Category: Technics

 

Golfers have recognized the importance of physical fitness and strength training for golf performance for several decades, though the emphasis on it has increased over time:

• In the 1950s-1960s, some pioneering professional golfers like Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Arnold Palmer started incorporating basic strength training into their routines, but it was not yet a widespread practice among golfers.
• In the 1980s and 1990s, a number of top players like Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, and Vijay Singh began to place a greater emphasis on developing strength, power, and physical conditioning as part of their training regimens. This shift was driven in part by the increasing athleticism of players on the PGA Tour.
• In the 2000s and 2010s, the fitness and training focus for elite golfers really accelerated. Players like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and others made strength training, conditioning, and overall physical preparation a major priority in their games.

Today, comprehensive strength and conditioning programs are considered essential for top professional golfers to maximize performance in terms of increasing swing speed, power, injury prevention, and overall athletic capabilities. This emphasis on fitness has filtered down from the pro ranks to benefit amateur golfers as well. With the rapid development of sports science and technology, coaches across many sports, including golf, have started to analyze player movement and incorporate training in multiple planes of motion based on a deeper understanding of human anatomy and biomechanics. This has helped refine golf-specific strength and conditioning to further optimize performance.

In the past, golf was sometimes viewed as a sport that only required training in the transverse plane. However, the deficiency of comprehensive golf-specific movement training knowledge and limited access to appropriate training facilities had been barriers to the sport’s development in some regions. Addressing these gaps has allowed golfers at all levels to gain access to and benefit from a more holistic approach to golf learning. 

Moving up from the ground, every joint in the body from the ankle, knees, hips, lumbar spine, thoracic spine, shoulders, elbows and wrists have a purpose in 3 planes of motions that create the 3D motion of Golf. Today, one of our S&C specialists, Tim will walk us through how the movement, or lack of movement in the hips can affect our back swing.

Our Hip’s 3 Planes of Movement in the Back Swing

Golfing, like many sports, involves movement across all three fundamental planes of motion:

1. Frontal plane (lateral/side-to-side movements)
2. Transverse plane (rotational movements)
3. Sagittal plane (forward/backward/vertical movements)

During the golf backswing, the body utilizes movements in each of these planes to effectively prepare for the downswing; 

1. In the frontal plane, the body shifts weight/pressure to the trail (right) side for a right-handed golfer.
2. In the transverse plane, the body coils by rotating away from the target.
3. In the sagittal plane, the body creates vertical lift and extension to load the kinetic chain.

These coordinated multi-planar movements generate significant potential energy that can then be efficiently released and transferred into club head speed and ball striking during the downswing. However, limitations in one plane of motion can create compensations or inefficiencies in another, ultimately leading to a loss of power and efficiency, decreased directional control, or inconsistent ball striking.

Understanding how our body moves is crucial for developing an efficient golf swing. Addressing any restrictions or imbalances in fundamental movement patterns, such as within the hips, can help golfers unlock their full athletic potential. Today, we will take a closer look at the role of the hips and how their movement in each plane contributes to an efficient golf swing.

The Crucial Hip Movements in the Transverse Plane

One of the most important and observable hip movements in the golf swing occurs in the transverse (rotational) plane. The hips play a critical role in power generation and control through their internal and external rotation.

During the Backswing:

• The left hip externally rotates
• The right hip internally rotates

This asymmetrical hip rotation pattern is essential for creating the coiled, loaded position at the top of the backswing. It allows the shoulders to turn farther away from the target, generating significant potential energy, similar to drawing back the string of a bow in archery. Just as an archer needs full draw to maximize arrow velocity, golfers require adequate hip rotation range of motion to achieve a deep, loaded backswing position. Inadequate hip rotation limits the potential power and consistency that can be transferred into the ball. Focusing on turning the hips more fully in the backswing, while maintaining a stable spine angle, can help remedy issues with power loss and ball striking inconsistency. Optimizing hip mobility and control in the transverse plane is a key component of an efficient golf swing.

Let’s assume our Hips can move well side-to-side (Frontal), and in the verticals (Sagittal), but not rotationally.  A lack of rotation in the hips can cause a number of issues, the most common being:

• The Sway, including pressure being shifted to the outside of the trail foot, leading to issues with timing to re-centre, or a slide later in the swing to control the low-point
• Losing structure and width in an attempt to create a bigger back swing.

Hips in the Frontal Plane: Lateral Shift and Tilt

In addition to the critical rotational movements in the transverse plane, the hips play a crucial role in the frontal (lateral) plane during the golf swing. Proper hip abduction and adduction help facilitate the essential weight/pressure shift and maintain balance.

During the Backswing:

• There is a small amount of lateral shift of the hips towards the trail (right) side.
• The hips also tilt slightly, with the right hip moving up and the left hip moving down.

As we turn in the backswing, our hips rotate as we shift to create the visual image of a trail hip that does not move away from the target. This controlled lateral weight transfer and hip tilt sets up the proper weight shift back to the lead (left) side on the downswing. The hip tilt helps the golfer maintain spine angle and balance throughout the swing, and sets up the proper angles to land on the lead side on the downswing. Adequate frontal plane hip mobility and control are essential for an efficient, repeatable golf swing. Restrictions in these movements can lead to compensations that negatively impact power transfer, ball control, and overall consistency.

Let’s assume our Hips can rotate well (Transverse), and move well in the verticals (Sagittal). A lack of lateral movement or tilt can cause a number of issues, the most common being:

• Inability to load the trail slide in the backswing to land left and explode up for the release of speed.
• We may attempt to create lateral by shifting our torso away from the target, again compromising our ability to control the low point for optimal contact.

Harnessing Hip Extension and Flexion for Power and Stability

While the transverse and frontal plane hip movements are critical, the hips’ sagittal plane actions are also essential for a stable, efficient golf swing.Proper hip flexion and extension help the golfer maintain an optimal posture and center of mass throughout the swing, preventing excessive swaying or lateral movement.

During the Backswing:

• The trail hips remain flexed;
• And the lead hip extends to allow for the proper tilts, lateral shifts and rotation to match-up.

This movement is also crucial for preparing for vertical force. I’d like to invite you to stand up with your feet hip width, and JUMP as high as you can. Without a golf ball, you will notice your natural instincts kick in. You will start with a small lift, land with a bend in your knees and flexion/bend in your hips, followed by a powerful extension of the hips and torso to propel yourself upwards. This same principle applies in the golf swing. In our backswing we are essentially creating lift (this does not mean our head gets higher), to prepare ourselves for the landing to then jump and release speed.

A lack of extension/flexion can cause a number of issues, a few examples being:

• Attempting to extend through lumbar spine causing lower back pain
• Excessive arm lift to attempt to create verticals without the use of the body

Unlock Your Golf Potential by Optimizing Hip Mechanics

By understanding and training these relationships in the hips, golfers can unlock more power, control, and consistency in their ball striking.  By developing a deep understanding of hip movement patterns and their impact on the golf swing, players can make targeted improvements to unlock their full athletic potential on the course. 

A proper, unrestricted golf swing is an important element for staying injury-free, scoring well and/or playing at a high level. When the hips move efficiently through the swing’s phases, it creates optimal separation between the upper body and lower body – the renowned “X-Factor” that allows golfers to effectively transfer energy from the ground, through the body, and into the club.

Restrictions or compensations in hip mobility and control can disrupt this critical kinetic chain, leading to certain inefficiencies including certain swing tendencies, inconsistency, and lost distance.

To assess and address any physical limitations impacting your swing, we recommend booking a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) assessment with Tim, one of our S&C specialists. During this comprehensive evaluation, our experts will analyze your golf-specific movement patterns, identify areas for improvement, and provide tailored training recommendations.

Come visit us now! 

Written by: Timothy Lau, OGP S&C Specialist