Analyzing Yourself

The proliferation of wireless motion sensors that can be attached to your golf club or golf glove and send information to your cell phone has initiated a wave of swing problem self diagnosis. The idea is that by looking at numbers for tempo, some angles, club speed, and perhaps a few other metrics generated by the motion sensor that a golfer can diagnose a swing fault and determine how to fix it by consulting the software. There is no shortage of self help books and phone apps in the golf industry sold for that purpose.

Oh, if it were only that simple -- a lot of golf instructors would be out of a job in a hurry. But it is not that simple. And top instructors remain in demand. Here's an example of why it's not simple. Consider the over-the-top swing fault, a common problem -- more than 40 % of all golfers have it. The "simple" cause is an open clubface that may be due to swinging the club from outside to inside on the downswing. It's worst with a driver because the club is long and the outside-to-in path angle is wider than for shorter clubs.

Next come some "easy" fixes ranging from good ideas that seem reasonable to the truly bizarre. However, these remedies almost never actually fix the swing fault and most golfers after a few lessons and much frustration conclude they have a swing problem that can only be resolved by divine intervention or at the very least by a driver that looks like it's always making a left turn at address. 

But, what actually causes the over-the-top motion? Until you know the cause it's not likely you'll fix the swing fault. That's where professional swing analysis with the right instrumentation can help. We've described on several pages of our website the motion capture technology and use of high speed video that attack swing fault problems.

And more importantly, we've described how range-of-motion limitations are the real root of the swing fault problems in just about every case we've seen. And that's where the fix must originate. It's not likely to come from a quick tip generated by adding a small electronic weight to your club.

Fixing a swing fault begins with a professional analytical approach refined by years of experience and by using genuinely effective ways of measuring the fault. Then comes the range-of-motion analysis and the swing technique analysis that comes from having a professional eye look at the problem. Next comes the tough part: connecting the right range-of-motion improvements with a thorough swing fault analysis -- rarely if ever does one swing fault exist by itself. Misery loves company. There are always multiple problems.

The price point on this new class of club motion sensors seems reasonable. For about the price of a golf lesson you can buy a piece of equipment that promises to help fix the problem without a formal lesson. That's like asking your friend if he's a qualified surgeon because you have a small tumor you would like to have removed -- and he responds by telling you no, but he read the book yesterday and he's ready to help.

Our advice is that after you've had fun with the new electronic devices, find a professional who has some well-documented expertise and sign up for a full analysis of how you swing a golf club, whether you have the physical ability to swing it efficiently, and whether your clubs will let you do it effectively. Analyzing yourself is done best with the help of a professional.