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Adult Golfer's Window
- The Golf Swing Performance
The Golf Swing Performance
There are many schools of thought on how to swing the golf club and hit the ball. Most beginners and golfers have the impression
that the golf swing is an intentional manipulation of the golf club physically in the air to hit the ball. This intentional thought
in the mind is not totally incorrect. But actually, and in fact the golf swing is more of manipulating the body movements in perfect
co-ordination during the swing action. The ball is just in the way of the clubhead swing path of the golfer’s swing execution.
Many good golfers can easily swing and hit the ball with their eye closed when the body movement is synchronized. Moreover golfers
should not try to determine the club movement and displacement during the swing. They should perceive the correct body movement and
balance during the swing. A golfer can only swing the clubhead to impact with the ball perfectly as fast as he can balance and control
the body during the swing.
A good golf swing is when you are able to swing the club with your hands and arms with proper body rotation, enabling the club to move back and up in a circular manner and down with maximum angular acceleration to hit the ball solidly on the clubface. This will produce a good golf shot that will launch the ball to its optimum trajectory for maximum distance. One of the attributes to achieve the maximum distance is physical and athletic ability. Therefore if you are physically stronger and younger, you will hit the ball farther.
In a golf swing, preparation is very important—90 percent of the process takes place before you actually swing the club backward. A proper and good set up will definitely increase your chance of hitting the ball solidly. The key elements of a good setup are posture, grip, balance, aim and the ball position. The golfer’s brain will picture the body movement swinging the club to hit the ball. The cerebrum (new brain) sets the body for any motor activities for the intended golf swing while the cerebellum controls and monitors the timing of the muscles movements.
To understand the simple golf swing, beginners and golfers must first comprehend the physiology of the body and bio-mechanics. A human body will only move deliberately, reflexively or with anticipation. When moving your body with deliberation you are attentively making a conscious decision to do something, such as walking up a flight of steps. Reflexively is the reaction of the body movement, such as when you fall, your hands and arms will sub-consciously and automatically reach out to break your fall. With anticipation, the body makes movements in order to accomplish a particular movement, such as raising your arms to catch an object. The brain pictures the movement of the body, and the body’s neurology activates the muscular system.
For an efficient golf swing, a golfer needs to know that each part of the body can only move to a certain degree athletically, either laterally or in rotational movement due to the body’s biological structure. When any part of the body moves, the related muscles that support the movement will be in tension. The muscles work in sets and it is the small muscles that initiate the corresponding bigger muscles. A good example is when a golfer starts to swing the club from the address position, the small palm “thenar” muscles that is holding on to the club’s grip will initiate the group of arm muscles, which are the extensor, flexsor and triceps. In golf, the triceps muscles are actively used to keep the arms straight. A golfer who does not swing correctly disrupts the set of muscle tensions for a deliberate swing movement and will experience inconsistent club displacement especially the swing plane and path that result in undesired golf shots
For beginners and golfers who want to learn to swing the golf club proficiently, they should start with a short swing. The short swing will enable the golfer to feel the initiation and tension of the muscles relating to how the body moves in deliberation, reflex and anticipation. Golfers should learn to perfect short swing movements and hit the ball solidly before extending the backswing arc longer to hit the ball farther.
The understanding of the physiology of the body will help to facilitate for the golfer’s movements of the hands, arms, lower- and upper-body and most vitally the feet and legs that support and balance the swing execution. All sport techniques alike, you must learn the correct fundamentals and practice intuitively not only to condition body flexibility but also to avoid and prevent injuries and thus making your learning curve shorter.
A good golf swing is when you are able to swing the club with your hands and arms with proper body rotation, enabling the club to move back and up in a circular manner and down with maximum angular acceleration to hit the ball solidly on the clubface. This will produce a good golf shot that will launch the ball to its optimum trajectory for maximum distance. One of the attributes to achieve the maximum distance is physical and athletic ability. Therefore if you are physically stronger and younger, you will hit the ball farther.
In a golf swing, preparation is very important—90 percent of the process takes place before you actually swing the club backward. A proper and good set up will definitely increase your chance of hitting the ball solidly. The key elements of a good setup are posture, grip, balance, aim and the ball position. The golfer’s brain will picture the body movement swinging the club to hit the ball. The cerebrum (new brain) sets the body for any motor activities for the intended golf swing while the cerebellum controls and monitors the timing of the muscles movements.
To understand the simple golf swing, beginners and golfers must first comprehend the physiology of the body and bio-mechanics. A human body will only move deliberately, reflexively or with anticipation. When moving your body with deliberation you are attentively making a conscious decision to do something, such as walking up a flight of steps. Reflexively is the reaction of the body movement, such as when you fall, your hands and arms will sub-consciously and automatically reach out to break your fall. With anticipation, the body makes movements in order to accomplish a particular movement, such as raising your arms to catch an object. The brain pictures the movement of the body, and the body’s neurology activates the muscular system.
For an efficient golf swing, a golfer needs to know that each part of the body can only move to a certain degree athletically, either laterally or in rotational movement due to the body’s biological structure. When any part of the body moves, the related muscles that support the movement will be in tension. The muscles work in sets and it is the small muscles that initiate the corresponding bigger muscles. A good example is when a golfer starts to swing the club from the address position, the small palm “thenar” muscles that is holding on to the club’s grip will initiate the group of arm muscles, which are the extensor, flexsor and triceps. In golf, the triceps muscles are actively used to keep the arms straight. A golfer who does not swing correctly disrupts the set of muscle tensions for a deliberate swing movement and will experience inconsistent club displacement especially the swing plane and path that result in undesired golf shots
For beginners and golfers who want to learn to swing the golf club proficiently, they should start with a short swing. The short swing will enable the golfer to feel the initiation and tension of the muscles relating to how the body moves in deliberation, reflex and anticipation. Golfers should learn to perfect short swing movements and hit the ball solidly before extending the backswing arc longer to hit the ball farther.
The understanding of the physiology of the body will help to facilitate for the golfer’s movements of the hands, arms, lower- and upper-body and most vitally the feet and legs that support and balance the swing execution. All sport techniques alike, you must learn the correct fundamentals and practice intuitively not only to condition body flexibility but also to avoid and prevent injuries and thus making your learning curve shorter.
Philip Ang
Asian Golf Centre
Certified & Licensed USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional - USA
Certified Professional Teacher and Trainer - University of Cambridge, UK
Singapore Sport Council - NCAP Level 1, 2 & 3
Singapore WDA-WSQ ACTA Certified Trainer & Assessor
Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP™) Practitioner - USA
Certified Professional Clubmaker by GCA (USA)
GCA Winner International Clubmaker of the Year - USA
"Correct preception of golf swing performance will set the correct learning attitude"
from Philip Ang
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