Sometimes in golf, you have to get creative, and it doesn’t get much more creative than the backwards shot. Whether you are trying to escape trouble or impress your friends, this shot, while rare, is a game changer. It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro or a weekend warrior, if you can pull it off, more power to you.
Here are 10 of the craziest backwards shots we’ve seen.
No Look
Sometimes not looking at the target is best, even if it’s arguably the most beautiful hole in the world. In one of the more unorthodox backward swings we’ve seen, this gentleman stands with his back toward the green and in one motion is able to turn on it with a smooth release. Hey, whatever gets the job done. We’re just jealous he’s the one playing Cypress Point!
Phil Mickelson
Of course, Phil is giving us a lesson on how to hit the proper backward shot. Straight from his DVD, Lefty gets right into it with a splash of optimism, and hoists one way up into the air only for it to land softly on the green behind him.
Hole Out
This youngster obviously got Phil’s memo when he tried to play the same exact shot. This one, however somehow manages to find the bottom of the cup. Good thing he filmed otherwise nobody would’ve believed it. You can bet Phil would’ve given him one of his patented thumbs up.
Sergio Garcia
Here we find Sergio in a precarious situation. After his ball got stuck in a tree, he shimmied his way up, had somebody give him a club and hit one of the more miraculous backyard recovery shots we’ve ever seen. Vamos El Nino!
Brush
Right on cue, this amateur pulled off the same sort of shot Sergio just showed us, except he didn’t need to climb a tree. He makes great contact and escapes the brush with ease. Shout out to the camera guy for the commentary – marvelous!
Matt Kuchar
Matt Kuchar gave us this solid backwards stab on the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass. He missed the green so badly on his tee shot he actually ended up on the walkway which connects the “island” green to the mainland. With no stance, he took a chance and, golly gee, it paid off.
Happy Birthday
Skip to 25 seconds in as this gentleman attempts a daring backward escape from off the fairway. Several practice swings seemed to pay off as he made great contact and sent the ball flying over his golf cart. Happy birthday to him, indeed!
Tom Watson
Tom Watson has hit his fair share of famous chip shots, but this one from the 2014 Toshiba Classic immediately goes into the pantheon of great ones. With his ball next to a tree, Watson hit out backwards only to have the ball hit the pin. After seeing the shot, the most amazing part is that it didn’t go in.
Miguel Angel Jimenez
The MAJician pulled this rabbit out of the hat during the 2000 Open Championship at the home of golf, St. Andrews. After finding himself with little options, he attempted the off-the-wall shot and executed it to perfection. Just another day for “the most interesting man in golf.”
The Bank Is Open
This amateur backward shot grabs the top spot on the list. After missing the green badly, he was forced to weigh his options and settled on the most logical one, obviously, by attempting the ricochet-off-the-wooden-pole-shot. Somehow he managed to stick it to two feet. The bank is open!
