The proper golf swing can be further developed by a general understanding of golf swing mechanics. Bio-mechanics is a process of measuring movement and response of the body during activities. Golf swing mechanics have been extensively studied and measured, and much of the information is used for equipment design and golf instruction.
The easiest way to learn is by relating what you know, to what you want to learn. Virtually anyone can hit an object with a stick. Think back when you were a child learning to play baseball, hockey, and cricket or any sport using a stick. Beyond someone showing you how to grip the bat, stick, or club you instinctively knew what to do to in order to move the ball after a few successful attempts.
Golf is the same. Improve your golf swing with a clear understanding of golf swing mechanics and body movement and enjoy golf more. Once you have a grasp of the common elements to the swing, it is just a matter of improving your execution for a lifetime of progress.
For the purpose of golf improvement, when looking at the bio-mechanics of the golf swing rather than talk through complicated physics in detail, we’ll consider a few very important points that will help you improve. Mainly the difference in golf swing mechanics between a golf professional and a recreational golfer.
Let’s look at the perfect golf swing in five parts:
1. Address and takeaway to the top of the backswing
2. Transition and downswing to horizontal.
3. Downswing horizontal to impact
4. Impact to follow through
5. Follow through to finish
We will give attention to areas of difference between golf professionals and recreational or amateur golfers and show how understanding these differences in golf swing mechanics can improve the golf swing more quickly.
1. Address and Takeaway to the top of back swing
The beginning golfer has a tendency to lean away from the target on the takeaway to the top. Commonly referred to as a sway. This move is a significant source of loss of power due to the fact there is very little storing of energy. The hands, wrists and arms begin the takeaway and it is the upper body that needs to rotate. The hips also rotate but hip rotation is considerably less than trunk rotation. When we lean away from the target the upper body torso and hips rotate almost the same, if at all, therefore there isn’t enough coil to produce sufficient speed when we return the club to the ball.
2. Transition and downswing to horizontal
A significant difference between beginning golfers and more accomplished golfers during transition and downswing is in the range of motion of the left (for right hand golfers) wrist. During this part of the swing amateurs tend to use a larger range of motion in the left wrist even though the overall range of motion for this part of the swing is actually less. In observation this sets up what is seen as an early release. Professionals on the other hand tend to “hold the angle” through impact. Rather than allowing the club head to pass in front of the hands prior to striking the ball. For the recreational golfer this again contributes to a significant loss of power and inconsistent ball striking.
3. Downswing horizontal to impact
Bio-mechanical studies of the golf swing have shown that, as the experienced golfer approaches impact, forward bending (forward bending is considered an athletic position) actually decreases. So the golfer is standing taller at impact than at address.
This fact is missed by most instructors and is why getting in a deep athletic stance is a cause of miss-hits. Most recreational golfers should actually stand a little taller at address. This will help combat topped or thinned shots.
4. Impact to follow through
Once again we can learn from the difference between professional golfers and recreational golfers. As the swing gets closer to impact, amateurs tend to decelerate in an attempt to correct the position of the club head. Most often the feeling of the club head being out of position is due of poor setup, hip turn or a timing issue. Professionals generate 15-30% greater club head speed through impact. This is accomplished primarily through the proper use of the fingers, hands and wrists. Also, because from swing to swing there is less variation with pros so there is less thought of the club head being out of position prior to impact allowing acceleration to continue through impact.
5. Follow through to finish
The evolution of golf equipment has changed some aspects of the golf swing. For the most part a quality swing today is bio-mechanically the same as it was 100 years ago. The finish however is one of the elements that have changed though the years. Previously the finish was more upright and less of a continuation of rotation. The modern swing, due to stiffer shafted clubs requires more speed. The inertia of the swing should carry the club head through to the finish. A bio-mechanic view of the muscles with high activity during the follow through and finish shows the serratus anterior or “boxers muscle” with a high level of activity even as the swing is finishing.
This muscle along with others is primarily responsible for the movement of the shoulder blade. The implication here is clear. A good finish is when the arms are extended out from the body as in throwing a punch. Often recreational golfers quit on the swing, thus allowing the arms to collapse. Again this is an indicator of an earlier swing flaw.
Summary:
The study of golf swing mechanics can get very complicated but by taking a look at the differences between recreational golfers and professional golfers, we can focus on key body movements that get results. Focus on getting the fundamentals right. Relax and allow your natural ability to take over and it becomes easy to play golf at an enjoyable level.
One final thought although not covered previously, understand that an overall level of fitness and flexibility will be important in the repetitive execution of the various parts of a golf swing.
