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Perfect Swing? Forget the Wrists

Drive guided by when power applied, not golfer's strength

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Nov 5, 2008 6:29 PM CST
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(Newser) – After decades of laborious calculations, a Canadian professor says he's discovered the precise mechanics of the perfect golf swing. It’s all in the arms, it turns out—not the wrists. By measuring professional swings caught in high-speed photos, Robin Sharp has determined that the optimum swing doesn’t depend on the golfer’s strength or size, but how and when power is applied, BBC reports.

The swing shouldn't start at full force, but build up to it quickly and maintain that maximum speed until contact with the ball, Sharp says. Amateurs tend to tense up and try to keep everything in alignment. Professionals, by contrast, hit first with their shoulders, then follow with arm strength. The wrist matters only at the point of release.

Size and strength don't give that much of an advantage in golf, a researcher says.
Size and strength don't give that much of an advantage in golf, a researcher says.   (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Tiger Woods is considered to have the most perfect golf swing.
Tiger Woods is considered to have the most perfect golf swing.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The backswing shouldn't start at full force but quickly build up to it, a tricky maneuver to perfect.
The backswing shouldn't start at full force but quickly build up to it, a tricky maneuver to perfect.   (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
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golf • science • engineering • University of Surrey • golf swing • Robin Sharp

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