Range of Motion

Golf requires a near maximum range of motion in both backswing and downswing for best performance.

in the backswing muscle flexibility, joint mobility, and balance are generally more important than strength. The trail side shoulder externally rotates and retracts while the trail side hip internally rotates. And there must be sufficient strength in core and lower body muscles to provide the stability needed for a balanced rotation around a stable lumber spine. Any limitations will restrict the ability to execute an efficient swing and could lead to injury. 

In the downswing strength and lead side lateral stability are easier for most golfers to appreciate. But the sequence of movements used to initiate and execute the downswing is critical for maximum power and clubhead speed. For example, a golfer who initiates the downswing with the shoulders may generate forces that push the arms away from the body and put the club in an over-the-top swing plane. Improving hip mobility will help in transferring power from the lower body and reduce stress on the spine thereby making it easier to keep the club on plane to the ball.

Why Scores Remain High

GOLF SCORES. Average scores haven’t changed much in decades despite improvements in golf balls, club technology, and instructional tools. We think what’s missing is knowing how to develop an effective range of motion.

A HIDDEN KEY. Efficient golf swings have complex forces and distinct body movement patterns not used in daily activities. Golfers know they need good technique, and that something about club design matters. But the most under-appreciated variable is range of motion and how it affects the ability to swing a club. It's a problem that's been overlooked by traditional instruction, and many golfers are given lessons on a swing that they are physically unable to execute without risk of injury.

MISSING LINK. Traditional stretching and exercise may not yield the stability and mobility needed for golf. It’s because typical fitness routines don’t adequately prepare the body to create angles required to generate power and control the rotational forces produced in the swing. A golf-specific exercise plan to minimize or overcome your specific range of motion restrictions is the missing link between technique and your clubs..

THE FIRST STEP. A full swing analysis with a range of motion analysis is the best start on your path to better golf. You should understand something about your swing motion and the ability of your body to deliver an efficient swing. Then you should consider getting clubs that are fitted correctly to your individual swing mechanics -- clubs that are too long, too short, or too heavy should be replaced.

EFFECTIVE RANGE OF MOTION - EFFICIENT SWING TECHNIQUE - PROPERLY FIT CLUBS. We find the best way to improve your game is to work on all three building block at the same time. Here's why. Efficiency in a rotational sport like golf depends on how body segments work in an alternating pattern of mobility and stability. For example, mobile hips and a mobile upper body rotate around a stable lower back. If limitations in normal mobility develop, the lower back may compensate by sacrificing some stability to make up for the missing motion. This abnormal motion can contribute to injuries in the lower back, and to development of swing faults. Mobility restrictions are frequent in men anequipment, d aging players, and surprisingly in many of the junior golfers we've seen. It may explain why lower back pain is common in golf. A basic TPI functional movement screen is an effective way to evaluate potential limitations that can affect golf swing performance. We can include a TPI analysis in your club fitting and swing evaluation. If you’re serious about golf, our 3D range of motion tests yield a key baseline on which to build your game. 

MOI-Matching Irons

The force required to swing a golf club is a function of the moment of inertia (MOI) of the club around the axis of rotation at its grip end. When every club in a set has the same MOI, the effort in making a full swing with each club is also the same. Consequently, MOI-matched clubs promote a repeatable swing and consistent timing of the release through impact. Control, accuracy, and feel are optimized through the set. By comparison, swingweight matched clubs don’t have the same MOI through the set requiring subtle force adjustments for a full swing of each club: consistent timing is more difficult to achieve. Swingweight matching persists in factory-built clubs mainly because it’s a manufacturing convenience for OEMs and an inventory convenience for retailers. MOI-matched clubs fit to your swing are only available from custom clubmakers. Our clubfitting finds the optimum MOI for your swing, then we use state-of-the-art technology developed by Tom Wishon to build MOI-matched custom sets for you. We have several years of experience and understanding in building MOI-matched clubs. Once you play our MOI-matched clubs, you will never go back to swingweight matched alternatives. 

Swing Mobility, Stability

MOBILITY. It allows the body to create the angles and motions required for high club head speed. Here’s a way to think about it. Consider how and where you rotate in a backswing, and how you release the club through impact as you turn towards the target. If you can’t do it easily and smoothly without a club in your hand, you probably have a mobility problem. Maximum mobility comes from exercising golf-specific movements to develop the needed flexibility. A problem for most fitness-aware golfers is that traditional stretching and exercise don’t target the specific motions needed for golf. Translation: you need to understand how your body works in the golf swing to design an effective fitness routine.

STABILITY. It enables a golfer to maintain a set position in the presence of changing forces in the swing. Stability helps you to keep the club swinging on plane and to release the club through impact with accuracy and consistency. Most of us don’t think about stability in our movements, but it makes full mobility possible. Stabile joints and body segments are required for purposeful mobility. If you see a swing that looks like a wild turkey on steroids, you are probably seeing a stability problem. 

HOW THEY INTERACT. The body works in an alternating pattern of stability and mobility. If this pattern is disrupted by pain, injury, or posture problems, then compensations develop that could impact your golf swing and lead to more complications. Instability in the hips is common in golf and is typically associated with weakness in muscles that connect the legs to the pelvis. It results in limited rotation of mobile hip joints and restricted weight shift onto the lead leg -- a slice ball flight is common. Golfers need fitness methods that target their specific restrictions if they want to play better safer golf.

A PLAN FOR YOU. Specific stretching routines and exercises that target mobility and stability issues will improve your ability to play golf. There’s a science to it, and practical solutions have been developed that can bring about huge benefits to your game. Let us know how we can help you.

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