David Leadbetter, first wrote in the THE GOLF SWING book (1990) that "greater consistency occurs when the larger muscles contract the smaller muscles, as in the dog wagging the tail."
As with many pioneers, it is often only years later, with technological advancements and a multitude of different philosophical approaches coming and going, that their theories receive confirmation and acceptance.
Recently, we commissioned Steve Furlonger to develop the ground force and 3D section of our certification in GLE Level 2. Listening to what Steve had to say about the sequence of movement from the ground and in the body emphasized what David had been saying 35 years ago.
Steve calls it force before motion; David described it as the dog wagging the tail, where your torso controls the clubhead's direction and speed. Your hands and arms remain passive - think 'active body, passive hands.' When the large muscles of your body control the smaller muscles in your hands and arms - The dog wagging the tail rather than the tail wagging the dog.
"The Dog Wags The Tail" What Does It Mean?
Firstly, lets separate the pivot into two components, Angles, and sequence.
Angles – The shoulder plane, the spine angle etc. These are influenced by rotation, side bend, and forward bend. In this article we will look more closely at the sequence, but if you have not already, read our article on The Science Behind Steep to Shallow which talks a lot about the angles , and how this helps to shallow the club.
Sequence – The order of movement. In the backswing the pelvis moves first, then the torso, then the arms, and lastly the club, as we change direction (the transition) the order is the same, pelvis, torso, arms club. This is what helps us deliver speed efficiently, while also encouraging a movement that delivers the club on plane.
This is the order of movement above the ground, but for those of you who like diving a little deeper, there is an order of move from the ground (ground forces) that assist the body (above the ground) movement in this pattern.
1 – The start of the swing
What did David say in 1990:
The starting point for the pivot action is the navel. A very subtle lateral move in your hips before they turn. A chain reaction now takes place. Your hips and shoulders start to rotate, and your left shoulder moves down and across slightly to ensure that your shoulders turn at the right angles of the axis of your spine.
However, not every part of your body is moving. There must be some resistance down below so that your upper body produces as much windup or coil as possible. That resistance comes from your right knee. This is a key aspect of any dynamic swing: the flex in your right knee must be maintained. You should, in fact, have a sensation of 'sitting down' on it.
2 - The Transition
Possibly the most crucial stage in any athletic swing is the change of direction when your club and body start back towards the target. It is vital that the backswing and downswing are joined by a motion that is flowing and dynamic.
How often have you seen someone make a nice smooth backswing then hit a poor shot through 'snatching' the club from the top back to the ball? The transition from back to forward swing must be smooth and unhurried.
In fact, for a fraction of a second, your body will be moving in two directions simultaneously. As your upper torso completes its winding up away from the target, your lower body is already starting to unwind towards the target. This vital move, particularly noticeable in long hitters, creates additional torque and leverage.
A smooth transition from backswing to downswing is dependent on the movement in your lower body, specifically your legs. They are the stabilizers in your athletic golf swing, providing balance and sup- port as your upper body winds and unwinds.
As your upper body completes its backward motion, your forward motion is triggered by a movement from your left knee. It moves on a slight diagonal, towards the toes on your left foot. At the same time, your right knee holds.
This not only increases the torque of your swing, but also, as you will see, influences your control of the club as it changes direction. In turn, that determines the plane on which the club will travel back to the ball.
The "Move-Away"
We know that the swing starts from the ground, with the club following. David said this 35 years ago, and anyone using force plates and 3D systems in today’s coaching sees the same thing with advanced players.
The Transition
The downswing starts just before the club finishes the backswing, with the first movement being a slight gliding of the hips in the direction of the front foot toes.
The body leads the club in the backswing and then again in the downswing, just like the dog wagging the tail, in essence creating an athletic swing.
What will it help?
1.) Generating speed efficiently with the arms reacting to, not dominating, the body's movement.
2.)The movement of the club at the start of the swing. The correct movement of the pelvis will encourage the hands to stay in, with the trailing arm on top of the lead arm, keeping the club outside the hands.
3)The shallowing of the club, delivering the club on the desired path.
A Word From David
"Using an athletic swing that is free of wasted motion or unnecessary compensations, you can maximize the efficiency of your ball striking. Not only will the number of good shots you hit increase, but your poor shots will be less penalizing.
The more athletic a swing you create, the more chance you have of maximizing the speed and squareness of the clubhead as it strikes the ball towards your intended target."