Tetlow Golf Performance Lab

RETRACT THE SCAPS 💪🏽

Retracting your shoulder blades helps create a stronger, more athletic posture by opening up the chest and giving your upper body a stable foundation.

Poor Scapula Structure leads to:
🚫 Reduced thoracic rotation – Rounded shoulders often limit your ability to rotate your upper body, reducing backswing depth and separation between the upper and lower body.
🚫 Poor shoulder mobility – If the shoulder blades don’t move and stabilise properly, the arms struggle to move efficiently, often leading to flying elbow and chicken wing
🚫 Loss of posture – A collapsed upper back makes it harder to maintain posture throughout the swing
🚫 Poor arm structure – The arms tend to work too independently from the torso, reducing swing width and consistency.
🚫 Reduced force transfer – The scapulae act as the link between the torso and the arms. If they’re unstable, energy is lost before it reaches the club, costing clubhead speed.
🚫 Increased injury risk – Poor scapular mechanics can increase stress on the neck, rotator cuff, shoulder joint, elbows, and even the lower back as other areas compensate.

Using the band, learning to stabilise and control the scapular can help:
✅ Improve upper-body rotation.
✅ Make it easier to keep your posture throughout the swing.
✅ Allow your arms and shoulders to move more efficiently.
✅ Transfer energy more effectively from your body into the club.

A stronger scapula structure can lead to a more efficient swing with less risk of injuries—and more speed. ⚡️

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IS YOUR DRIVER SWING IS COOKED 🍳 BEFORE YOU EVEN START!? 🚫

One of the most common faults I see is the lead hip sitting LOWER than the trail hip at address.

It might seem harmless… but it can cost you distance, consistency, and even increase your injury risk. 👇

🚫 1️⃣ Encourages a Poor Spine Position

A low lead hip often tilts the pelvis towards the target, making it harder to create the proper spine tilt away from the target.

This can lead to:
❌ Restricted shoulder turn
❌ Poor trail-side loading
❌ Early upper-body movement in transition

➡️ The result? Over-the-top swings, steeper attack angles and less clubhead speed.

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⚡ 2️⃣ Reduces Ground Force Production

Power starts from the ground up.

When the lead hip starts too low, it’s harder to:
❌ Shift pressure efficiently
❌ Create rotational torque
❌ Push vertically through the lead leg

➡️ Less force = Less speed = Less distance.

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🦴 3️⃣ Increases Lower Back Stress

Starting with an uneven pelvis places the lower back in an awkward position before the swing even begins.

As you rotate at high speed, this can increase stress on:
• Lumbar discs
• Facet joints
• QL muscles
• Erector spinae

➡️ Over time, this may contribute to lower back pain.

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🦵 4️⃣ Places More Stress on the Lead Hip

A dropped lead hip can increase compression inside the lead hip during the downswing.

This places more load on:
• Hip labrum
• Glute muscles
• Hip flexors

Golfers with limited hip mobility often compensate by rotating excessively through the lower back instead.

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🦶 5️⃣ Makes It Harder to “Post Up”

Powerful drivers extend into a strong lead leg through impact.

Starting with a low lead hip makes it harder to:
❌ Straighten the lead leg
❌ Raise the lead side
❌ Fully clear the pelvis

➡️ You stay stuck in flexion, lose rotation and place more stress on the knees and lower back.

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✅ A Better Driver Setup

For most golfers:
✔️ Trail hip slightly LOWER than the lead hip
✔️ Trail shoulder lower than the lead shoulder
✔️ Spine tilted slightly away from the target
✔️ Slight pressure favouring the trail foot

This helps you:
✅ Load more efficiently
✅ Create better horizontal, rotational and vertical ground forces
✅ Protect your back and hips
✅ Deliver a more powerful, upward strike with the driver.

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Great cue for a golfer to combine the correct ground reaction forces and hip mechanics rather than the generic “open your hips”!

Here’s the biomechanical reasons why:

1️⃣ Creates External Rotation of the Lead Hip

Pushing the lead foot towards 11 o’clock creates a rotational force (torque) between the foot and the ground.

Because the foot stays planted through friction with the ground, the force travels up the kinetic chain, causing the femur to externally rotate within the hip socket. This allows the lead hip to rotate back and away from the ball.

Instead of spinning the pelvis with the upper body, you’re using the ground to rotate it.

2️⃣ Generates Rotational Ground Reaction Force

On force plates (such as those from Swing Catalyst), this movement increases rotational (torque) force.

The golfer isn’t literally sliding the foot toward 11 o’clock. They’re applying force in that direction against the ground.

According to Newton’s Third Law:

* You push the ground toward 11 o’clock.
* The ground pushes back with an equal and opposite force.
* That reaction helps rotate the pelvis open.

3️⃣ Improves Force Transfer

The downswing follows a kinetic sequence:

1. Horizontal force (pressure shift).
2. Rotational force (pelvic torque).
3. Vertical force (lead leg extension).

The 11 o’clock push primarily enhances the rotational phase. Once the pelvis accelerates, it then decelerates, allowing energy to transfer efficiently into the thorax, arms, and finally the club.

This is why elite players don’t just spin continuously—the pelvis accelerates, then brakes, helping the club accelerate even more.

4️⃣ Protects the Lower Back

When the lead hip rotates freely around a stable lead leg:

* Hip internal and external rotation absorb much of the rotational demand.
* The lumbar spine doesn’t have to twist excessively.
* Forces are distributed through the glutes and hip musculature rather than the lower back.

Golfers who “hold” the lead hip closed often compensate by rotating excessively through the lumbar spine, which can increase stress over time.

A Simple Analogy

Imagine standing on a towel on a slippery floor. If you try to twist your hips without using your feet, you won’t generate much rotation. But if you grip the floor and try to “screw” your lead foot toward 11 o’clock, the ground pushes back, your femur rotates, and your pelvis clears naturally.

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WHAT NOT TO DO W/ DRIVER 🚫

For all the banana 🍌 slicers out there….

Why is the Trail Shoulder movement important?

1️⃣ Helps Deliver the Club from the Inside

When the trail shoulder moves down, it allows the hands and club to shallow naturally.

If the shoulder moves outwards (towards the golf ball), the club tends to get thrown over the plane, leading to:

* Over-the-top swings
* Pulls
* Slices
* Heel strikes

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2️⃣ Maintains Forward Bend

Moving the trail shoulder downward helps preserve your spine inclination.

When it moves outward:

* The chest stands up early (early extension).
* The pelvis often moves toward the ball.
* The handle gets forced upward.
* Contact becomes inconsistent.

Keeping the shoulder moving down lets you stay in posture for longer.

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3️⃣ Improves Angle of Attack

Many golfers think hitting up on the driver means lifting the shoulders.

In reality:

* The lead shoulder works up and back.
* The trail shoulder works down and through.

This combination tilts the spine away from the target while allowing the club to still approach on an upward angle.

If both shoulders move out towards the ball, you’ll often:

* Hit down on the driver.
* Increase spin.
* Lose distance.

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Trail Shoulder Goes Down:
✅ Shallows the club
✅ Inside delivery
✅ Maintains posture
✅ Better rotation
✅ Higher ball speed
✅ Consistent strike

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HOW THE TRAIL ARM IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO MOVE…..💪🏽

Trail shoulder flexion is the movement of the trail arm (right arm for a right-handed golfer) lifting in front of the body during the backswing.

✅ Benefits of proper trail shoulder flexion:

* Helps keep the arms connected to the torso.
* Promotes a more efficient swing plane.
* Allows the club to set naturally without excessive hand manipulation.
* Improves shoulder turn and backswing depth.
* Creates a better position to sequence the downswing.

❌ Too little flexion:

* Arms can get trapped behind the body.
* Club may become too flat or stuck.
* Often leads to compensations in transition.

❌ Too much flexion:

* Arms can lift excessively.
* Club becomes too steep.
* May reduce rotational depth and consistency.

Simple feel:
“As your chest turns away from the target, let your trail arm fold and lift naturally in front of your ribcage rather than behind you.”

SPEED DRILL – STICK IT IN REVERSE ⚙️

Most golfers focus on creating speed… but the real secret is learning how to decelerate and slam on the brakes.

Generating speed is only half the equation. If your body can’t slow down efficiently, you’ll lose potential clubhead speed and place more stress on your body, increasing injury risk. 🤕

Think of it this way:

🏎️ A McLaren W1 with Ford Fiesta brakes.

It might have incredible power, but without the ability to stop efficiently, that power can’t be fully used.

The golf swing relies on proximal-to-distal sequencing (the kinematic sequence). Larger body segments accelerate first, then rapidly decelerate, transferring energy to the next segment in the chain.

Legs ➡️ Pelvis ➡️ Torso ➡️ Arms ➡️ Club

Why Is Deceleration So Important?

🚀 1. More Clubhead Speed

Think of cracking a whip.

Each segment slows down so the next segment can speed up. The better the braking, the more energy gets passed down the chain, resulting in higher clubhead speed.

🤕 2. Reduced Stress & Injury Risk

Many golfers try to hit it farther by simply rotating harder and harder.

Efficient players create speed through:

✅ Force Production
✅ Force Transfer
✅ Deceleration

When energy transfers properly, there’s less need to “muscle” the club through impact, reducing unnecessary stress on the body.

What We Typically See on Swing Catalyst Force Plates

1️⃣ Horizontal Force (Glide) → Pressure shifts toward the target.
2️⃣ Rotational Force (Torque) → Pelvis accelerates open.
3️⃣ Vertical Force (Launch) → Lead leg pushes upward.
4️⃣ Lead-Side Braking → Pelvis rapidly decelerates.
5️⃣ Energy Transfer → Torso ➡️ Arms ➡️ Club.

The biggest mistake?

Many golfers focus on the first three forces but completely overlook the braking phase.

Without efficient deceleration, it’s difficult to fully convert force into speed. 🔥🏌🏽‍♂️

BASICS FORCES IF YOU WANT TO HIT THE BALL LONGER! 🚀

A poor Kinetic Force Sequence can easily lead to:
- Severe Power Loss
- Poor Contact
- Injuries

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HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF EACH ⬇️

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1️⃣ Horizontal Force (Glide)

This is the 1st force that appears in transition. This creates a horizontal shear force between the feet and the ground

The purpose is not to slide excessively, but to:
* Shift pressure into the lead side
* Move the centre of mass forward
* Create momentum that can later be converted into rotation

Good players typically begin generating horizontal force before the club has completed the backswing (re-centre).

What happens if horizontal force is missing?
* Hanging back
* Early extension
* Poor low-point control
* Loss of speed potential

What happens if there’s too much?
* Excessive lateral slide
* Difficulty rotating
* Blocks and hooks
* Inconsistent strike

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2️⃣ Rotational Force (Torque)

Once pressure is established in the lead side, the golfer begins converting the linear motion into rotation.

This is where the body starts “opening.”

This is the foundation of the kinematic sequence.

Why torque matters?

The best players don’t actively spin their hips.

Instead:
* They push against the ground
* Ground reaction forces create torque
* Torque rotates the pelvis

This is much more powerful and repeatable than consciously turning the hips.

Common faults

Too little torque

* Arms dominate downswing
* Over-the-top patterns
* Loss of speed

Too much too early

* Pelvis outruns upper body
* Club gets stuck behind
* Timing issues

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3️⃣ Vertical Force (Launch)

Once horizontal force has shifted pressure and torque has accelerated rotation, the golfer begins pushing vertically into the ground.

This is the final force in the sequence.

For a right-handed golfer:
* Lead leg extends
* Trail leg extends
* Pelvis rises and rotates

On Swing Catalyst this appears as:

Force – Vertical

Often called the “launch” phase.

Purpose of vertical force

Vertical force:
* Increases angular velocity
* Helps maintain posture
* Creates space for the arms
* Maximizes clubhead speed

This is why long hitters often look like they’re “jumping” through impact.

They’re not jumping for the sake of jumping.

They’re pushing hard into the ground to create an upward reaction force.

Common faults

Insufficient vertical force:
* Flat rotation
* Limited speed
* Stalled hips

Vertical force too early:
* Early extension
* Loss of posture
* Thin and topped shots

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This is why many elite players show a force-plate sequence that peaks roughly:

Horizontal → Torque → Vertical

while their body segments peak:

Pelvis → Torso → Arms → Club

The force sequence is essentially the engine that drives the kinematic sequence. Without efficient ground-force sequencing, it’s very difficult to achieve a powerful and repeatable downswing.

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TRAIL FOOT MOVE THAT CAN LEAD TO INJURY 🤕

One of the most common lower-body faults in the downswing is excessive eversion (banking) of the trail foot.

It might not seem like a big deal, but over time it can place unnecessary stress on multiple joints and reduce your ability to transfer force efficiently.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM? ❌

1️⃣ Increased Ankle & Foot Stress

When the trail foot collapses inward, extra load is placed on:

• Inside ankle structures
• Posterior tibial tendon
• Plantar fascia

Over time this can contribute to:

⚠️ Tendon irritation
⚠️ Ankle instability
⚠️ Arch and foot pain

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2️⃣ More Stress on the Knee 🦵

Your foot and knee work together.

Excessive trail foot eversion often causes:

• Internal rotation of the tibia
• The knee to collapse inward (valgus)

This can increase stress on:

• Medial knee structures
• Patellofemoral joint
• Meniscus

Common symptoms:

⚠️ Inner knee pain
⚠️ Knee soreness after practice or play

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3️⃣ Reduced Hip Function 🏌🏽‍♂️

The trail leg should provide a stable base to create and transfer force.

When the foot excessively banks inward, it’s often linked to:

• Poor glute activation
• Reduced hip stability
• Excessive pelvic slide

This can overload:

⚠️ Hip flexors
⚠️ Adductors
⚠️ Lower back

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4️⃣ Increased Risk of Lower Back Issues

When the trail foot collapses and spins out:

• Ground forces leak instead of being transferred efficiently
• Pelvic control decreases
• The lower back is forced to compensate

Potential consequences:

⚠️ Facet joint irritation
⚠️ QL tightness
⚠️ Chronic lower back discomfort

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WHY DOES IT HAPPEN? 🤔

Excessive trail foot eversion is often a compensation for:

• Limited lead hip internal rotation
• Poor trail hip strength or stability
• Restricted ankle mobility
• Poor pressure-shift sequencing
• Trying to create speed through spinning rather than force transfer

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SIMPLY DRILL TO STOP OVER THE TOP MOVE ❌

A good downswing works from the ground up:

1️⃣ Pressure shift
2️⃣ Pelvis rotates
3️⃣ Torso follows
4️⃣ Arms shallow
5️⃣ Club releases last

This is called the kinematic sequence.

When that sequence breaks down and the upper body starts first, several biomechanical problems happen instantly.

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WHY THE UPPER BODY STARTING FIRST CAUSES OVER THE TOP (OTT)

🏌🏽‍♂️ 1. The Trail Shoulder Moves Out Toward the Ball

If the chest and shoulders fire first from the top:

* the trail shoulder moves externally and outward
* the upper torso moves closer to the golf ball
* the arms get pushed away from the body

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🧠 2. The Pelvis Stops Creating Space

In efficient sequencing:

* the lower body begins unwinding first
* the pelvis opens
* the lead hip moves back
* space is created for the arms to drop

But when the shoulders dominate first:

❌ the pelvis stalls
❌ rotation becomes upper-body dominant
❌ the arms have no room

So the body instinctively throws the club outward to reach the ball.

OTT is often just the brain solving a spacing problem.

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⚡ 3. Poor Energy Transfer Forces Compensation

The kinematic sequence works like a whip:

* ground → pelvis → torso → arms → club

Each segment slows down as the next accelerates.

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📉 4. Centre of Mass Moves Toward the Toes

Early upper-body firing usually shifts pressure towards the toes.

This changes posture and balance.

Common results:

* standing up through impact
* early extension
* steep shaft
* out-to-in path

The golfer loses the ability to rotate around the lead hip properly.

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🔄 5. The Arms Never Get Time to Shallow

Good players transition with:

* lower body initiating
* torso temporarily resisting
* arms “falling” passively

That brief delay is critical.

It allows:

* trail arm external rotation
* shaft shallowing
* better delivery from the inside

If the chest spins immediately from the top:

❌ the arms get pinned outward
❌ the shaft steepens
❌ no shallowing window exists

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DEATH MOVE FOR PITCHING ☠️

Hands moving away do from the body with the club whipped on the inside is a night are if your wanting to delivery the club to the ball consistently.

Here are the issues why:

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🏌🏽‍♂️ 1️⃣ Excessive “Inside” Takeaway

When the hands move away from the torso the clubhead will drops under plane:

* The shaft gets too horizontal too early
* The club travels behind the hands/body
* Rotation becomes excessive relative to arm structure

For full swings some players can recover from this.

For pitching? Less time, less speed, less compensation ability.

The result:

* Inconsistent strike
* Variable bounce interaction
* Poor face control

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🎯 2️⃣ Low Point Control Becomes Harder

Pitching is primarily a precision low-point skill.

An under-plane takeaway often causes:

* The club to shallow excessively too early
* The handle to stall later
* The clubhead to “throw” past the hands

That changes where the club bottoms out.

Common misses:

* Fat
* Thin
* Excessive shaft lean
* Flip release
* Heel strikes

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⚖️ 3️⃣ Clubface Stability Gets Worse

When the clubhead moves under plane:

* Forearm rotation usually increases
* The face tends to open earlier
* Timing requirements increase

In pitching, face angle is massively important because:

* Loft controls launch angle
* Loft controls spin rate
* Loft controls carry distance

Tiny face changes = huge distance differences.

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⛳ 4️⃣ Bounce Interaction Suffers

Good pitching normally needs:

* Predictable shaft delivery
* Predictable handle height
* Predictable angle of attack
* Stable bounce usage

Too far under plane can produce:

* Handle raising
* Excessive shallowing
* Dynamic loft inconsistency
* Leading-edge strikes

This is why elite wedge players often appear:

* More “connected”
* More neutral in takeaway
* Less inside
* More body-synchronised

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🧠 Biomechanically, Pitching Is More About Geometry Than Speed

In driver swings, players can sometimes survive poor geometry with:

* Speed
* Timing
* Athleticism

Pitching exposes movement inefficiencies immediately because:

* The swing is shorter
* Precision demands are higher
* Strike variability is punished harder

So an under-plane takeaway tends to increase:

* Timing dependency
* Face variability
* Low-point inconsistency

All things you don’t want around the greens.

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✅ Better Pitching Takeaway Feel

Most elite pitchers of the golf ball tend to feel:

* Hands stay more connected to torso
* Clubhead stays outside or in line with hands longer
* Shaft matches torso inclination
* Chest and arms move together
* Minimal excessive forearm roll early

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