| If you've read some of my articles in the past, we | | | | point of the swing is where the body finishes its |
| focused a lot on training the body to help you | | | | backward movement and begins the forward |
| provide more power, consistency and accuracy to | | | | movement of the swing. The best reference point of |
| your golf swing. | | | | when the transition stage of the swing begins is |
| Today, we are going to get a little more scientific. So | | | | when weight shift onto the inside of the right foot |
| hang with me. | | | | (right-handed golfer) is completed and movement |
| I am going to explain the biomechanics of golf. | | | | back towards the left foot begins. The transition in |
| Biomechanics is the study of human movement. | | | | terms of a time frame is very short and is completed |
| Using this definition in golf, it is essentially studying | | | | when weight transfer begins to move forward, and |
| how the body moves when swinging a golf club. | | | | the club completes its movement backwards. |
| Biomechanics is the study what the skeleton, | | | | Research states that the transition of the swing is |
| muscles, and nerves of the body do when hitting a | | | | where additional elastic energy is stored within the |
| golf ball. There are actually folks out there that make | | | | body. This is a result of the lower body moving |
| a living studying these movements, they are called | | | | forward and the upper body still "coiling" backward. |
| Biomechanists'. And the great thing about golf is that | | | | Studies show that at the completion of the transition |
| there have been a ton of scientific studies on the | | | | (top of the back swing) the hips are closed to |
| golf swing. In addition, this research has allowed | | | | approximately 45 degrees and the shoulders are |
| biomechanists to create a model of the "optimal" | | | | closed to about 100 degrees (Fleisig, Biomechanics of |
| swing in the sport of golf. | | | | Golf). |
| All of this research has been beneficial to the golf | | | | After completion of the transition, the down swing |
| industry. It has provided club manufacturers, swing | | | | into impact begins. Weight shift continues during the |
| coaches, trainers, and players with an abundant | | | | down swing. The generation of torque is created in |
| amount of knowledge to improve the game in many | | | | the lower body and then transitioned up through the |
| areas. | | | | body into the club and eventually the club head. |
| Biomechanics of the Golf Swing Stage by Stage | | | | According to Fleisig, the majority of torque in the |
| Most biomechanists break the golf swing down into | | | | swing is generated by the lower body muscle groups |
| phases. | | | | of the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core region (low |
| We will talk about the swing into the following | | | | back, abdominals, obliques). The torque created in the |
| phases: 1) address, 2) back swing, 3) transition, 4) | | | | lower body creates acceleration in the upper body as |
| down swing, 4) contact, 5) follow through, 6) finish. I | | | | energy is transferred into the club head. EMG studies |
| will also relate what the body does during each of | | | | indicate that there is moderate activity of the |
| these phases, which muscles are active, and any | | | | pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and rotator cuff |
| additional information applicable to biomechanical study | | | | muscles (Geisler, Kinesiology of the Full Golf Swing) |
| of the golf swing. | | | | during the downswing. The downswing is complete at |
| The golf swing begins in the address stage. The | | | | the point in which impact occurs with the golf ball. |
| address stage is the position that the golfer places | | | | Impact with the ball occurs for approximately half a |
| their body in to begin the swing. According to Glenn | | | | milli-second (Fleisig, Biomechanics of Golf). The |
| Fleisig MD, the address position is a functional body | | | | purpose of impact is to hit the ball in the correct |
| position which includes the proper grip and body | | | | direction with the chosen amount of force by the |
| position. A balanced, "athletic" address position, which | | | | golfer. At impact the weight transfer is complete. |
| is consistent swing to swing, will provide the golfer | | | | Shear force from both feet are towards the |
| with the correct starting position for the swing. | | | | intended target. Research indicates that at impact |
| Inconsistency in either how the body is set up or | | | | the left foot (right-handed golfer) is supporting 80% |
| with the grip leads to inconsistency on shot to shot. | | | | to 95% of the golfer's weight (Fleisig, Biomechanics |
| The body in terms of muscle activity is fairly low at | | | | of Golf). Impact again occurs for a very short |
| address. The muscles of the body are supporting the | | | | amount of time (.0005 seconds). Impact is the point |
| body in a specific anatomical position and preparing it | | | | at which the potential energy created by the body |
| to swing a club. | | | | during the back swing, transition, and down swing is |
| The back swing (take away) is when the body | | | | transferred into the club and club head. The potential |
| begins to move the club. The back swing is the | | | | energy created by the body is then transferred into |
| portion of the swing that places the body in the | | | | kinetic energy as club head comes into contact with |
| correct position to begin the downswing. During the | | | | the ball. |
| entire back swing the body begins the recruitment of | | | | After contact, the impact stage of the swing is |
| energy that will be transitioned at the top of the | | | | complete and the follow through stage begins. The |
| back swing towards the ball. Key points from a | | | | follow through is essentially the deceleration of the |
| biomechanical analysis of the back swing are: as the | | | | body after contact with the ball has been made. This |
| club moves backwards shear force is applied to | | | | is completed through the body rotating to a |
| anterior portion of the right foot, at the same time a | | | | completion point where the club head is behind the |
| posterior shear force is applied to the left foot | | | | golfer. Deceleration by the body occurs as a result of |
| (Fleisig, Biomechanics of Golf). This is the beginning of | | | | the absorption of energy back up through the kinetic |
| torque development in the body that will be | | | | chain of the body. Follow through is where the body |
| transitioned into the club head at impact. Rotation of | | | | slows itself back down and dissipates all the kinetic |
| the knees, hips, spine, and shoulders continues during | | | | energy create by it, which was not delivered into the |
| the back swing creating additional torque to be | | | | ball. |
| translated into the club head in later stages of the | | | | Summary |
| swing. The important point to remember in the back | | | | As you can see, the golf swing is directly connected |
| swing is that the entire rotation of these body parts | | | | to the body. And it is the body that generates, |
| occurs around an imaginary axis of the body. EMG | | | | directs, and delivers energy to the golf ball. |
| activity is moderate during this stage of the swing as | | | | Limitations in the body in terms of flexibility, muscular |
| a result that the body during this portion of the | | | | strength, endurance, or power can create limitations |
| swing is essentially creating/storing energy that will | | | | in the swing from a biomechanical perspective. In |
| be released towards the end of the swing. | | | | addition, mechanical inefficiencies in the swing itself |
| The completion of the back swing is what is termed | | | | limit the potential and kinetic energy outputs of the |
| the "transition" stage of the swing. The transition | | | | body. |