Your Legs Power Your Golf Swing

January 5, 2008

A common question I see asked is, “what is the role of the legs in the golf swing?” Modern day principles tell us that the legs are used for stability. The great swingers of the past used their legs to create dynamic power in their golf swings. So which idea is right, stability or power?

By the title of this post, you may have guessed that power is the correct answer. The truth is, both answers are correct. Separating stability from power is like separating fuel from the engine. Without stability, it is impossible to generate power.

To create power in your golf swing, there must be a solid foundation to control it. Even a slight mishit can waste the majority of a golfer’s swing speed. So power without control is useless. Stability is the foundation that starts from the ground up, and helps you focus all of your power into the back of the ball.

But the legs aren’t just passive players in your golf swing. The legs play an active role in the weight shift, which is the start of the dynamic motion to strike the ball. While your upper body is unwinding like an elastic band being released, your legs are bearing the entire weight and torque of your golf swing. Without enough strength and mobility in your legs to provide resistance to this force, you may end up losing your posture and your ability to make clean contact.

The main difference between today’s swing and the swings of the past is not whether the legs are used for stability or power. Rather, it is whether the legs provide the power through horizontal movement, such as Jack Nicklaus did, or provide power through anchored rotation, such as Tiger Woods does.

Written by John at 12:01 pm. Full Swing