In the golf swing, the combination of the levers connecting the torso to the lead shoulder and the lead arm to the club make up the lever system. The lever system has hinges, which occur during both the backswing and forward swing. The primary influences are on speed and distance.The proper use of the lever system is to create and store energy during the backswing, followed by a change of direction and the release of energy during the forward swing.The lever system may be used in many combinations and varying amounts but is an integral part of every swing.When the levers hold the position in which they start, the least amount of power is generated. This type of swing is appropriate for short putting strokes only. When the lever system is hinged from the shoulder only, as in short chip and pitch shots that require little backspin, a moderate amount of power is generated. For higher pitches and lobs, the wrist hinge may be activated with a sharply downward stroke to create maximum backspin, i.e., when extracting a ball from deep grass.The lever changes are maximized on full swings to reach maximum distance. The hinging and unhinging of the levers allows the player to conserve and release momentum in controlled amounts during the swing.The lever system creates the vast majority of directed energy in a golf swing. When a player develops control of his or her torso position, shoulder and wrist angles, the backswing hinges the club on the desired swing plane. Force moved through the torso, shoulder joint and arm create the angle hinging of the wrist joint and maintain this angle until outward pull (centrifugal force) releases the club into the impact position.The wrists' role is that of speed, with the joint used to transfer energy from arm to club and not as a joint used in creating force. The best ball strikers use their body position to develop this free wrist release thru impact.If this seems complicated to digest, don't worry. PGA Professionals are trained in breaking down the golf swing and helping you understand each of the lever positions that compose the full swing. And May is a great time to connect with a PGA Professional in your area who is offering a free 10-minute lesson during PGA Free Lesson Month.For a directory of PGA Professionals participating in PGA Free Lesson Month, visit www.PlayGolfAmerica.com, click on the PGA Free Lesson Month icon and enter a zip code in the search tool.(Rick Martino is director of instruction at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Contact him at (800) 800-GOLF.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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