NYU Langone Golf Lab using technology to help perfect your swing
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Weekend warriors - the "off-season" may be be the perfect time to think about your golf swing.
The NYU Langone Golf Lab is taking a new approach that has more to do with your body than your golf club. We met with the lab research team to see what the science is turning up.
There's probably a one liner about how many people it takes to fix a golf swing but at the NYU Langone Golf Lab, the punch line actually comes down to one thing: Your body.
The lab, which is basically a think tank of exercise physiologists, occupational therapists and golf pros, says the only tip you need for your swing is understanding your body movement.
"What I find is that people don't understand their golf swing let alone how important movement is to it," said golf pro Scott Young. "We explain what structurally happens in a golf swing and how it links to movement."
The team makes sure their golfers get warmed up, then places computer markers all over the person being tested.
Using the same technology they use to create movie avatars, the golf lab attaches sensors all over from head to foot. This way when the golfer goes through the motions of their swing, the markers can put measurements into a computer program.
Once the computers are ingesting avatar data, the team begins to size up the swing. Young says golf is all about the body.
"The body moves the club, the club hits the ball. The ball is what everyone is fixated on but at the golf lab we're fixated on the process," he said, adding that the body movement can make some incredible adjustments that really improve swing.
Young points out the process is so valuable that it could have helped him continue to play on tour if it had been available, "If I had this when I was on tour I'd still be out there without a doubt," he said.
This unique approach of understanding the body will allow a golfer to correctly move the club. For me, building my core strength, and freeing up my hip motion will allow me to swing the club more efficiently.
"Dissociating your trunk from your pelvis, so when you come back from your downswing, you have a better ability to lead with that pelvis and whip it around," said occupational therapist April O'Connell.
As part of the lab, Exercise Physiologist Heather Milton put together a few simple exercises that will alter my body limitations and enhance my range of motion for better mechanics.
And that's the real value of the lab. Everyone -- O'Connell, Young and Milton, can all work together for the benefit of every individual golfer. Before sinking money into lessons this off season - you might want to make sure your body is fit to hit!
Click here for more information on the NYU Golf Lab.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
