FOREWORD, by Dr. Steven Nesbit

FOREWORD

BY DR. STEVEN NESBIT

Michael Jacobs has created the most impressive golf science book I have ever read—and I have read them all. This amazing book successfully bridges the huge and empty expanse between the physics that describe the golf swing and the practical applications that serve to benefit all those who play and teach. Mike really digs deep into the fundamentals and nuances of the swing. There is considerable new information that is not only useful for describing the swing, but that actually matters to the mechanics of the swing. This is very dense material. The physics are presented and their relevance to the golfer explained, and, most importantly, Mike offers the application of these physics to the golf swing in a way I particularly value—with a wealth of examples that demonstrate the good, the bad, and the variety. You may just see pieces of yourself in these pages!

Mike’s straightforward language and excellent graphics make understanding this material inevitable, and the reading and studying both enlightening and enjoyable. From this information and understanding, the direct application to your own swing mechanics becomes almost intuitive.

This has been an extremely rewarding journey with my friend Michael Jacobs and his Jacobs 3D project. It has been so much fun to dive deep into the raw material of a golf swing and decipher the intricate motions and transfer of driving forces and energy that occur. It’s fun because the work has been professionally challenging, and rewarding because it has opened the doors to so many other avenues of golf research and application. One of the highlights of doing research with Mike is seeing how it plays out in practical application. There’s a real symbiosis at play from our collaborations.

In all my years of modeling, measuring, and analyzing golf swings, I get asked the same question repeatedly: “What is the one thing that is most important to know about the golf swing?” I can say with absolute certainty: There is not just one thing. There are many things one should know and understand.

This book will help you on that quest to learn those things that matter. But get outside academia and it’s easy to see how someone could be buried in all of this available information. That’s why Mike’s part in this is so important, in fact the most important—and why he’s a recognized and exceptional golf scientist and instructor. Mike has proven he can translate this information in a way that’s useful to his students—and to the world of golf.

This book does not rely on clever analogies. Using analogies to help teach golf students is commonplace, and it has been for years. However, the golfer and teacher are burdened with

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Foreword

useful but limiting “analogies” such as “the swing is a wheel,” or “turn in a barrel,” for communicating swing concepts and improving techniques through non-technical means. The information in this book replaces analogies with facts and concepts that need no interpretation to directly and effectively understand and apply to the swing.

This book shows teachers and players from the novice to the professional the scientific underpinnings of the swing—and it offers a fascinating preview of the work Mike and I are doing revealing exactly how the body works in producing the unique swing characteristics that each one of us possesses. The Science of the Golf Swing— and, before it, The Elements of the Swing—get anybody willing to put in some time and thought the ability to understand this amazingly useful viewpoint of the golf swing. It opens so many doors. I am confident if you put in the time and effort into learning and applying the information in this book you will become a better and more knowledgeable golfer and teacher.

It is clear to me why Mike is one of the best golf teachers in America. Let him teach you through his unique approach that combines golf science, extensive experience, and practical examples. I’m excited for you to read The Science of the Swing, and I’m looking forward to what comes next with my friend Michael Jacobs.

Once again, this is truly an amazing book!

Dr. Steven Nesbit

Department of Mechanical Engineering Lafayette College Easton, Pa.