Eureka, maybe …?

After a week off, I tried my new-found impact-position theory (visualising impact, with hips somewhat open to the target, relaxed arms and wrists, etc.) and played exceptionally well.

Now, this could be a one-off, a swallow that doesn't make a summer, or I could be onto something.

Of course, with golf, nothing is ever certain, no-one plays well all the time, everyone has strange days - good and bad. However, there is a new development in golf analysis that might be relevant here.

The golf swing and its various components are now open to precise measurement. That is, the movements of the various components of the golf swing - hips, arms, hands and club - can be measured in milliseconds and the precise sequence or timing of these movements can now be recorded.

This means that we now know that the most efficient (club head speed producing) full golf swing has a certain sequence of moves that is common to all good golfers. These players start the swing with the lower body, with the other components of the swing catching up at just the right moment (at impact).

These moves or movements can be plotted on a graph and seen (albeit sometimes with some difficulty) when swings are photographed in slow motion. However, many average golfers are blissfully unaware of this science and probably have no real desire to consider it, even though they marvel at the effortless power of the top pros.

My take on this has been to look at the impact position of good golfers and ask why are they in such an open position at impact and how do they get their trailing elbow tucked in such a powerful position at impact. I had been slow to realise that when you are turned quite open at impact your rear elbow will be close to your hip - unless you have a terribly over-the-top swing.

Once I realised that this open position is created by considerable hip turn before any significant arm swing, I knew that the Paul Wilson body turn concept had merit. The problem then was how to control that hip turn; how to turn consistently and in a controlled way - something I hadn't been able to master.

This was when I realised that I needed to concentrate on achieving the correct impact position with my hips by actually thinking of them as being stationary at that point, which they almost are. In fact, everything in the swing, having accelerated up to and just beyond impact, does suddenly decelerate. This is the moment when the arms straighten and the weight stabilises over the front leg as it straightens.

It's difficult to describe all the actions leading to this moment and to describe in words the impact position; you need to see or visualise it. I now try to visualise this impact position, without thinking about my backswing or any other technical aspect of my swing. I should emphasise that I don't think about stopping my swing either. I still swing through the ball, but I try to focus on my body position rather than my arms etc.

There will be further research needed; much can happen week to week in golf.

I should quickly add that my recent good round was partly due to two other factors: not trying to do more than the club being used would normally allow (i.e.. not over-swinging) and also playing sensible golf (no heroics, taking my medicine if in trouble, staying calm and thinking clearly). Good scoring depends on these factors as much as a good golf swing - no eureka moment required.