A Great Day Spent With Dr Rob Neal, a leader in the field of golf dynamics

As we all know, golfers are very individual and differ greatly in a number of ways. This is often evident in the back swing movements of players like Jim Furyk and John Daly who could never be called orthodox.
A great expression I often hear is:

"We don't hit the ball with our back swing"

While it's commonplace for commentators and the media to analyse the positions reached by great players on the way back, it is what happens after that that has more influence on the ball. What all great players do have in common is their movement sequencing from the transition onwards.  This is also the biggest factor that separates the weekend golfer from the professionals.
From the top of the back swing the correct sequence for right handers is:

1.  Left knee and hip move laterally toward the target 
2. The upper torso and shoulders will then begin to unwind
3. Arms swing down and wrists unhinge to deliver the strike
4. Club head finally reaches the ball a long way after the first movement of the hips

If your downswing is out of sequence then there will be a significant effect on club head speed, ball direction and quality of strike .This why your movement (dynamics) are so critical to good ball striking.More an more I find myself coaching movement skills over 'swing positions'.

 Coaching kinetic sequence with the use of throwing and striking aids is great way to keep the learning's instinctive. All these disciplines share the same sequence.



I was recently lucky enough to spend a day with Dr Rob Neal who is considered to be one of the world's leading experts in the field of golf dynamics. He earned his PhD in the late 80's studying the effect of load on the lag timing in the sequence. Rob now works out of Doral Country Club in Miami with the Jim Mclean golf school. He also happens to be a +2 handicap golfer which is a testament to his work in itself.
A large part of Rob's work involves analysing golf swings using his 3D system of analysis that he has spent years developing. The system which is becoming more and more widely used involves a number of sensors being placed on the player's body while they swing. This in turn generates exact data on the player's movement and sequencing. There is a multitude of measurements that can be used but the key areas are:

• Stability

• Sequence of pelvis, upper torso, hands and club head

• Peak Acceleration timing of the elements above

I was lucky enough to be put through my paces with the 3D analysis system. It looks uncomfortable but I had no difficulty making normal swings.

The system then places your movement in 'corriders' with the optimum being based on a study of tournament professionals.

This is only a snap shot of the data generated from my session. We can see that the green numbers are good, the yellow dubious and the red are areas for concern. It then takes a skilled coach to interpret the information and explain it in a way that the player can use.

What did I learn?
In my case the data on this page was most insightful, showing a hip sway in the back swing which is a simple technique error. The other key factors (red numbers) are my x factor. shoulder turn and head rotation which are all an effect of my lack of flexibility. So, I know what I need to do before achieving the swing changes I would like. Since then I have worked with a physio and set a course of daily stretching, we'll see where that leads.

A big thank you to Dr Rob Neal for fun and insightful day.
www.golfbiodynamics.com