Are Traditional Golf Mechanics Optimum?

David Duval shoots a 59 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Tiger Woods shoots a 62 at the Buick Open. They both hit the ball so far it seems unbelievable to mere mortals. They accomplished these feats under the pressure of the highest competitive level of play in the world.

How can anyone(in his right mind) say this is not optimum and this should not be the stroke mechanics to copy?

Aristotle said the earth was the center of the universe and the planets and stars moved around the earth in musical spheres. Because Aristotle was the authority figure of his time, this was accepted as a fact. It was 2000 years before scientific observation of reality was accepted and the perceptions of Aristotle abandoned.

Around 1910, golfers copied Harry Vardon's perceptions. In the 1930's, everyone copied Bobby Jones' perceptions. From that time on, everyone copied the perceptions of the dominant players of the time,e.g.. Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, etc. The great players of each age have shot unbelievable numbers and hit the ball unbelievable distances.

Should an amateur be able to duplicate the stroke mechanics of tour players? The Scientific answer is NO! The average score for male amateur golfers has been around 100 for the last 100 years. Why, if the stroke mechanics of the dominant player of the time is optimum, and equipment is optimum and teaching is optimum, has the average score remained the same for such a long period of time?

Scientific observation, again, provides the answer. There are two major mechanical faults. One is the finger grip of the right hand. The second is the bending of the left wrist back toward the outside of the left forearm.

This article will explain the first major fault. The next article will explain the correction. The first fault is the finger grip of the right hand. When you grip the club in the fingers of the right hand, you create an angle between the right forearm and the shaft. This means that there are a minimum of two axis between the shaft and right arm (there are usually more). NOTE: It is scientifically impossible to swing a two or more axis system on a single plane.

The finger grip of the right hand requires that the following must happen: Body center must move upward and backward (the spine angle cannot remain the same). The shoulders will be moving on one plane. The arms will be moving on second plane. The hands will be rotating on a third plane inside the arm plane. The club head will be on a fourth plane and The club face will be rotating on a fifth plane inside the club head plane.

Summarizing the motions: Tour mechanics require coordinated motion on five different planes while body center moves upward and backward with the club head moving in excess of 100 mph. If the club face varies by more than 2 degrees as it passes through impact, you will not hit a 40 yard wide fairway.

The simple scientific fact is that these mechanics are too complex. It requires world class timing and tempo and a minimum of five hours a day of practice or playing to keep anywhere near optimum. The best players in the world are only accurate around 70% of the time.

How many people do you know that practice and play all the time and never get any better? The answer is most. You are limited by your ability to coordinate the complexity of the finger grip stroke. Once you reach your coordination limits, you will not become a better ball striker (hit more fairways and greens) no matter what you do -- practice, equipment or lessons.

The next several articles will explain how to achieve a far simpler mechanics.

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