“We were afraid they’d shut us out” - Netflix documentary Full Swing’s producer opens up on LIV Golf’s role in the show

The Netflix documentary series 'Full Swing' was released in February and went on to become a big hit. The show featured some of the sport’s biggest names, including LIV golfers like Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter. Now, the show’s producer has revealed how hard it was to work amid the rise of LIV Golf.

Chad Mumm, Chief Creative Officer at Vox Studios and the Executive Producer of Full Swing, has said they had worries as many of PGA Tour’s stars began defecting to LIV Golf mid-shooting.

In a special bonus episode of 'Full Swing Thoughts,' a podcast dedicated to discussing the Netflix show, Mumm revealed that his team members were afraid the LIV golfers would shut them out. He said that LIV’s emergence was seen as a “curse in some ways” at first.

Speaking about the role of LIV Golf on Full Swing, he said:

“When it first came down, it felt like maybe it was a curse in some ways because we had amazing access. You'll see in the show Brooks Koepka is somebody that we've been working with for the entire history of shooting the show. He was one of the first two interviews we did. He had given us amazing access, along with his fiancee Jena.

"Same thing with Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson. We invested a lot of time and resources in sort of telling their stories and we were afraid they’d shut us out.”

However, Chad Mumm was relieved that the players didn’t act on such grounds and cooperated with the show instead.

On this, he said:

“But they didn't. And what was really interesting about it was that you have golfers who aren't really known for being that outspoken about anything, and now they're being asked these questions about geopolitics and even more importantly, about why they're even here.

"Is it to win? Is it for legacy? Has playing the PGA Tour been the dream their whole lives, or is it for money? Is this a business to them or is this passion?”

The show's producer went on to add that the emergence of the LIV storylines gave the show “an extra boost.”

He said:

“And so that created these really interesting stakes that I think gave the show an extra boost.”

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Will Netflix’s Full Swing return for Season 2?

Having got an IMDb rating of 8.2, Full Swing Season 1 became one of the most-watched sports documentary series in the world. The series followed the PGA Tour and its golfers in a format similar to F1’s Drive to Survive.

The show sheds light on the lives of the players and behind-the-scenes of the 2022 PGA Tour season. It featured events, personal stories, and unsung stories, filled with a lot of drama and emotions, and highlighted the controversy of LIV Golf.

With the show receiving vital appreciation from global audiences and golf enthusiasts alike, the series is expected to return for a second season. However, the show’s producers are yet to confirm the same. Interestingly, producer Paul Martin hinted that the series is a recurring one, much like its F1 counterpart.