Body Rotation: The Difference Between PGA Tour Players and Amateurs
In this first video in the series, we look at the differences in body rotation between a PGA Tour player and an amateur golfer.
This particular amateur came to us struggling with blocks and hooks, which in part was being caused by a lack of body rotation on the downswing. We captured his swing in our studio using GEARS 3D Motion Capture. That allowed us to uncover the exact amount of rotation of both golfers so we could highlight how it affects the club movement and delivery.
It’s important to note that there are no ideal rotation numbers; there are more so “windows” that we see great players fit into for body rotation and all aspects of the game.
Watching the video, you will see the rotation of the pelvis/hips and also the ribcage. We use the ribcage in this case instead of the shoulders, as it gives us a better indicator of how well the upper body is actually rotating.
You will see several numbers displayed on the avatars of the players in the video. They include turn, side bend and bend of both the pelvis and rib cage. For this first video in the series, we decided to just focus on the turn number.
The numbers are displayed live on the screen as the golfers are swinging so you can see at any point how the golfers are moving instead of just looking at impact. This is important as it shows what is happening during the entire swing, not just at a snapshot in time.
We hope you enjoy this video and it gives you some insight into your own swing. The goal of this series is to help GolfWRX Members understand some of the key differences between how elite golfers and amateurs play this great game.
To learn more about what we do at Athletic Motion Golf, or AMG, visit our website. Enjoy!
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Frankie Gregory
Feb 25, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Should the ratio of open pelvis and ribcage at impact be 2:1? For example, the pelvis being 60 degrees open at impact while the ribcage is 30 degrees open.
stephenf
Feb 15, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Interesting as observation, but the question is always causality. You take an amateur who’s already pushing and shoving the club around with his body and tell him to work his body harder, rotate more, etc., and it’s just going to be disastrous. The people for whom the “learn to use your body” advice works best (or even at all) are those who have already developed a free arm swing and full release, which would include pretty much every professional.
I’m always in favor of legitimate research results, but I’ve also seen this kind of thing misused and misread too many times. If you go back to the teachers usually cited as arms-and-hands guys (Toski, Flick, early Kostis, Love Jr., etc.), every one of them emphasizes the fact that the bigger muscles (the ones farthest away from the clubhead) are essential in enabling and supporting — and even to an extent, but not to nearly the extent people believe, driving the swinging motion. Those guys are so frequently misquoted and misrepresented as “hands and arms _only_” or “don’t use the muscles of the trunk and legs” or “hands and arms go first, body follows” that people disregard them or see them as outdated and irrelevant, and it’s a real loss in terms of the body of instruction. When they say “arms swing, body follows,” generally they’re talking about the intent to swing the arms. Any reasonably athletic person, if you tell him to pick up a ball in his hand and use his hand and arm to throw it 70 yards, is going to step into the throw, rotate to a certain extent
Also: Early rotation on the downswing kills golf swings. It’s a problem with the vast majority of the swings of amateurs, and quite a few pros when they go wrong, too. It’s more complex than simply “rotate more” or “rotate less.” It’s a matter of when the rotation occurs and what its relationship and synchronization is with the swinging elements (cf. John Jacobs, among others). Too much early rotation early in the downswing (the shoulders to move to accommodate the motion, but they shouldn’t be dragging the arms and club or leading the action) throws the club off-plane and off-path, outside and steep, and makes a really solid shot essentially impossible.
What you see in the swings of almost all the best ballstrikers is the shoulders staying closed to the target until very late in the downswing — for some great players, right up until the moment of impact — while the arms and club approach from the inside, with the trailing forearm behind and below right up to impact and even slightly beyond, in some great swings. Through and beyond impact, rotation has to be free and somewhat fast, but what enables that is not having overrotated too early in the first place (on the downswing). What you see again and again with players who rotate too early and get too steep is that they then have to hold back, or even briefly stop, that rotation as they approach impact and beyond. It handcuffs them and prevents them from rotating at the point they actually need to, to give the swinging elements (arms-hands-club) a place to release and a place to go.
You just can’t say it too much: Early shoulder and upper-body overrotation on the downswing destroys golf swings. All the time. With an amazingly large percentage of players.
As Jacobs and others have said, you never know what’s going to get through to a player. It depends on what he brings to the lesson, what his inclinations are, etc. So it’s not that teaching a player to work on a more emphatic or freer rotation never helps. It might. But it’s always a matter of the balancing of elements and the timing of elements, rather than the disregard of a whole class of elements (e.g., the swinging elements including arms-hands-club).
stephenf
Feb 16, 2017 at 10:29 am
Oops. Meant to go back and finish a sentence. This is how it was supposed to go (end of second graf, not sure why returns aren’t separating paragraphs):
Any reasonably athletic person, if you tell him to pick up a ball in his hand and use his hand and arm to throw it 70 yards, is going to step into the throw, rotate to a certain extent to allow his arm a greater range of motion on the windup, then rotate on the way through to allow the swinging arm and the releasing hand (and the ball) the right path as it all snaps toward the target. Is there any added power from the rotation? Some, but not nearly as much as people think. Mostly it’s enabling a range of motion. The point, though, is that nobody had to tell this guy to step into the throw and to use his entire body to support what he intended to do with his arm. It’s largely the same with the golf swing, or it should be, for people who aren’t overcomplicating it. It’s true that sometimes a player is nonathletic, or doesn’t move the body to support or accommodate the swinging motion of the arms-hands-club for some other reason (tension, misconception, physical problems or lack of flexibility, etc.), and you have to work on that directly. But that doesn’t change the basic natural “whole body responds to intent” tendency.
AMG
Feb 17, 2017 at 8:30 pm
We have 3D and force data from throwing a ball 🙂
You might not find a group of instructors than ours who believes the “when” anything occurs is massively important! Stay tuned (wink)…
squirrel-man
Feb 12, 2017 at 9:14 am
Great post, really interesting. Can’t wait for more, keep them coming!
AMG
Feb 14, 2017 at 10:49 am
Thanks!!
I'mNotTigerWoods
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:56 am
One of the best post in years. Great read, thnx AMG
AMG
Feb 10, 2017 at 9:51 am
Thanks NTDub????
Jalan
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:33 pm
I am fortunate that the pro who instructs me has taught me the importance of rotation of the body. It has made a significant difference in my swing.
Unfortunately, having osteo arthritis in my hips makes it hard to do some of the things I know I should, in order further improve my swing. But what I can do with what I have been taught has made for a better swing.
There isn’t any useless information here.
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 10:53 pm
Stick with your guy 😉
Dunn2500
Feb 9, 2017 at 1:12 pm
Basically this is telling golfers to use their body more, whatever your capabilities are almost certain most golfers could use their body to rotate more than they currently do……me being a handsy player I can see how this is such a vital part of swing for consistency……I look at people’s swings all the time and most seem focused on their hands and arms…..trying to muscle the ball, and on my bad days it’s exactly what I do as well……..on my best days I felt like I was barely even swinging the club and head had very little rotation………….
Great video! ………….amazing how much more that pro rotated cuz the amateur’s swing looked pretty good
edreM
Feb 9, 2017 at 11:20 am
More useless information.
Ryan
Feb 9, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Another useless post.
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 1:27 pm
What would you like to see? What would be useful for you?
edreM
Feb 9, 2017 at 2:55 pm
How about analyzing Arnold Palmer’s swing when he was in his early days versus his when he was in his 50s or 60s? And show the people in age-related terms what really should be done in a golf swing for a lifetime, and not the current short-lived short-career money-grabbing swings influenced by the exercise-body shape vanity-NFL-NBA-MLB-NHL-influenced type of mega-athlete based golf swings that only may be 2% of the population should actually attempt?
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 3:46 pm
Thanks for your input! Many of the great swings of the past had a generous amount of body rotation on the downswing…its a hallmark of athletic swing irregardless of the era. The reason we use modern players for much of our analysis is that things have changed to much with equipment it doesn’t make as much sense to use swings from the 50s and 60s…although we do love those swings too! Snead, palmer, Nicklaus etc 🙂
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 6:34 pm
Interesting assumptions about the players in the video. We have collected data on Champion Tour players who still, towards the end of their competitive careers, show tour range rotation. The oldest player that I’ve personally measured is a 75 year old amateur who falls close to the tour range. The pro we used in this video is in no way a mega-athlete, and has a very average height and build… as well does the amateur we chose. We appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment.
Dill Pickleson
Feb 14, 2017 at 4:52 am
duh, i did this at 50. you’re just ignorant and out of shape
Andy
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:11 am
Although I agree the amateur is not open enough at impact, he has no choice! His hands are not deep enough in the BS. If he rotated like the pro it would throw the club was outside the plane (aka OTT) and he would have to EE to reach the ball. He needs depth in the BS before he can rotate the same as the pro.
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 3:52 pm
Thanks for the comment! For this first video in the series we are just highlighting the differences in the motion. In future videos we will look at the various reasons “why” the differences are showing up. Great comment by the way.
Paul
Feb 9, 2017 at 7:44 am
Like this a lot!
Look at the position of the pros hands at impact, in relation to the body (1min 48 secs in). Wow, massive difference compared to the AM. Pros hands way “ahead” of the body, due to turn rather than slide I guess.
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Yes body rotation and keeping the torso more “on top” on the ball help achieve this look.
m
Feb 9, 2017 at 2:09 am
I didn’t catch it if it’s in the video, but were the resulting shots identical straight/draw/fade? I use to exaggerate my rib and pelvis’ openess at impact with different grips and these were the results: strong grip – caused pull hooks or pull fades. standard neutral grip – pull fades and slices.
m
Feb 10, 2017 at 4:05 pm
Really? No reply?
What if the pro is using his body to hold off the release and hit a fade while the am is hitting a stock draw? If their shots were different results than it’s really an apples to oranges between their swing.
AMG
Feb 15, 2017 at 9:04 am
The pros we capture play draws, fades, and straight balls while still being in the ranges discussed in the video. We chose these two swings primarily as a representative sample of the numbers we see on a daily basis. Is that answering your question? If not let us know.
D Mack
Feb 8, 2017 at 9:13 pm
Pushes and pulls hmm. After seeing the video,more torso and hip rotation is something I will have to work on. Great video! Thanks
Andrew Cooper
Feb 8, 2017 at 4:17 pm
Thanks. Where tour pros v ams at impact is obviously very different but i think the average amateur has to realise that what shows up at impact is really the result of what’s gone before, good or bad. The tour pro transitions and sequences the downswing in a way that gives the green light to go through impact aggressively, hence the numbers here. The average amateur gets out of whack, the body has to stall/or stand up, and the hands and arms do what they can to get the clubface on the ball. The tour have more rotation because they can, the amateurs have less because they can’t.
BigKid
Feb 8, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Are y’all doing all of these videos out of the 265 Academy? That’s a great facility. Our wedding party for a wedding I was in recently got ready there and the reception was outside at the facility. I wish I had gotten time to fully enjoy the set up.
AMG
Feb 9, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Yes this video was out of David Toms Academy. Between the 4 partners in AMG we have a few locations where we will be shooting content.
Bob Jones
Feb 8, 2017 at 11:19 am
This looks like an explanation for why pros develop back problems. It might be worth it to them, but not to me.
Mark S
Feb 8, 2017 at 11:59 am
Good point. I wonder what a doc would say this would do to the body.
Justin
Feb 8, 2017 at 1:06 pm
The speed involved in tour pros and amateurs are slightly (a lot!) different. You probably aren’t going to get back problems as an amateur if you try to mimic this move. Unless you are swinging the club 110+ MPH and playing multiple rounds a year…like a tour pro
Daniel
Feb 8, 2017 at 4:04 pm
I think most of us here play multiple rounds a year
Jack
Feb 8, 2017 at 11:51 pm
What’s the standard, like 6? 7 rounds and you’re a pro!
But seriously I think it’s more practice time as well. These guys grind it day in day out. They get injured from overuse. Amateurs get injured from misuse. We have bad postures and swings that don’t look smooth. Pro’s have smooth swings, and utilize momentum correctly. Amateurs fight it and get hurt.
Scott S
Feb 13, 2017 at 8:23 pm
I’m a Physical Therapist and a passionate golfer and I agree with “Jack’s” comment 100% and wonder why “Bobby Jones” made his comment? There are SO many variables that can cause trauma to the body during a golf swing but in my opinion the # 1 reason is when the kinematic sequence is out of sync which requires the golfer to generate power from forcing movement to start (and stop) as opposed to using ground reaction forces to produce nearly effortless movement and power. Effortless power = less body trauma and ultimately less injury. Yes, we can certainly look at isolated examples of “smooth” swingers on the PGA Tour that have gotten back injuries but I think that comes back to Jack’s comment and his point about overuse. Generally speaking using physics to one’s advantage will generate the best results on the golf course and also keep one out of my office.
Philip
Feb 8, 2017 at 11:12 am
I improved my swing over the winter and my ribs and hips are very open at impact compared to previous seasons where I was very close to how you define an amateur swing; and here I was thinking the amount I am now open at impact may be a problem because it is so foreign to me. Thanks
The dude
Feb 8, 2017 at 12:30 pm
How did you go about making that improvement?
Jason
Feb 8, 2017 at 12:53 pm
Philip, I am a scratch golfer but my issues are the same as yours and the 5 handicapper in study. I am curious to know what helped you in your improvements. I have tried different techniques with no results. I just rely on 30 years of hand eye coordination.
Jack
Feb 9, 2017 at 1:37 am
It’s easier to identify the problem but it’s hard to fix. Pro’s turn their hips so much, and leverage the ground more so that it’s natural to them to be at this position. For most amateurs, we don’t do that. I’m learning to leverage the ground more, and I am hitting my driver further now, but sometimes it still feels unnatural. Just gotta get the reps in. Hip rotation is so hard. You have to feel like your hips are completely open and your hands are at your side at impact, which is completely different from your normal sensation. Doing this change will also mess up your timing big time as the sequencing is very different. But when I do this, my average distance goes up. It’s very easy to fall back to old habits though when you try to seek accuracy. Just have to trust it more. I think this way I’m not any less accurate (ok it’s all relative) than I am with a more armsy swing.
Philip
Feb 8, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Well, I changed a few things. 1 (Grips) I realized that having grips too thick or too thin for my left hand (I play right-handed) restricted my wrist hinge flexibility so I had to especially be careful with thicker graphite shafts. 2 (Grip) I started using the interlock because Jack did, not because it suited me. Thus, I experimented making full golf swings (including baseball swings) and discovered out of the choices (baseball, ten-finger, overlap, interlock) only once maximized my swing speed, the other three were significantly slower. Interestedly enough the faster swing was also the only one where I was able to maintain my balance through-out my swing. 3 (Visualize making a swing) I realized I never stopped to imagine what I wanted my body to do in order to swing the club, thus I was thinking through it instead. So I visualized how I wanted to see the club swinging around my body (from address to follow-through). 4 (Replicate action of the golf swing with something else we do without thought) Now that I could see myself swinging the club I needed the same type of triggers I use in everyday life that have no direct connection to what I want my body to do. I don’t think my way to taking a drink of water or skiing down a mountain, so why would I do it with a golf club? So without holding a golf club I moved my arm into the proper position at the top of my swing and on down through to impact and follow-through. I quickly realized that standing with my right shoulder beside a shelf, keeping my legs in position, if I just turn and reach up to grab the imaginary object above and beside the right side of my head with my left arm, that I has just made a relaxed full shoulder turn and put myself into the top of my back swing with zero stress on my body. Then I imagine taking that imaginary object and tossing it down so that it hits the ball. The momentum brings me through to my follow-thorugh and the finish of my swing. Since my club is just a straight line extension of my left hand, it will pass through the point where the ball rests as the club swings around my body. 5 (Trigger) I am a lefty who plays right-handed, so instead of my right hand/arm leading my golf swing and me hitting the ball poorly, I changed to my left hand/arm guiding my right arm by just swinging my arms around my around my body, letting the rest of my body freely react to the swing – I can now easily hit off of cement without worrying about fat shots (my nemesis). 6 (In summary) It was an open mind and lots of experimentation that guided me to where I am now. My recipe may be particular to myself as we all tend to be a bit different in what works, but maybe some of it will give you ideas to move forward with. Cheers!
Philip
Feb 9, 2017 at 9:57 am
Last item – I pay attention now ensuring my posture is correct when I set up to the ball. If I am off just a little bit it greatly impacts my ability to do the necessary movements and have the flexibility required for my golf swing. I never paid much attention to this in the past (and neither did my instructors) and ended up using this and that fix to try and correct my past positions. I would say being able to get into a good posture at address is likely the main reason my swing is so much better and easier to do.
Tom
Feb 8, 2017 at 10:58 am
This explains why I pull a lot of my shots.
cgasucks
Feb 8, 2017 at 10:44 am
I couldn’t agree more with this guy…
chip
Feb 8, 2017 at 9:35 am
I immediately think of Stenson.
Nathan
Feb 8, 2017 at 9:22 am
Good video, thanks.
Hope to see more videos like this one in the future.
AMG
Feb 8, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Thanks… we have a number of these planned on several topics.
Brian Moore
Feb 8, 2017 at 8:59 am
So the same thing as the GolfTec Swing motion study
AMG
Feb 8, 2017 at 12:09 pm
The GEARS system allows us capture data from the club face, shaft, and full body. I’m not sure what data points were included in the Golftec study.