What is the 3D link ?
When we talk about 3D movement in golf, we are generally referring to the body’s ability to create, transfer, and release energy in a specific sequence. Biomechanical engineers have discovered how the body creates the power in the golf swing and it’s called the Kinetic Link. The ‘link’ refers to how 4 segments move to create power individually and transfer that power to the next segment, so it can do the same until it ends up in the clubhead. Some refer to this link as the Kinematic Sequence (TPI), Kinetic Chain, or simply, the downswing sequence.
What are the segments and how do they work ? The Medical Professionals determined that the 4 segments are the Pelvis, Thorax, Arms, and Club and they work in the order shown above. The graph shows that each segment is a launch pad for the next. If you imagine that these segments were fire crackers, we’re looking for them to explode one at time without too much delay or overlap.
How can I improve my Kinematic Sequence ? There are drills to improve your segments, one ‘transfer’ at a time. Most people have difficulty feeling muscle thrust or flex but we can feel a stretch deeper and therefore leave the thrustint to what ever has to do to create a good stretch. There are some that theorists that believe if you create resistance on the backswing you can unwind it on the downswing but this has the high possibility of forcing the golfer into an unbalanced position in the effort to be at maximum stretch at the top of the swing. The best way for golfers to feel this is to find the stretching and resistance on the downswing by moving the body. There are some demonstrations of the sequencing using an elastic band, where the band is stretched by one moving hand and then snapped into the stationary hand, however, if the stationary hand is the ball, the club has no speed after impact. If the stationary hand is allowed to move forward, a tighter stretch can be achieved on the downswing – when it counts.
