PARKER'S POINTERS

by Parker Mulford

I need to hit it further… the biggest comment throughout golf. Equipment vendors have the next big thing, commercials promote the “secrets” to distance and why is it a secret? My best pointer for distance is the understanding of physics. The golf swing is a rotational movement, not a linear one. Picture a rock on a string . Holding the end of the string straight down, start to rock the string back and forth in a straight line, increasing the arc at the bottom Eventually, the rock at the end will get to a point where it merely drops down before resuming its arc. In the golf swing, this is the result of linear movement and the limitations of that physicslimited power

Take the same rock and string and swing it back and forth using your belt buckle as an anchor point. Your waist turns right to left and back again. The rock swings faster, and once it reaches the end of the arc, it quickly changes direction and rapidly goes the other way. This is speed. Speed equals distance

I know some may say, “Thanks, Professor, but how can it help my distance?” I say, work on a better turn of the hips and waist on the backswing. Allow the hip turn to dictate the chest and shoulders and how they move The result will be less arms swing and more body moves And, by using the body, not the arms, and utilizing a more rotational position, the rock moves faster on the string= distance with less effort. Try this at home or on the range, being mindful of your physical capabilities, and you will begin to feel the speed of the club head increase