Bryson DeChambeau is called the scientist for a reason.
He arrived on the scene as a quirky, analytical bomber who tried to break down the game in a totally different way. DeChambeau has since become one of the most popular figures in the sport.
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The rise of his YouTube channel, which has amassed over 2 million subscribers, has completely transformed his public image, but, according to DeChambeau himself, his roots are in science.
DeChambeau says his physics major has helped him discover two things about golf that no one else has, giving him an edge over everyone else.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
What Bryson DeChambeau says he was the first to discover about golf
DeChambeau takes a totally different approach to golf than almost anyone else in the game. That endears him to some people and frustrates others. But his approach stems from his love of science, which he says has given him an edge over everyone else.
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Speaking on the Katie Miller Podcast, DeChambeau explained, “I was 15, I read this book called The Golfing Machine, and it taught me a lot about the physics of golf, and I obviously loved golf. As a kid, I hated reading and writing. I didn’t like reading. But once I read this book, I thought, ‘wow, I can read about something I really like: golf.’
“So every single subject I tried to learn about golf, but physics was the one that intrigued me the most. I was like, okay, I want to learn as much about physics as possible. So I can understand the fiction value, I can understand the normal force factor, and understand centrifugal force, how everything’s kind of working.
“Just understand the world around me a little bit better. I played LEGO as a kid, ok, I loved understanding how to build stuff and create stuff. So for me, it was more of just wanting to know more.”
And DeChambeau claims he was the first to discover two things about golf thanks to his love for science: “One was the single-length clubs. It’s been figured out before, but it’s never become really known that well.
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“And secondarily, it’s learning how to gain strength in your body and produce more speed in the golf swing, so I learned how to hit it really far. I was a guy who didn’t really hit it very far, and now I hit it really far, so there was a lot of working out and applied strength techniques to getting the ball to go farther. So just a few things.
“I’m always trying to create a distinct advantage, no matter what it is.”
Why Bryson DeChambeau’s claim is totally wrong
Firstly, yes, DeChambeau was the first person to bring single-length irons into the mainstream, but how he can still call them an advantage at this point is beyond belief. His last two major championship appearances have been derailed because of them.
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DeChambeau’s wedges are the same length as his six-iron, which is great for creating a repeatable swing. But when they’re any variation in lie, his wedges fall apart. The uneven lies at Augusta and Aronimink wreaked havoc with DeChambeau’s irons, as he missed the cut in both majors.
He also lacked the artistry and toughness with these broomstick-length wedges to navigate Augusta’s bunkers and Aronimink’s rough. If it was the way to go, then another golfer would have copied him since he implemented them in 2024. They have not caught on, and that is telling.
As for his claim about his strength and conditioning, DeChambeau’s revelation that being stronger makes you hit it farther is hardly a brand-new concept. Tiger Woods was the first golfer to hit the gym hard to improve his game, and that was 15 years before DeChambeau’s time.
So is DeChambeau’s self-proclaimed intelligence changing the game, or is he too blind to see that these ideas aren’t revolutionary at all?
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