Fresh off her 18th LPGA Tour victory at the 2026 Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba, Nelly Korda shared the childhood origins of her famously fluid swing on the Pat McAfee Show. She credited her parents, particularly a simple cue from her father, for instilling the rhythm that defines her game.
Korda appeared on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday to discuss her recent win and the evolution of her swing. She highlighted the critical role of her swing coach, David Whelan, in refining her technique. However, she emphasized the foundational influence of her parents, who spent countless hours working on her tempo from a young age. “[My parents] spent so many hours with me just working on tempo,” Korda said. “That is the one thing they ingrained into my brain. My dad always referred to it as ‘coca-cola…’” The 'coca-cola' phrase served as a childhood mantra to build rhythm and prevent rushing, forming the basis of her swing sequencing. “That was the key,” she added. “It was super simple but it was the key to having a very fluid swing.” Korda suggested golfers incorporate this by starting practice swings at half speed to establish a steady rhythm before gradually increasing speed, using the transition into the downswing as a checkpoint for smoothness.
