In the past two issues, I defined "a balanced swing" by the
movement and position of the Center of Gravity (COG), and "an
unbalanced swing" as the COG being positioned out over the toes.
But what happens when there is a lack of movement in the COG
during the golf swing? How do the body mechanics compensate?
If there is a lack of movement in the COG, the COG stays in a
somewhat fixed or centered position, requiring the swing mechanics to
change in order to produce a golf shot. One way to produce a shot
when there is a lack of COG movement is to swing strictly with your
arms. This type of swing produces minimal power and distance, as well
as placing additional strain in the arm and shoulder muscles.
The following are the most common golf swing problems:
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 The Back
Swing
During the backswing, the COG stays in a center or
neutral position (exhibited by the golf ball at the end of
the string whichrepresents a line through the COG). While
maintaining this COG position, the upper body will
compensate by tilting or pressing forward, trying to allow
for a full back swing. This is illustrated in Fig. 1 (an
incorrect position) and referred to as a forward tilt and/or
reverse pivot. This movement places a tremendous strain in
the left side low back muscles and left hip.
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|
 The
Down Swing
The down swing is almost the opposite of the back
swing. At the top of your back swing, the upper body tilts
forward ahead
of the ball. A major compensation has to take place as
you start your down swing. The upper body and weight
transfer falls backward trying to get behind the ball. This
maintains the neutral position of the COG (Fig. 2 - an
incorrect swing). This movement places a great strain on the
right hip and knee area.
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 Impact & Follow Through
This movement is basically a continuation of the down
swing. The upper body and weight transfer continues to fall
backwards, significantly decreasing power and consistency
- since the body's momentum has fallen away from the
ball and the target (Fig. 3 demonstrates an incorrect
swing). This movement will continue to place a great strain
in the right knee and hip as well as in the right side low
back muscles.
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