Analysis of Sergio Garcia's swing

[hezlett]

[quote name='JeffMann' post='822156' date='Dec 12 2007, 07:45 PM']The degree of forward movement of the left knee in the backswing is merely a reflection of the degree of rotation of the pelvis during the backswing.[/quote]

This is pedantic. The left knee is a governor of backswing hip turn. Only the best swings get the inward break of the left knee just right. Freeze the left knee, as many do, you restrict your BS hip turn which means at the top, a big hello from Freddy's Crippled Uncle (TM Slicefixer).

[JeffMann]

Hezlett

I personally find your argument flawed. If you pivot correctly over the right femoral head, then small variations in left knee movement will not affect one's ability to complete the backswing pivot action optimally. If one pivots correctly, then one has most of one's body weight over the right leg, and the left leg becomes [b]relatively[/b] unweighted. Under those conditions, the left knee is moving reactively/passively. The only major role the left leg/knee plays in the backswing pivot action occurs during the push-off phase - when one first transfers weight from left-to-right. Once the pivoting action is well underway, and one is actively pivoting over the right femoral head, all subsequent bending movements of the left knee are reactive.

Jeff.

[hezlett]

[quote name='JeffMann' post='822555' date='Dec 13 2007, 01:11 AM']Hezlett

I personally find your argument flawed. If you pivot correctly over the right femoral head, then small variations in left knee movement will not affect one's ability to complete the backswing pivot action optimally. If one pivots correctly, then one has most of one's body weight over the right leg, and the left leg becomes [b]relatively[/b] unweighted. Under those conditions, the left knee is moving reactively/passively. The only major role the left leg/knee plays in the backswing pivot action occurs during the push-off phase - when one first transfers weight from left-to-right. Once the pivoting action is well underway, and one is actively pivoting over the right femoral head, all subsequent bending movements of the left knee are reactive.

Jeff.[/quote]

You're talking about a swing where a player pivots correctly. I'm talking about a swing where the correct pivot never happens.

[golfer.61]

[quote name='JeffMann' post='822555' date='Dec 13 2007, 01:11 AM']Hezlett

I personally find your argument flawed. If you pivot correctly over the right femoral head, then small variations in left knee movement will not affect one's ability to complete the backswing pivot action optimally. If one pivots correctly, then one has most of one's body weight over the right leg, and the left leg becomes [b]relatively[/b] unweighted. Under those conditions, the left knee is moving reactively/passively. The only major role the left leg/knee plays in the backswing pivot action occurs during the push-off phase - when one first transfers weight from left-to-right. Once the pivoting action is well underway, and one is actively pivoting over the right femoral head, all subsequent bending movements of the left knee are reactive.

Jeff.[/quote]


Jeffman,

in your opinion how much load would the right femoral head be under at the end of the backswing just prior to the start of the downswing?

[JeffMann]

Golfer61

I don't understand your question. Are you asking what's the absolute load value, or are you asking what percentage of one's body weight is over the right femoral head during the backswing pivot action?

Hezlett

I personally believe that there is no [b] single correct[/b] way to move the left knee during the process of starting a backswing pivot action. If you believe otherwise, please submit an argument based on biomechanical reasoning.

Jeff.

[golfer.61]

JM

percentage of body weight....

[JeffMann]

I have no idea what exact percentage of BW is over the right femoral head during a correct backswing action. I think that it varies considerably between different golfers because of many variations in lower/upper torso movements during a correct backswing pivot action.

 

Here are two examples.

 

 

Note that Appleby doesn't shift his pelvis too much to the left during the backswing, and that he doesn't have excessive rightwards spinal tilt at the end-backswing position.

 

Contrast that situation with Hogan.

 

 

Note that Hogan pushes his pelvis leftwards during the backswing, and he also has similar (or slightly more) rightwards tilt of the upper torso during the backswing. His left hip shifting gives Hogan an exaggerated reverse-K look at the end-backswing position (compared to Appleby).

 

Therefore, Hogan may possibly have a different percentage of his body weight over the right femoral head at the end-backswing position than Appleby - although they both have correct backswing pivot actions. I strongly suspect that both golfers have the majority of their BW over the right femoral head, rather than left femoral head, at the end-backswing position.

 

Jeff.