[Kim Maengnyeong's Golf English Conversation] "Long Hitter Sam Snead (Slamming Sam Snead)"

The 'golf legend' Sam Snead was famous for his long drives.

‘Golf legend’ Sam Snead made his professional debut in 1936 at the young age of 24.

His trademark was a straw hat. In the 1930s and 1940s, he gained fame as part of the American triumvirate along with Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. He dominated the PGA Tour with a total of 82 wins, and to this day, he shares the record for most wins with the ‘Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods (both from the USA). He won three Masters Tournaments and three PGA Championships, as well as one Open Championship.

It is fascinating that Snead reportedly flew an incredible 270 meters with his natural rhythm and perfect timing. At that time, hitting 200 meters was enough to be classified as a long hitter. This is why he earned nicknames such as Slamming Sam Snead and Slammer. He never took lessons. In his 1946 publication, How To Play Golf, he advised, "The golf ball isn’t going to run away from you while you’re swinging," and "Take it easily and lazily."

The unique move called the ‘Snead Squat’ became a hot topic. At the start of the downswing, the left leg appears to move toward the target direction, while the right leg moves in the opposite direction. Although he hit long drives with a beautiful swing, his putting was weak (great swing, poor putt). He should have stroked with his shoulders and arms but used his wrists too much, often missing short putts. He was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1953.

A: Have you ever heard about Sam Snead?

B: Yes I have. He was the greatest American professional golfer who won 82 PGA tournaments.

A: Do you know what weak point he had in golf?

B: He was never a great putter. Because he used his wrist instead of his arm and shoulder.

Written by Kim Maengnyeong, Golf Columnist