What happens to the Golf Club at the bottom of the swing?
But in the bottom part of the swing, the golf club begins to "release" and the angle between it and his arms begins to rapidly increase (since his wrists are now uncocked), and the club moves radially outwards as a result. At the bottom of the swing the golf club is almost perfectly parallel to his arms.
How do you transition in a golf swing?
Your main focus in the transition should be the motion of your lower body. As the club arrives at the top of the swing, it is the job of the lower body to start rotating toward the target. This is where so many amateur players go so wrong. Most golfers lead with their hands instead of their lower body, and the result is weak, inconsistent contact.
Does changing golf clubs change the position of the ball?
No, it doesn't happen either? Hmm, it seems kind of fishy that you would want to change the position of the golf ball and your golf stance every single time you pick up a different golf club because the bottom of your swing arc is determined by your geometry of your body, not the golf club.
How important is balance in the golf swing?
Speed in the golf swing is created through rotation, and you can’t rotate aggressively if you are off balance at the top. If you wish to hit the ball as hard as possible – and who doesn’t – you will be best served to focus on balance, even if it means cutting your backswing just a bit short.
How is the bottom of the golf swing determined?
The bottom of the arc is behind the ball instead of ahead of it. If you've shifted your weight correctly on the downswing, your right knee should be pointing toward the ball at impact. If you haven't--and you hit off your right foot--the bottom of your arc will be behind the ball.
Which principles of biomechanics are used when performing a swing?
The common golf biomechanics principles necessary to understand golf technique are stability, Newton's laws of motion (inertia, acceleration, action reaction), lever arms, conservation of angular momentum, projectiles, the kinetic link principle and the stretch-shorten cycle.
What is base of support in golf?
The base of support is the area around the outside edge of the sections of your body in contact with the ground/surface. Below you can see these areas shaded in various body positions.
How does balance affect a golf swing?
When golfers swing in balance, they generally hit the ball more solid and less crooked. Most GolfWRX readers already know that, but what they may not know is that balance can play a significant role in the shape of their swings, which of course will affect the shape of their shots.
What are the phases of a golf swing?
Based on the movement characteristics, golf swing can be decomposed into five phases: take-away, backswing, downswing, acceleration, and follow-through.
What are the biomechanical principles?
The biomechanical principle of motion relates to linear motion, velocity, speed, acceleration, and momentum. Motion is a movement that results from a force.
What does base of support do?
The base of support (BOS) refers to the area beneath an object or person that includes every point of contact that the object or person makes with the supporting surface. These points of contact may be body parts e.g. feet or hands, or they may include things like crutches or the chair a person is sitting in.
Can be increased by widening the base of support?
Answer: stability can be increased by widening the base of support.
Why do you need a wide base of support?
A wide base of support is the foundation for stability. A wide base of support is achieved by placing feet a comfortable, shoulder width distance apart. When a vertical line falls from the centre of gravity through the wide base of support, body balance is achieved.
Does flexibility increase swing speed?
These results and previous studies show there are relationships between increased flexibility and swing performance. This study showed a relationship between increased flexibility improved club head speed.
How do I improve my golf swing balance?
0:528:073 TIPS TO HELP YOU SWING IN BALANCE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe back of my shoulders. You can see they're a line straight down should fall just in front of myMoreThe back of my shoulders. You can see they're a line straight down should fall just in front of my knees.
What is the most important aspect of the golf swing?
Use the big muscles of your legs and trunk to move the little muscles of your arms and hands. So watch the players at impact – they are all the same – and that is the most important part of any golf swing.
What is the backswing of a golf swing?
While the takeaway is technically part of the backswing, this section is referring to the portion of the swing between the takeaway and the transition at the top. This is when the club gets lifted up into position, and when you finish your shoulder turn.
What are the different parts of golf swing mechanics?
Golf swing mechanics can be broken down into five general sections: The Takeaway. The Backswing. The Transition. The Downswing and Impact. The Follow Through. The following is a quick review of each of these key fundamentals to help you better understand proper golf swing mechanics.
What does a golf swing look like?
When performed correctly, your golf swing should look like one smooth, continuous motion that culminates with you holding a nicely balanced finished as the ball sails through the air. Within that motion, however, is a series of techniques that each must be executed properly in order to strike a good shot.
How to hit a quality shot in golf?
If you want to hit a quality shot, you have to have a clean transition in your swing – it is just that simple. The club has to change directions from backswing to downswing, and that moment in time is known as the transition in the golf world. Your main focus in the transition should be the motion of your lower body.
How does speed work in golf?
Speed in the golf swing is created through rotation, and you can’t rotate aggressively if you are off balance at the top. If you wish to hit the ball as hard as possible – and who doesn’t – you will be best served to focus on balance, even if it means cutting your backswing just a bit short.
What part of your swing is the key to your swing?
The key to this part of your swing is actually your lower body, because this is when many golfers begin to slide away from the target.
How to get your hands past the ball?
One way to improve your ability to get your hands past the ball is to relax your grip pressure at address. Squeezing the club too tightly will make it difficult for the club head to “lag” behind your hands correctly.
How to swing a golf club back slightly?
We're going to take that right hand out of it and if you just focus on the bottom of your left shoulder, draw a straight line down from the center of your left shoulder down to the ground, that is about where the bottom of your swing arc is going to be. And you can move it back slightly again because your right hand is still going to be on the golf club.
Where is the bottom of the swing arc?
So if my arm's attached to my left shoulder then the bottom of my swing arc is going to be at the low point directly beneath the center of my left shoulder. Now as you put the right hand on the club, that helps move the bottom of the swing arc back slightly, but if you're releasing the golf club properly, that right hand should be throwing the club.
How to determine the position of the ball in a golf club?
Conventional wisdom has it that the position of the ball within the stance should be determined by the length of the club being used, So you would play the ball off your lead heel when hitting driver, gradually moving it back until it is midway between your feet when playing your short irons and wedges
What arm is acting like a pendulum?
It's an over exaggeration of course, but it helps you get the idea that the left arm is acting almost as a pendulum. Not exactly, of course, but almost like a pendulum, and that determines the bottom of the swing arc. Now, when you pick up a different golf club, does the position of your shoulder change?
How to determine low point of arc?
You can determine the low point of your arc by taking practice swings without a ball and noticing where your club hits the ground. But for almost all players it will be a point on the ground directly below the lead shoulder.
How does releasing the club help the club?
If you hold on to the golf club tightly at impact with your right hand it's going to slow the golf club down. That's the opposite of a release. Think about what it means to release something. It means to let go.
What happens when you pick up a hybrid golf club?
When you pick up a different golf club, your requirements don't change. You don't all of a sudden need for your head to move all over the place because you picked up your hybrid. Doesn't make any sense at all. You're still going to hit down on those longer golf clubs. So unless you're picking up a driver, every single club in your golf bag, ...
At Impact
Well, there is a tiny difference here – but the image capture is about 1/20th of a frame out, so it might just be that.
Follow Through
The ball has long gone by this position, but there is still no difference.
Wait, Go Back
If we go back to the impact pic and zoom in, we can see something. Yeah, the divot started behind the ball.
What Does It Mean?
When an amateur golfer hits a poor shot, they often think (and report to me) that they have made a drastic movement chang e.
So, What IS Changing?
What if you dropped in height by quarter of an inch, or your scapula had a fraction less retraction through impact?
Micro Movements
Micro-movements, fine motor movements, call them what you want – this is predominantly where the differences between your good and bad shots arise.
What happens to the golf club at the bottom of the swing?
At the bottom of the swing the golf club is almost perfectly parallel to his arms.
Where is the release point in golf swing?
Part of the physics of a golf swing (from the point of view of the golfer), means finding the release (wrist uncocking) point so that at the bottom position, where the players hands are directly above the ball, the golf club is in the vertical position parallel to his arms.
What is the correct angle to uncock your wrists?
However, looking at the strobe picture of Bobby Jones' swing one might (mistakenly) conclude that the correct swing angle to uncock your wrists is at approximately 120°, simply because that is when the increase in club angle α becomes very noticeable. Thus, analyzing the physics of a golf swing using a dynamics approach, will yield more accurate information than if someone were to just observe a golfer's swing, and draw conclusions from that. The lesson here is that certain information can only come to the surface when the physics of the problem is examined carefully.
How to release wrists in golf?
And prior to this release point he just has to keep his wrists cocked; meaning, maintain his grip in a fixed position so that the club maintains a constant angle with his arms. Once he releases his wrists the physics takes care of the rest, and the club will move radially outwards due to the effect of centripetal acceleration.
Why do golf clubs uncock?
Uncocking the wrists allows the golf club to "straighten out", and in the process gain additional speed which translates into a harder hit than if the golf club were held rigid (meaning the wrists are not allowed to rotate during the swing).
Why is the first point important in golf?
The importance of the first point is fairly obvious. You must generate good swing speed to hit the ball hard enough, so that it goes far . The second point is not as obvious. To understand the physics of a golf swing one must consider the mechanics of rotational motion.
What are the two things that go into making a golf shot?
There are two main components that go into golf swing physics. Both these will result in the best possible shot: 1. Good swinging speed of the arms and shoulders. 2.
What wrist does a golfer flip?
The reason for that, and the one thing that he is struggling to learn, involves his right (trailing) wrist. This post is not about him, though. It’s about over half the recreational golfers I play with who do the same thing he does. They flip that wrist.
Can you straighten your wrist in golf?
That wrist, right wrist for right-handed golfers, left wrist for lefties, must not be straightened out, and certainly not be bent forward (flip), until after the ball is struck. (see photo, above)
Why do pros swing golf clubs so smoothly?
One of the reasons pros swing the golf club so smoothly is because the club swings with no correction or compensation with the hands.
How to get fewer hands in golf swing?
Need a simple drill? Take a yardstick or an alignment stick, place it on the ground, and take your address position. Take a club and place the sole on the stick, and work on keeping the hands quiet for those all-important first 18 inches of the takeaway . Practice the takeaway 10 times, then hit 5 practice shots, focusing exclusively on your takeaway. Repeat the process three times.
How to know if a golf club is good?
The top of the backswing is a true test to know if everything before that moment has been done correctly. The key area to focus on at the top is the level of comfort and stability of the golf club. For example, take a practice swing and hold the club at the top. Does the clubface stay in place? Does the grip stay secure in your hands without you having to squeeze it to death? If the answer to those questions is yes, then you’re on the right track. Answering no to one or both of those questions is common and speaks volumes to what most recreational golfers struggle with.
What does it mean when your backswing is quiet?
When you’re able to reach the top of the backswing with “quiet” hands, you’ll notice a more consistent swing and lower scores.
What is the role of hands in golf?
The role of the hands in the golf swing is important, yet often misunderstood concept. Most of what you’ll find in golf instruction literature will focus on the configuration of your hands on the club, and how certain types of grips affect the ball flight, etc. However, the hands do so much more than just grip the club.
What is the next step in golf?
Once you’ve established a grip style that is comfortable to you and suits your game , the next step is to understand your hand’s role in the golf takeaway. With the exception of a few specialty shots (i.e. buried lies, divots), the hands will passively follow the shoulders and arms as you initiate the backswing.
What is the last point of interest for the hands?
The last point of interest for the hands is in the transition into the downswing and follow-through. If you’ve spent any amount of time at the practice tee, you’ve no doubt witnessed players practicing the start of their downswing, which usually involves them trying to maintain the angle of their wrists.
How to work on golf stance?
There are lots of ways to work on the golf stance, but the best possible way is to see what you look like. You can use a mirror on a driving range, or you can have a friend take some pictures or a video of your swing.
How to get into proper golf posture?
The best way to get yourself into the proper posture is to stand tall, holding the golf club out in front of you.
Why do people have their feet touching when hitting wedge shots?
Many people will have their feet almost touching when they are hitting certain wedge shots around the green. Having some flexibility in the width of your feet while taking your golf stance is quite important . 2. Posture. Having great posture can lead to other positives in your golf swing like swing plane and balance.
What is the stance of a wedge shot?
The stance for a wedge shot is much more narrow, and the ball may appear closer to the back foot, but it should still be close to the middle of the stance. 4. Balance and Weight Distribution. An essential part of a proper golf stance is making sure that your body weight is distributed correctly.
Why is posture important in golf?
The most important thing about posture is to ensure you have the proper spine angle and that your arms can hang freely.
Why do you put weight in the center of your golf ball?
Having the weight in the center will help your stance to stay more in control, and it will cause a lot less leaning forwards and backward as you get into the impact position. When you set up to hit a golf ball, it is ok to have just a little more weight on the right leg (for right-handers).
What happens when you hit a golf shot with an iron?
When you hit a golf shot with an iron or a wedge, you need for there to be a descending blow. This is what causes the ball to launch correctly on the short irons and to spin as it should.
How to do a backswing pivot?
As you simulate a backswing pivot while maintaining your shoulder tilt, make sure your right hand moves up your right leg as you rotate right side behind you. Your left hand should move down your left pant leg toward your left knee as it works inward.
How to improve your pivot?
1. Stand straight up initially and begin by bending forward from your hip joints placing your hands to the sides of your thighs; 2. You’ve now established an athletic golf position at setup; 3.
How do ball strikers make a strong body coil?
All great players, especially the ones known for being consistent ball-strikers, make a strong body coil as they move toward the top of their swing. They do this by pivoting their right side behind them and less to the side, thereby reducing any excess slide away from the ball.
The Test
at Impact
Wait, Go Back
- Oh, there is a difference If we go back to the impact picand zoom in, we can see something. Yeah, the divot started behind the ball. Want to see where 45 yards of difference comes from? Look no further. However, the body positions throughout the backswing, downswing, impact and follow through were all pretty much identical.
What Does It Mean?
- When an amateur golfer hits a poor shot, they often think (and report to me) that they have made a drastic movement change. They genuinely believe that their motion on a good shot looks like Adam Scott’s, and their poor-shots look like a mad-man wielding an axe. Truth is, in 99% of cases, their motion for good and bad shots isidenticalon a macro level.
What The Hell Is Macro?
- Think of macro-movements as your big-muscle, gross motor pattern. Things like 1. How much you turned your shoulders or hips 2. How much you moved your head 3. Your clubshaft plane 4. Your release (or lag) pattern 5. Your weight shift 6. Your swing direction (whether you came over the top or not) 7. Your sequencing (did you start with your hips or s...
So, What Is Changing?
- What if you dropped in height by quarter of an inch, or your scapula had a fraction less retractionthrough impact? What if your knees flexed a couple of degrees more than usual in transition, or your lead arm straightened a few degreesmore through impact? While we might never notice these things on camera, they can make a significant differenceto your shot quality. …
Micro Movements
- Micro-movements, fine motor movements, call them what you want – this is predominantly where the differences between your good and bad shots arise. The big question on everybody’s mind is then, how do we control the micro movements? Great, freaking, question!
Motor Learning
- A lot of science has been done on this topic. The science has shown that (in other sports too) these micro-movements change every time.That’s completely normal. In fact, with all the moving parts in a golf swing, it’s actually inevitable. On a subtle level (and sometimes not-so-subtle), every swing you make is a snowflake. The difference between High performers and poor performers i…
My Own View
- I have taken this a step further. I have found that external focuses, specifically regarding club and ballcontact (something I call “external process focuses”) combined with 1. Scaling 2. Feedback 3. Differential practice 4. Variability practice Speeds up the learning process incredibly. This is where I invented my skill-based approachto learning golf, which is radically different to how golf has be…
Important Note
- I just received the following email from a loyal ‘fan’. I suppose this email highlights the problem average golfers have – they don’t want to accept that this is the truth. They would rather believe that their motion had radically changed. While I thank Filippo for his email (it allows me to clarify the point further), please note the differences in the backgrounds of the two pictures. I’m good a…