If you haven’t seen Season 3 of Netflix’s Full Swing, in particular the episode about Gary Woodland (Bridgestone Tour B X), I recommend viewing it. It is compelling and about as raw as it gets in terms of understanding life, family and what it means to be a professional athlete dealing with brain tumor.

Woodland’s battle is depicted in stark detail, including conversations with his physician and hospital medical staff as part of his treatment and undergoing MRIs. An image is shown of his head and the screws and plates in it from surgery. Netflix is given access to this and, I believe, it was integral in telling the story and allowed because of how much the network has covered professional golf and gained the trust of players.

He talks about his athletic drive growing up, specifically to play basketball. He played it in university at Kansas but realized his limitations as far as doing it professionally. He subsequently switched to golf and became successful, highlighted by his 2019 U.S. Open win.

“I didn’t realize how much I loved the game until I had it taken away from me,” he says.

His brain tumor diagnosis in 2023 came after he experienced shakiness and anxiety and had thoughts of death. He would later discover he had a lesion on the part of the brain that controls fear and anxiety. Though the tumor was non-cancerous, he opted for the operation in September to regain his quality of life. What is particular poignant is him describing letters he wrote to each of his three children and his wife in case he died. He says being a father was more important than anything he could have dreamed of, and as far as far as his wife and their marriage he wouldn’t change a thing.

“Writing these letters were the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he says.

Four months later he was back on the PGA Tour and his fears were gone, but anti-seizure medication left him feeling like a “walking zombie.”

The culmination of the segment is playing in The Open, in which he feels hope because he has his energy back and isn’t experiencing any headaches. He makes the cut and says for all PGA Tour players there’s as much pressure to do that as it is to win. He finishes tied for 50th place and admits he now feels like he can compete.

“It’s nice to not have a headache,” he says. “Just keep fighting. Just keep believing in yourself.”

He has another MRI and is told nothing has changed since his last one, but he has to temper his enthusiasm because each time he goes in for a checkup he is hoping to be taken off medication.

“It puts birdies and bogeys in perspective,” he says. “I’ve had time to reflect. I’m so proud of myself. I don’t think I’ve ever done that. There were a lot of days I didn’t know if I would ever get better because my brain just couldn’t withstand the excitement and stimulation. I’m starting to feel a light at the end of the tunnel and I’m starting to get my life back.”

Collectively, I learned so much about Gary Woodland as a person and as a golfer, combined with the insight about the specifics of the brain that control fear and anxiety. I wonder what his reaction was seeing the episode. He did not hold back on his feelings about how cancer affected him and his family and what it means to be a professional athlete. It was also interesting to hear

comments from his fellow competitors, who hold him in such high respect.

He was the recipient of the 2025 PGA Tour Courage Award that was announced last month.

NOT BLOWING SMOKE: Charley Hull (TaylorMade TP5x) has quit smoking and it’s causing quite a sensation on social media.

Hull posted on her Instagram account last week she has made a bet with English pro Ryan Evans that she is breaking her habit for two months. The bet is for $10,000 pounds or the equivalent of $13,000.

“Deal is a deal,” she wrote on the Instagram post. “Let’s see if I am a woman of my word. Today I’ve made the decision that I’m going to stop smoking. If I pick up a cigarette in the next two months, I’ll give you the 10 grand and I’m shaking on that. Deal.”

In this day and age in which smoking is frowned upon for health reasons, he decision to quit is interesting. Hull’s smoking became a story at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open when she was videotaped smoking after a practice round and then signing autographs. When asked about it by the media, she said: “My dad (has smoked) 40 a day since he was 12 years old and now he’s 75, and my nephew smokes and he’s like 25. My whole family smokes, so it’s not something I’ve noticed being odd. I hate smoking. I used to curse at my dad when I was younger for smoking, but I think it’s to do a little bit when I’m stressed.”

If Netflix ever decides to do an LPGA Tour version of Full Swing – and frankly it’s badly needed or something similar to give the sport exposure it is really lacking – Hull would be perfect because she has a combination of talent, good looks and cheeky, English humor that have made her a standout on the LPGA Tour. She said

people have told her she should have a TV show because of everything going on in her life.

Hull is currently ranked 10th in the world and will be teeing it up this week in the Arizona Championship. Many of the sport’s top players will be in it.