EARLY EXTENSION

One of the most common swing faults for amateur golfers is early extension.

Early extension is the forward movement of the pelvis and lower body towards the golf ball during the downswing of the golf swing.

> This may cause the pelvis and hands to feel stuck at impact.

> Early extension typically produces two outcomes: a block or a hook.

THE BODY-SWING CONNECTION

> The most common physical characteristics that cause early extension for golfers is the inability to perform a full deep squat, weak glute strength, and the inability to stabilize the lower body.

> Improving lower body stability is directly proportional to abdominal and gluteal strength, pelvic musculature control, and the ability to separate the upper body from the lower body.

Dr. Zach Cutler Sports Chiropractor and TPI Certified Family Golf and Learning Center @FGLCPERFORMANCE

Dan Lloyd

is an exciting time to be a golf course superintendent. Like every industry, technological innovations have changed how we manage golf courses. The Golf Course Superintendents’ Conference last month was a great opportunity to appreciate all the recent innovations in our industry. Advances in golf course maintenance have long been derived from our much larger and better-funded big brother of Agriculture. This continues to be true, but over the last few years the steady climb of technological advancements specific to golf course applications seem to have steepened to an exponential surge in new technology. Below I have listed some of the more exciting innovations that have recently come to the turf market:

Autonomous Mowers: Wide scale adoption of autonomous mowers is still a few years away, but certain models are available now and some courses in other markets are using them already. Different companies are taking different approaches. Some of the major equipment companies are using their existing machines adapted to operate autonomously. However, right now this approach still requires someone there to keep watch. Other companies have autonomous mowers that operate more like a robotic vacuum cleaner with a hub for every mower that can be located anywhere with power. This version can mow day or night for five hours on a charge with a one-hour recharge time. Some of these models can even pick range balls and mow at the same time. This technology will be much more useful when the autonomous mowers can mow the more difficult areas on the course. Wide areas like rough and fairways are generally pretty easy to get done because most staff members enjoy these tasks.