Analysis of 3D Kinematics Concerning Three Different Clubs in Golf Swing

TLDR

Although many professionals have produced instructional materials, scientific literature shows limited biomechanical research comparing golf swings to other sports. The study aimed to examine how kinematic patterns differ among three golf clubs—driver, five‑iron, and pitching wedge. Using an optoelectronic system (VICON) with five cameras at 50 fps and a swing‑speed detector, seven skilled right‑handed male golfers performed swings with each club. Timing across swing phases was identical for all clubs, but kinematics and clubhead speed varied with club type.

Abstract

Although many professionals have produced books or videotapes which offer a novel approach to the game, a review of the scientific literature reports limited research evaluating the actual biomechanics of the golf swing in comparison with other sports. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of kinematic pattern in golf swing using three different clubs: driver, five-iron, pitching-wedge. These three golf clubs have been chosen for their available range of ball flight. The measures of kinematic data during swing were established with the optoelectronic system VICONTM (Oxford’s MetricsTM , Oxford, UK) with five cameras operating at 50 frames per second. Clubhead speed was measured using a swing made detector (Bell-Tronics, Ltd, Covington, USA). Seven right-handed male golfers with a high level of skill participated in the study. The results showed that there was an identical timing (movement time and proportion for each phase of the swing) between the three clubs tested, but the kinematics and the clubhead speed were different depending on the three different clubs used.