Full Swing Won't Have Full Access To Team USA At Ryder Cup

The Netflix series Full Swing has given golf a huge boost and will return for season two, but it will not have an access all areas pass for Team USA with Zach Johnson making the team room off limits.

After concerns were raised about just how much access the Netflix crew would have at the upcoming Ryder Cup, Johnson spoke to all of his 12-strong team and the unanimous response was that they would prefer some privacy.

Even in this modern age of cameras going everywhere, the Ryder Cup team rooms are still a sanctuary for golfers with what goes on behind the curtain there remaining behind closed doors.

And despite the Full Swing cameras trailing players around the world this season, they won't get to see the inner sanctum of Johnson's USA side at Marco Simone.

"It was one of those where we all gathered, I talked to every individual and laid out scenarios," Johnson said, according to ESPN.

"And they all felt like it was best to navigate that week of the tournament in a manner which the sanctity and sacredness of Team USA is preserved. We're eliminating scenarios."

Justin Thomas, who appeared heavily in the first series of Full Swing, says the team was united in deciding against giving the cameras total access.

"I just think there was maybe a couple of people a little sceptical, and it really was not even a conversation," Thomas said. "We're all a team this week. All 12 were on board, so it doesn't really matter."

The PGA Tour reported that Full Swing gave a huge boost to TV viewer numbers and online engagement after it was shown on Netflix.

The Ryder Cup is, of course, run the PGA of America and not the PGA Tour, and CEO Seth Waugh said it was left up to the team to decide how much behind the scenes access they wanted to offer.

"Netflix is going to be there," said Waugh. "I would say all things involving the team we leave to the team and the captain. 

"I think there's a sanctity to the team room, and the experience is important to them. It's part of being a team, right? 

"Netflix has been great for the game. They're doing great things. The team collectively decided there are areas of privacy that need to be respected."

All golf fans love the behind the scenes material that's presented to them these days, but it's nice to see there are still some areas of history and mystique that will be kept that way.

We've all heard stories of what goes on in the team room at a Ryder Cup, and perhaps those stories are best kept just as that, as stories to be told by those involved and not broadcast to the world.