How a Golf Swing Works

Process

A golf swing is a specific application of the general sport movement skill of striking. The striking skill is used in baseball, tennis, hockey and golf. The golf swing requires the coordination of a variety of body parts, making up a kinetic chain of events. Each link contributes to the next, and maximal acceleration of the golf club is produced if all are coordinated correctly.

Backswing

The backswing uses eccentric muscle contractions (you extend your muscles). During this part of a golf swing, energy is created and stored, to be released during the forward swing. A longer back swing creates more energy than a shorter backswing. Upper body rotation is created by the hands and arms leading the club take back, pulling the torso, rather than the torso being turned and pushing the arms back. The torso should, however, work with the hands to rotate naturally. Prior to finishing the backswing and beginning the forward swing, a slight slowdown in the rhythm of the swing should occur to facilitate the release of the energy stored during the eccentric muscle contractions. Not a true stop, this slowdown can be compared to a slight pause.

Forward Swing

The forward swing uses concentric muscle contractions (you contract your muscles). The feet should be firmly on the ground (you should not be on your toes), to push off the ground and create reactive power. Leading slightly with the hips just before contact creates more club head acceleration by creating internal shoulder rotation, which contributes most bat/racquet/club head speed at impact in sports. This hip-lead helps create the natural weight shift from back foot to front foot, further accelerating the club. "Snapping" or turning the wrists over just prior to impact adds club head speed, and gets the club head face into proper alignment with the ball.

Follow Through

The follow through contributes nothing to ball speed, trajectory or spin, but is critical to maintaining club head speed and direction. Stopping the club at impact would require you to slow down before ball contact. Swinging past the ball and following through allows you to decelerate naturally after you have hit the ball.

4,000 Watts

It takes about 4,000 watts of energy to create a professional golf swing. A golfer can create about 100 to 150 watts of power per kilogram of body weight. Therefore, the arms do not play a significant role in creating club head speed. The large parts of the body (legs, thighs, hips, butt, trunk) create the most power during a striking movement, with the arms facilitating the correct path of the club, racquet or bat to the ball.