You may or may not know that I was involved in a fairly detailed biomechanical study into the golf swing back in 2004. Here’s a picture of me being tested.

Golf Science Testing

The testing was full on. The scientist dudes didn’t stuff about here – they used 8 motion detection cameras, 48 reflective markers (placed on body, ball and club), two force platforms and simultaneously measured the major muscle groups. It was comprehensive and lead to some new (and revolutionary) information pertaining to the golf swing. The end result was a better swing model that allowed golfers to hit the ball better, further and with less stress and strain on the body.

After the testing, the team and I were invited to speak at the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport Conference. I was told I was the first non-scientist to speak at the event – it was a thrill to mix with really smart scientists and pick their brains. I learned a lot and it helped me forge my path in the golf world.

But I have something to confess, and it’s a little embarrassing, so please bear with me.

When I started applying these scientific principles I completely stuffed things up. My game got worse and I was struggling badly. My game got so bad in fact that I contemplated quitting the game and thought about focusing my energies on coaching.

But a few things stopped me.

One: I didn’t think it right to coach people if my game was a debacle. I feel strongly that to be a great coach you need to perform the skills at a high level. So being a bit of a hack wasn’t an option for me.

Two: Months after the research finished the team and I got invited to present our findings to the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS) conference in Canada . It’s here that I witnessed,

Next: The most incredible presentation I’ve seen in relation to coaching