An excerpt from the book Golf Swing Eureka by Jon Barrett

What part of the body contributes the most
to generating the maximum speed of the golf club head?

This single answer allowed me to make a huge leap in my understanding of the golf swing, and in everything I had seen and read about the golf swing none of it emphasised it anywhere near like enough.

I carried out a survey on the Internet over several weeks and asked visitors to my web site the question:

‘What part of the body contributes the most to generating the maximum speed of the club head?’

Only 20% got the answer correct – That’s only 1 in every 5 golfers! And these golfers had a wide range of handicaps down to single figures.

Interestingly this figure corresponds to another golfing statistic – Did you know that only around 20% of golfers have a handicap of less than 18? It made me wonder whether the misunderstanding of the fundamental aspect could be the one thing that is holding so many golfers back.

Which part of the body do you think creates the maximum speed of the club head?

Is it:

• Shoulders
• Arms
• Hands
• Hips
• Legs
• Torso
• Wrists

The part of the body that generates the maximum club head speed in golf can also be found in other sports such as Tennis, Baseball and Cricket.

In all of these sports the role of the hands or wrists is such that they contribute the most to generating the speed of the club, racket or bat.

When the club reaches the point on the downswing where it is level with the ground notice the position of the shoulders. Then take a look at the point when the club is parallel with the ground again, after the ball has been hit and again notice the position of the shoulders.

Look at how far the club has moved (over 180 degrees) compared to how little the shoulders and arms have moved (around 45 degrees).

So the answer to the question that I posed above is that it is the hands (or wrists) that contribute the most to generating the maximum club head speed. The club is moved through over 180 degrees whilst the arms move through less than 60 degrees – all of the rest of the movement of the head of the golf club is generated by the movement of the hands.

Unfortunately the large majority of golfers think that it is with the shoulders and arms.

So we have shown that the club head travels a long way with very little body movement in the final stages of the swing, and this is how the pro’s generate club head speeds of over 120mph! We have focused on the movement of the wrists but it’s important to point out that the wrists are only really hinges at the point that the two arms meet and are therefore under the control of the arms. At the point we have highlighted in the swing where the club is about to travel through 180 degrees (see images below) the right arm is bent at the elbow and the left arm is straight.

Just put your arms and hands into this position (you don’t need a club in your hands but use one if it helps). Now simply straighten your right arm and allow your straight left arm to move towards the centre of your body (simulating the point of impact).

Can you see how the wrists actually move in response to the straightening of the right arm? This is a key factor as developing the correct swing relies upon you getting your right elbow close to the right side of your body – if you move your shoulders early in the swing you won’t be able to achieve this position.

When you get this move it feels like you are throwing the club head into the back of the ball, which in reality is what you are actually doing and it feels great as you release all that power right into the back of the ball!

Let’s see less emphasis on the movement of the shoulders and more control with the wrists.

This will create a totally different feel to the way you’ve been hitting the ball in the past.

Happy Golfing!

There is a wide array of gift ideas available for the golfer on your \”Christmas List\”. No matter if he is a professional who can drive the ball 300 yards down the field, or a mere beginner who can barely get it off the tee, there is something for everyone. With such a wide assortment of gifts available where is one to start? What golf gift should you choose in such a sea of products? No worries, we are here to help you navigate the stormy waters of the golf galaxy…

Golf can be both a fascinating and frustrating game. You can make a fantastic shot one minute, and then spend the rest of the day chasing that little white ball from the sand trap to the rough to the water hazard. Yes, golf can be very frustrating, but it can also be a very exciting game where one well-placed shot can send your mind reeling on what \”might be\”. Could you be a pro? Could you quit your day job and join the circuit? All you need is a little instruction and the proper tools, right? We will now delve into the categories available for golf instruction and equipment.

1) Golf Equipment – Even if you know very little about the game of golf, you probably realize that a golfer will need a ball and a club. Beyond that, there is a wide assortment of choices, depending upon the quality of the equipment to the specific tool needed to perform that specific job. In a bit of golf \”lingo\”, you might as well forget using that #3 wood to get your ball out of that sand trap.

2) Instruction. Many people play guitar these days. It\’s been said that it is one of the easiest instruments to play, and yet one of the hardest to master. Golf is the same. Those who desire the game have numerous options available to them. For those with lots of cash, individual instruction from a golf pro is the way to go. For most of us however, we can learn a lot from books and DVD\’s on the subject.

3) Golf Courses – So you have a club and a ball, you need a place to use them. This is where the golf course comes in. Many golfers belong to a specific golf club, but long to \”try their metal\” if you will on other courses. What a great gift idea to give that special golfer a round of golf on a neighboring course. For those who have deep pockets, why not a round-trip ticket to an elite golf course in Florida or California. Four!!!

4) Golf Tournament Tickets – We all have heroes and mentors, and that includes golfers. Why not surprise him/her with tickets to see their favorite golfer in action? Golf professionals constantly tour the world entering golfing tournaments and displaying their abilities. This will certainly be a gift that they will remember and cherish for all time.

5) Novelty Items – We all need a good laugh now and then, right? Golfers are no exception. When it comes to golf gifts it seems that the supply is endless. Some are very subtle. Others are outright hilarious.

These golf gift categories are just something to get you thinking. In our future articles we will be offering more specifics on particular gifts, and why we think they are just GREAT! If you can\’t wait, you can always visit our blog…

Want to find out more about Golf Gifts, then visit Evan Geldart\’s site on how to choose the best Golf Gift for your needs.

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I would like to wish everyone in the whole world a Happy New Year!! I also wish that all of you whatever you may wish for in your lives becomes a reality. Believe in your yourself! Dream Big! Live Large and work hard!
Enjoy 2010!