Biomechanics and Golf

There is information available widely through the web, PGA courses and magazine articles that brings you up to date with the latest thinking in golf.  They teach you the latest on how to swing each club correctly, how to putt, how to analyse your swing, how to get  mentally ‘tough’, how to improve flexibility and how to fitter and stronger for golf.

Today there is a plethora of information being offered about golf. Some of it correct, all of it interesting, but how much of it is relevant to you?  And how do you know which of these generic exercise tips is going to help you? Even if you trained using each one for 6 weeks and then took the results onto the course and tried them - how do you then know whether your performance is ‘that exercise’ or that you just had a good day?

Even video/digital analysis, although interesting from all points of view measure the movement discrepancies in a golfer’s swing, it doesn’t tell us why you are performing these movement aberrations.  Knowing what you’re doing wrong, but not knowing why you’re doing it is sometimes worse than not knowing what you’re doing wrong!

Golfers and Coaches need a simple system of analysis that they can use in conjunction with their coaching techniques to find out why golfers perform their particular swing.  Although there are fundamental similarities to all good swings, each swing is like a finger-print and unique to that individual.  Why is it unique? It’s because we are all biomechanically different and unless you understand what those differences are, how can you identify whether your  swing is due to poor technique or something that has  to done to compensate for a mechanical problem?  You can’t.  The variety of golf swings that exists represents the many ways that the human body can compensate for its biomechanical problems.

For example, let’s take a typical handicapper’s slice. You know the typical causes of a slice and the things you would normally work on, bearing in mind the individual and what you see.  At the same time we also know that these ways don’t always work.  There may be a number of reasons for this, the you may not be practicing, it may take some time to work out which is the best method for you or quite simply it may be that the person doesn’t have it in him to do what you want.  Alternatively, it is likely that he can’t do it.  If that pupil has a longer right leg (assuming he’s a right handed golfer), then he will have a tendency towards a more upright back swing.  We know this because of the way spine and pelvis work biomechanically.  A longer right leg compresses the joints in the spine on that side and so they can’t rotate easily.  They therefore have to side bend to gap the joints and initiate movement, which causes an upright backswing.  We also know that this then leads to a more out-to-in downswing and therefore a slice (depending upon grip and ball position of course).   So you could work all day on preventing this upright backswing, which you know is leading to a slice, but it will not change until you’ve addressed the leg length discrepancy.

Invariably these leg length discrepancies are cause by a rotated pelvis and often they don’t cause symptoms, you won’t even know it exists.  If this is the case then doing some simple exercises can help re-align the pelvis, reduce the leg length discrepancy and allow you to flatten that back swing.

There are many more of these examples.  As well as leg length discrepancies, other biomechanical issues can include, poor motor programming strategy (the way the muscles link together in movement patterns), poor control between the pelvis and shoulders, nerve adhesions or stiffness, faulty core muscle control, immobility around the hips,  pelvis and spine as well as simple lack of flexibility.  Some of these issues sound quite technical and complex, but they’re actually very simple to test and eradicate.

Biomechanics works ‘hand in glove’ with your teaching, it is crucial Pro’s understand and embrace this as its going to be the next big thing in golf.

There is a system that exits that can help you and pros to learn about and address these issues.  It comes 3 forms.  Firstly there is a software package that takes you through some simple biomechanical tests and the expert system takes you through as series of exercises to eradicate their biomechanical problems.  Secondly there are courses, which are endorsed by the PGA, which teach PGA professionals how to assess their own pupils and administer the exercises themselves.  Or, thirdly experts can come to your club and assess your pupils individually and make bespoke recommendations based upon a detailed assessment of their biomechanics and following a discussion with their PGA professional, a decision can be made as to the best programme for them to follow.

Author Bio
Managing Director of HumanLab Sports, heading a team of bio mechanists, kinesiologists, physiotherapists, strength and cardio-vascular specialists. For further information contact: Andy Loughray 020 8543 5288- email: Andy@humanlabsports.com or visit our website www.humanlabsports.com

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Here are some simple golf flexibility tests you can do to see if your current flexibility is hurting your golf game or not. And the first golf flexibility test is the sit-and-reach test. This test is basically an assessment of the flexibility of your lower back and hamstrings, but it can also be a good gauge of your general flexibility. To complete this test you need a box and a ruler. And it’s a good idea to have someone help you with this test.

First of all warm up thoroughly and then sit with your feet placed fully extended out in front of you onto the box. Keep your legs straight and reach as far forward as possible with your fingers stretched forward. Do not bounce for this test, just stretch as far as you can and then get someone to measure your distance either past or before the box. The measurements past the box should be recorded as PLUS distances, whereas in front of the box should be recorded as MINUS distances.

SCORING TABLE FOR THE SIT-AND-REACH TEST

Excellent +15cm

Good + 10cm

Fair + 5cm

Average 0cm

Poor less than 0 cm

This second group of flexibility tests will clearly show you how flexible you are for golf. And if you want to play to your potential as a golfer then you should get a score of “zero” for all four tests.

Golf Flexibility Test 1
With your back to a wall, raise both arms to shoulder height along the wall. Now walk forward and see how far from the wall you can stand and still touch it with the fingertips of both hands, with your arms straight. Your arms should be at shoulder height and you should stand well balanced on straight legs. Don’t bend your knees or lean back. Measure the distance between your heels and the wall.

Golf Flexibility Test 2
Sit on a stool placed against the front edge of an open door. Try to keep both your neck and lower back against the edge of the door. Lift your arms up and back over your head. Place your palms flat, one on each side of the door, and try to reach as far back as possible. Measure from the edge of the door to your fingertips.

Golf Flexibility Test 3
Try to make the fingertips of both hands touch behind your back. Do this by putting your left hand behind your back from underneath and try to raise it as high as you can, now place your right hand over your shoulder and bring it down as close as you can to your left hand. Alternate between hands then measure the gap between your “best” and your “worst” side. Combine the results. If your fingers do not touch at all on one side, subtract the shortfall from the result.

Golf Flexibility Test 4
Hold your arms straight out in front of you and see what is the shortest piece of cord you can stretch between your hands while still being able to pass your hands over your head and down your back. Measure the length of the cord.

*Sample Top Golfer Results From These Golf Flexibility Tests*

Golf Flexibility Test No. 1 ==> Top Golfer: 49cm

Golf Flexibility Test No. 2 ==> Top Golfer: 35cm

Golf Flexibility Test No. 3 ==> Top Golfer: +12cm, + 3cm

Golf Flexibility Test No. 4 ==> Top Golfer: 99cm

To get your golf flexibility result, simply subtract all the results. If you get negative results for test 3 then you will need to add them, to get your result. This example is what a “top golfer” result would be: 99cm - 12cm - 3cm - 35cm - 49cm = 0cm

If you get nowhere near zero as your result, then you will have some work cut out for you, but it doesn’t take long to see big improvements in flexibility so don’t be disheartened if you prove to be very stiff. But remember, when doing any flexibility exercises it is most beneficial to do them after you are warmed up.

The Author: Nick Bayley is a professional golfer who has discovered just one golf swing fault that could be stopping YOU from ball striking consistency and success. But luckily for you, now you can take a simple 2 minute golf swing test to see if you have this swing fault or not. So don’t delay! Go here to take The Golf Swing Test now.