‘Majesticks GC: Inside The Ropes’ docuseries offers revealing, candid look at a team seeking results
Near the end of the first episode of “Majesticks GC: Inside The Ropes,” co-captain Ian Poulter pointed out the common thread among the four players during a team dinner earlier this year at LIV Golf Hong Kong.
In typical Poults fashion, he was brutally honest as he went around the room.
“You’re playing like sh--. You’re playing like sh--. You’re playing like sh--. And I’m playing like sh--.”
It was a reminder that the six-episode docuseries – the first two episodes available on their YouTube channel on Sunday 24th November – is not your typical marketing fluff piece.
“Inside the Ropes” is a true peel-back-the-curtain series showcasing what happens when a group of highly decorated golfers – co-captains Poulter, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, along with younger star Sam Horsfield – struggle to meet their lofty expectations, both individually and as a team, one of 13 competing in LIV Golf. It’s raw and revealing, with a no-holds-barred approach that balances the frustrations and competitive nature on the course with the softer edges of each player’s family life and team camaraderie.
Episode 2, for instance, includes a cute stretch in which co-captain Henrik Stenson and his youngest child, Alice, visit a candy store back home in Malmo, Sweden. Afterward, while discussing his home life, Stenson reaches a point that has him nearly in tears.
“The support you get from your immediate family is very important,” Stenson tells the interviewer. “I don’t know if I’ve always been the best at expressing that, so thank you.”
It’s something we’re not used to seeing from the preternaturally stoic Swedish star, whom Majesticks GM James Dunkley admits is the team’s “least open book.”
But the most intense parts of the series center on the competitive side – and for that, the Majesticks offer a truly unique storyline. No other LIV Golf team has co-captains, all three of which have experienced plenty of success and highlight moments during their careers; in fact, they’ve combined for 83 professional wins, 23 Ryder Cup appearances, along with Stenson’s one major win and Olympic silver medal.
Although the threesome are on the back nine of their respective careers, they remain as committed to winning as ever. The reality, though, is that the Majesticks’ off-course business and charitable accomplishments, which has made them arguably LIV Golf’s top performers as well as the most popular team in the UK, have exceeded their leaderboard results.
That grind for competitive improvement is something golf and non-golf fans can relate to, as is the frustration of not playing up to expectations. The Majesticks’ collective struggles on the greens are particularly revealing, as they lean on each other to help solve the issue. In fact, at one point, the 28-year-old Horsfield provides a shoulder set-up tip to the 51-year-old Westwood, who fully embraces the putting advice.
Says Horsfield, speaking for his entire team: “You don’t like to hear those questions, but the truth is the truth.”
There is gallows humor, too, including a scene at the end of episode one when the Majesticks crack open fortune cookies. It’s a funny, candid moment. Poulter, of course, offers the punchline.
Sports fans who have consumed the NFL’s “Hard Knocks” or Formula 1’s “Drive to Survive” will appreciate “Inside The Ropes” and LIV Golf’s team component adds another layer compared to other golf docuseries. Meanwhile, the Majesticks are great characters – relatable, engaging, open. The first two episodes are terrific; the final four promise next-level drama within the framework of the team’s lineup.
Majesticks fans will love it, and non-fans may turn into new ones. It’s worth your time.
Early access for future episodes of “Majesticks GC: Inside The Ropes” is available by signing up at majesticksgc.com/fans.