the FullSwing team build on season one and deliver something more second time around? Again, we needn’t have worried. Season two of FullSwing is a triumph. With increased access, including locker room footage at each of the four Majors, an overarching storyline that builds to a thrilling Ryder Cup climax, involvement from top players – with a significant contribution from Rory McIlroy – and incredible insight into the temperament and character of the main protagonists, the eight-episode series paints a fascinating picture of elite men’s professional golf.
FullSwing is quite possibly the most successful venture ever to take golf to a non-golfing audience. We were lucky enough to speak with FullSwing executive producer, Chad Mumm, to find out more about the processes and challenges involved in making the programme...
How pleased are you with season two and the reaction to it?
We’re so pleased and proud of raising the bar in terms of the storytelling in season two. The reaction from fans and players, everybody involved, has been universally positive. These shows are hard to make and, going into a second season, we wanted to raise the bar for how we brought people into this world. I think by virtue of having done it once and having been around enough, players got even more comfortable in season two. We knew our way around, we knew what stories worked and what stories didn’t.
And the drama, I think, unfolded a lot more naturally this season. Given what happened in the world of golf and the fact that we had this season-ending Ryder Cup to build to, that gave us a storyline that didn’t necessarily need a player winning to make it matter.
What are the biggest challenges in gaining acces
