Have you ever had a feeling at the top of your swing where you just know you’re going to hit a great shot? If you have, it’s because you “linked up” all the actions between the ground and the handle in such a way that applies max force to the ball at impact. We call this process of linking up the “kinetic chain.” Google it: It’s all that modern golf instruction talks about.
I ask my students to think of the kinetic chain as exactly that — a chain. Anytime you can take slack out of the chain, you’re able to more effectively transfer the kinetic energy from the ground through you and into the back of the ball.
To get the correct feeling for linking up your kinetic chain, try this easy drill.
Without a club, turn into the backswing and place your hands against an imaginary wall on your trail side (see photo). Now push backward against the wall with your arms and hands. You’ll see right away that your lower body will create pressure both downward and forward into the ground while your hands push in the opposite direction. The resistance you feel doing this drill is what it means to get slack out of your kinetic chain, and it’s the same feeling you need in your real swing to produce greater power.
E.A. Tischler is based at Olympia Fields CC in Olympia Fields, Ill
