IN a golfing world of conformity and similarity, 22 year-old Californian Bryson DeChambeau is turning heads on the PGA Tour as a result of his remarkable technique and equipment. Last week his playing partner in Abu Dhabi, world number 3 Rory McIlroy, was intrigued by the length of his clubs – all of them measuring exactly 37.5 inches.

The conventional golfers’ irons traditionally decrease in length and increase in loft from 3-iron to sand wedge to allow them to stand closer to the ball in a more open and crouched stance. DeChambeau’s stance and posture remains the same no matter what iron he with which allows him to “perform quite nicely with his irons” he told the BBC.

His idea stemmed from a book called “The Golfing Machine”, self-published by Homer Kelly, an aircraft mechanic, in 1969. The book appealed to the scientist in DeChambeau who challenges the traditional methods of playing golf with his extraordinary technique. Whilst he struggles for control out of the rough and playing the ‘softer’ shots, his potentially revolutionary methods target consistency of line and length when playing iron shots. He led in Abu Dhabi after two rounds but eventually faltered which allowed the conventional-swinging Rickie Fowler to take the title with a final round 68.

He will remain an amateur, at least until after the first three majors of 2016 (The Open Championship) for which he has gained qualification due to his success on the amateur circuit. Strong showings at golf’s showpiece events will certainly cause a stir among fanatics of the game and perhaps give the young star a chance to make his own range of clubs.

Sam Hawthorn 

Featured image: Dragonfly Golf Club