50 % Speed of arms
30 % Speed of torso of the overall speed , so the real reason they are more rotated at impact is because they went first .
The most important contribution of higher speed is more golf ball height , more spin and ultimately more carry distance . Swinging the club slower produces a lower ball flight and less carry distance . If you struggle with a lower ball flight , you probably lack the necessary speed to hit the high ball that you see displayed on the PGA Tour .
1 2 3 4
CLUB ARM TORSO HIPS
20 %
Speed of hips
100 MPH SPEED OF THE CLUB
Defining the Terms of the Golf Swing by JOSH APPLE , Director of Instruction , Raspberry Golf Academy
THE WORLD OF GOLF INSTRUCTION IS FULL OF CONFUSING TERMS THAT OVERLAP AND HAVE VAGUE INTERPRETATIONS . These terms get tossed around to the point that golfers are using them without really understanding the meanings . Here I am going to provide clear definitions of frequently used terminology in the sport .
SPEED
Speed is how fast something is moving in the golf swing . Speed is measured in miles per hour ( mph ) or degrees per second ( dps ). Every segment of the body , including your hips , torso and arms , have a certain speed they should be moving in order to achieve your desired club head speed .
For example , if your club head moves 100 mph at impact with a driver , then your hips should be moving approximately 20 mph ( 420-510 dps ), your torso 30 mph ( 650-720 dps ), and your arms 50 mph ( 975-1080 dps ). In other words , 20 % of your club speed comes from your hips , 30 % from your torso , and 50 % from your arms .
A common mistake I see from students is trying to make the hips go too fast in the downswing , knowing that the hips are supposed to be the most rotated body segment at impact . Remember the hips are only 20 %
SEQUENCE
Sequence is the order of events in the golf swing , meaning there is a proper chain that you should follow in order to be most successful . In the backswing , the club head moves first , followed by the arms , torso and hips . This reverses in the downswing , meaning the hips lead the way , followed by the torso , arms and club .
The order of the downswing is a big struggle for the majority of golfers , as the club head needs to be delayed relative to the segments of the body . When you watch tour players , the club head stays high for a long time in the downswing while the body fires first . The term “ casting ” refers to sending the club head too soon on the way down . The only part of the club that should be moving early in the downswing would be the handle while the head remains high .
Having the proper sequence contributes to a more powerful swing and leads to more overall consistency in ball striking . With the proper firing sequence — hips , torso , arms and club — the power potential skyrockets and repeatability is far more likely . When my students ask for more consistency , I look for sequence first .
34 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ULY / A UGUST 2022
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