I began doing golf biomechanics research in 1999 when I signed up for an independent study project as part of an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology. For this project I attempted to quantify the 3D kinematics of the lumbar spine during the golf swing using an electromagnetic motion capture system. I’ve been working on measuring the biomechanics of human beings ever since then and all my research has led me to one indisputable conclusion: Human Beings are Messy!

There has been much talk about vertical forces recently in golf instruction. Many players such as Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson and Lexi Thompson use these forces to literally jump off the ground, and all of them are extremely long hitters. So, does this mean that all golfers should aim to maximize their vertical forces?

In my recent work with 2016 PGA teacher of the year Mike Adams, we’ve discovered the importance of large vertical ground reaction forces (GRFs) in the late downswing in increasing club head velocities and optimizing launch conditions (especially for the driver swings).

There has been great interest lately in the forces created between the golfer’s feet and the ground. This is mainly due to the fact that products like Swing Catalyst now give golfers and golf teachers the ability to measure and visualize these forces.

The focus on ground reaction force (GRF) is continually increasing in golf, but we experience that there is still some confusion as to what it actually means. Considering the GRF is the basis of the force the golfer is able to utilize during the swing, understanding how it works is important when analyzing the swing.

The Swing Catalyst Force Factor is a measure of a golfer’s potential for producing torque, but what does it really mean?

Most golfers have some abstract notion of using the ground to generate force in the golf swing, but why are the ground reaction forces so important?

Rarely do you hear golfers and instructors talk about pressure shift when studying a golf swing. Rather, you are more likely to hear them say weight shift. To understand the difference between the two, let us take a closer look at what pressure really is.

When studying Kevin Streelman’s transition from backswing to downswing, why does Swing Catalyst software show that most of the pressure is on his trail foot while most of his body mass is placed over his lead foot?