Are Biomechanics of Golf Swing Any Use To Amateurs?

You may think that the biomechanics of golf swing are only of any interest to the professionals - too technical for the amateur or one time per week golfer. However, if you think like that, it may explain why you could sometimes spend most of your round in the sand or trees!

Yes, of course the professionals need to understand the way the body works when it swings the club, which is what biomechanics is all about. However, it is just as important for the fun golfer. You may be surprised to find that a few subtle changes can take strokes off your round on a permanent basis.

Although there are certain basic principles, the swing is individual to the person. To prove this you only have to look at all the different types of swing on display by the players at major championships. If you follow championships for any length of time you will also know about the top players who have changed their swing due to loss of form or an injury. This means you need to find the swing that works best for your own body, and anyone teaching you needs to know this too.

Swinging a club in the hand with a need for accuracy is a natural move for the body, going back to our hunting days. However, hunting was a matter of throwing the club itself, not hitting a small ball on the ground. Therefore arriving at the correct golf swing necessary to get enough speed on the club when it hits the ball, means you will be twisting your body in a way which actually is NOT that natural.

This is why the swing needs to be broken down and studied in terms of biomechanics to foster consistency. The best way to do this is to watch a video recording of your own swing along with a coach or experienced golfing friend who can make suggestions.

In the past, the swing used to focus on the rotation of the hips to get the speed into the club, but in the modern game it is the twisting of the upper body which generates the speed, and the hips almost follow along because they have to.

Once your body is tuned in to keeping your spine and the club shaft at a 90 degree angle, you will find you can then get more consistent with the end result as the club face hits the ball.

Combine that consistency of angle with a correct twisting motion to generate the speed, and you will end up much less in the sand and trees, and much more on the fairway and greens!

So to sum up, remember that the biomechanics of golf swing are vital to your game, and considering this aspect is a first step if you are planning on improving your game.

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Author: Peter Charalambos


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