Decoding One’s True Golf Swing DNA: Part One

Waggle Weight Wisdom has recently explored several unique challenges existing in golf that first need to be understood and then solved to efficiently learn to play decently and consistently well.  Certain of these novel aspects are not readily found in other activities, thus there is often no common ground between some challenges in golf and those in other activities.  Accordingly, previous precedents and/or circumstances regarding certain areas of performance have not generally been recorded from which golf could learn in order to help establish specific (missing and/or incorrect) fundamental principles that are critical to the foundational structure of playing golf.  Now this part of golf has proven to be quite hard, because virtually all other activities usually have at least one previously existing, similar activity to turn to for reference if needed.  As such, I retain adequate respect for those who have essentially stood on their own previously and tried their hand at solving these unusual golfing challenges, notwithstanding my approach that is often sarcastic to more strongly emphasize some points.  At any rate, while the clubfitting trade (as one example) presently remains quite inferior, it might be turned around fairly quickly into a highly respected model that other activities look up to, if the trade learns to successfully solve certain equipment fitting challenges that others have not even had to face (yet).  It is now time to put what has been learned to this point to good use in solving these unique golfing challenges.

No one will argue that the first important part of playing golf decently is developing an acceptable swing.  Now an acceptable golf swing not only comprises acceptable physical movements and positions that take place during one’s swing, but also an acceptable state of psychological confidence in one’s swing.  Lacking this second component, golfers may continue to fool with their swings that are technically quite sound and consequently not learn other important golfing facets acceptably.  The first requirement of developing an acceptable golf swing is to correctly comprehend the valid anatomy of that swing.  Lately I have focused primarily on how inconsistent one’s golf swing (at any level of playing ability) can quickly become due to external factors added into the performance equation, concentrating principally on golf clubs.  Such swinging inconsistencies can be significant and highly unpredictable depending on the choice(s) of club(s) or club specification(s).  This in turn can easily lead to unneeded and/or incorrect swing instruction, a deterioration of swing confidence, and poor clubfitting procedure(s).  Deciphering the true DNA of one’s swing must eliminate inconsistencies caused by such external equipment factors as much as possible at the deepest root level, or what follows will be even more fallible.

One possibility to help secure a more accurate and consistent process for obtaining one’s true swing DNA is to develop a specially designed, unchanging golf club or golf-club-like device for the purpose of mapping out one’s golf swing.  In this way, a more precise  “blueprinting” of one’s swing(s) can be accomplished at various times and/or stages of development.  On paper at least at the start, it might seem best if an identically designed club or device were used for acquiring anybody’s golf swing DNA.  However, golfing does not comprise the same particulars as many other activities, for instance the throwing motions of baseball players.  In that case, everyone must throw a ball that theoretically always has the same measurements, making the selection of a “test ball” for an analysis of their throwing motions easy.  But golf clubs are allowed to be adjusted considerably under the rules of the game.  Thus, although a same-club swing analysis protocol may provide certain advantages respecting precisely decoding one’s true golf swing DNA compared with allowing the use of just any golf club(s) and/or golf club configuration(s) when swinging, there are still several concerns that would need to be addressed.  Should the same device be consistently used to analyze everybody’s swing DNA and if so, what should the device’s parameters be and how should they be determined?  There is a strong possibility that any given specification of a “universal” device might allow one golfer to swing his best but badly influence another golfer’s natural swing.  So in practice, should such a device be personally customized for each golfer?  If so, should it also be altered as one’s swing changes?  When and how?

As can be seen, while more consistent golf swing analyses might be possible when a specifically designed golf club or similar device is used for the purpose of determining the true DNA of one’s swing, certain aspects of such a proposed system are not really better than when using just any golf club(s) or club specification(s) to try and map out one’s true golf swing.  Examples of potential drawbacks are seen when I nose around a golf store and find a swing-aid club that is weighted heavier, in part to help strengthen one’s swing.  I can immediately tell upon lifting the club that its designed weight might be helpful to some players but not really beneficial to others, perhaps even being harmful to some.  Additionally, this club also has a specially molded grip that forces one’s hands into the “correct” gripping positions.  When I put my hands into the molded recessions, my hands are forced into such strong positions that my left wrist and elbow feel strained before I even begin to swing the club.  I have not gripped a club that strongly since my early years of golfing, right after giving up my pursuit of playing baseball for a career.  Personally, I would never permanently recommend such a gripping style to any player.  Yet there are many players who feel very comfortable (and play very well) with such hand positions on golf clubs.  So the concern arises again as to how to best design a test club or device for the purpose of precisely determining (while not altering or destroying) the true DNA of one’s golf swing.  Next time, I will divulge a different, far better option.