Golf Swing Rotational Velocity: The Essential Follow-Through

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate if shoulder and pelvic angular velocities differ at impact or peak magnitude between professional and amateur golfers. Golf swing rotational biomechanics are a key determinant of power generation, driving distance, and injury prevention. We hypothesize that shoulder and pelvic angular velocities would be highly consistent in professionals.

Methods: Rotational velocities of the upper-torso and pelvis throughout the golf swing and in relation to phases of the golf swing were examined in 11 professionals and compared to 5 amateurs using three-dimensional motion analysis.

Results: Peak rotational velocities of professionals were highly consistent, demonstrating low variability (coefficient of variation [COV]), particularly upper-torso rotational velocity (COV=0.086) and pelvic rotational velocity (COV=0.079) during down swing. Peak upper-torso rotational velocity and peak X-prime, the relative rotational velocity of uppertorso versus pelvis, occurred after impact in follow-through, were reduced in amateurs compared to professionals (p=0.005 and p=0.005, respectively) and differentiated professionals from most (4/5) amateurs. In contrast, peak pelvic rotational velocity occurred in down swing. Pelvic velocity at impact was reduced in amateurs compared to professionals (p=0.019) and differentiated professionals from most (4/5) amateurs.

Conclusion: Golf swing rotational velocity of professionals was consistent in pattern and magnitude, offering benchmarks for amateurs. Understanding golf swing rotational biomechanics can guide swing modifications to help optimize performance and prevent injury.

Keywords: Angular velocity; Back pain; Benchmark; Biomechanics; Golf swing.

Fig. 1.

The golf swing of each subject was normalized to the golf swing cycle, with values ranging from 0–140, with impact at 100.

Fig. 2.

The position (left), velocity (center), and global orientation (right) of the professional and amateur golfers. The gray area shows average±one standard deviation of the hard swing of the professionals. The dashed lines show average kinematics of each amateur golfer at different handicaps.

Fig. 3.

Comparison of upper torso rotational velocity (top), pelvic rotational velocity (center), and X-prime rotational velocity (bottom) of the professionals and amateurs. The peak value during down swing, the value at impact, and the peak value in follow-through of each variable is shown. Since skill level varied between amateurs, the individual values of each amateur are shown for each variable. The average±one standard deviation of professionals’ hard swings is shown in the horizontal striped bar and gray shaded area. * indicates significant difference between the average value of professional hard swing (gray) and amateurs (diagonal striped bar).

Fig. 4.

Change in upper torso rotational velocity (top), pelvic rotational velocity (center), and X-prime rotational velocity (bottom) with swing speed. The amateur’s velocity upper torso rotational (dashed) was similar to the slow swing of the professionals (light gray), rather than the medium swing (medium gray) or hard swing (dark gray).