‘Don’t Do It’: Viktor Hovland Warned Against His ‘Dangerous’ Honesty That Will Haunt Him Forever
Viktor Hovland recently spilled the beans about his tough 2024 season, calling it the worst of his career. He confessed that trying to tweak his swing even after being told not to change anything had totally backfired, leaving him feeling like he’d lost control. It’s surprising, given his history of successfully fine-tuning his swing. But now, Hovland’s hard at work with new coach TJ Yeaton, determined to get his game back on track. You’ve got to admire his honesty and grit. And now, it seems another pro golfer has been listening in – and he’s got some words of wisdom to share with Hovland.
In the latest YouTube episode of Cookie Jar Golf, golfer Padraig Harrington dished out some sage advice to Viktor Hovland, cautioning him about the dangers of being too honest about his golf swing. Harrington knows a thing or two about being under the microscope – he’s been there himself, with people constantly analyzing his every move. “I’ve listened to Victor Hovland during the day, you know, talking about not liking his golf swing and the changes he’s making, and things… And I’m just screaming, ‘Don’t do it, Victor! Don’t do it! You’re trying to be honest, but this is going to haunt you for the rest of your life”, he said. And let’s be real. It can be frustrating when others think you’re making drastic changes when, in reality, you’re just trying to tweak a few things.
Harrington’s advice to Hovland was simple: don’t give people too much ammo. If you’re too open about your swing, and then you have a bad game, people are going to jump all over you, saying “I told you so!” Harrington had been in those shoes before, and he knew how annoying it could be. He recalled his own experience, where talking about his golf swing and changes led everyone to think he was doing something different. However, he was doing the exact same thing he had done every year throughout his career. His sole focus was on continuing to try and get better. Despite this, people still criticized him, claiming he had changed everything in 2009. Harrington maintained that he had done nothing different, sticking to the same approach he had used in 2008, 2007, and every other year.
“This was just being honest. Sometimes being honest can be a dangerous thing that will come back many, many times… Because it came back to me, and it’s very frustrating,” he continued. So, his advice to Hovland was to just focus on his game and not worry too much about what others think.
