Streaming giant Netflix has famously always been guarded about its viewing figures, until now.
The platform has released its first-ever Netflix Engagement Report, which details viewing hours of its shows between January and June this year. That means we also have an idea of how successful the first season of golf docuseries Full Swing was, and the figure is impressive. According to the report, the show had 53,100,000 viewing hours between those months, leaving it 274th on a list of over 18,000.
The series went inside the ropes of the PGA Tour during one of the most tumultuous times in its history, just as LIV Golf was emerging. As well as episodes dedicated to the likes of Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, who have remained loyal to the Tour, it also offered a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Brooks Koepka and Ian Poulter, who eventually joined its rival.
Clearly, that volatile period, and the unique opportunity to get a taste of life on the PGA Tour, resonated with viewers, as it comfortably outperformed the first season of a similar docuseries dedicated to tennis, Break Point, which attracted 30,500,000 viewing hours and came 617th on the list.
Even more encouraging is the fact that Break Point had a head start of over a month after it was released on 13 January, with Full Swing following on 15 February.
Full Swing was created by the same team behind F1 series Drive to Survive. Its latest season launched just nine days after Full Swing, and attracted 90,200,000 viewing hours during the same time period to leave it 121st.
While that is substantially more than Full Swing, it’s worth remembering that the series had built up a loyal following over four years by that point, and had reached its fifth season.
Crucially, Netflix executives seem to have plenty of confidence in the longevity of Full Swing, too. Last month, players from the series came together with stars of Drive to Survive for the inaugural Netflix Cup, a golf tournament that was the first ever live-streamed sports event on the platform.
More importantly, though, just weeks after Full Swing's launch, season 2 was confirmed, which is coming in 2024. That will cover another remarkable period in the game that included the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund's shock merger agreement.
There have also been reports that Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were spotted filming for season 2, while Dan Rapaport of Barstool Sports, who also featured in the first season, reported that Netflix was “all over” the incredible Michael Block success story at the PGA Championship.
Netflix was all over the Michael Block story. I’m sure that Full Swing episode might elicit a tear or two.May 22, 2023
Regardless of what’s coming in season two, the data released by Netflix suggests that there’s plenty of appetite for behind-the-scenes access to the game among the TV-viewing public.
If you're wondering what to buy for a loved one over the holidays, take a look at our 19 Top Christmas Gifts For Golfers.
