Abstract
While the golf swing is a complex whole body movement requiring coordination of all
joints to achieve maximum ball velocity, the kinetic contribution of the lower extremities
to club head velocity has not been quantified, despite the perception that the legs
are a primary source of power during the swing. Mechanical power at the hips, knees,
and ankles was estimated during the downswing phase of a full swing with a driver
using a passive optical motion capture system and 2 force plates for adult males across
a range of age and self-reported skill levels. Total work by the lower extremities
was calculated by integrating the powers of all 6 joints over the downswing. Regression
analyses showed that total lower extremity work was a strong predictor of club head
velocity (R=0.63). Secondary analyses showed different relationships to club head
velocity in lead and trail leg lower extremity joints, but none of these were as predictive
of club head velocity as the total work performed by the lower extremities. These
results provide quantitative evidence that the lower body’s kinetic contribution may
be an important factor in achieving greater club head velocity, contributing to greater
driving distance and overall golf performance.
Key words
kinetics - motion capture - ground reaction forces - golf
