February, 2025

Review 2 Part 1

The following is meant for Wright Balance® Professionals who have completed their basic training in the kinetic chain as related to pelvic rotation and the coronal plane. The analysis is "predictive" in nature and requires direct observation. The swing sequence presented is from screenshots taken from a video.

Please answer the question before you scroll to the answer. This EBook is for training purposes laced with a bit of my humor. This is not an exam. However, you may see similar questions on the annual Wright Balance® recertification quizzes. I believe you will see how universal these Wright Balance® observations are.

Question:

What does a lower shoulder and internal rotation of one hand tell you about these gentlemen? BTW, this is not a political question, just an observation of what you will see in the majority of the population worldwide.

In a prior EBook, you saw images of Sir Nick Faldo from his book "On Winning Golf" showing a lower right shoulder and a high right hip with internal rotation of his left hand.

These observations are true in 98 plus percent of the world population. The anatomical configuration of one side having a lower shoulder, a higher hip on the same side, knee pronation, internal rotation of the opposite hand and a rotation of the pelvis to the right or left has been observed for 20 years by Wright Balance® Professionals worldwide. The direction of pelvic rotation and related left to right / heel to toe balance becomes predictable once these observations are made.

Answer

These answers assume that these gentlemen are both right-handed.

The gentleman in the red tie and blue suit has greater internal rotation of his right hand and his left shoulder is lower. The internal rotation of the hand opposite the lower shoulder is a predictable combination.

His left hip is also higher than his right and he likely has pronation of his left knee impacting balance in his through swing. This gentleman will present with a rotation of his hips to the right and a low trail hip at address. The lower trail hip is a desirable position at address.

Note his balance at ground level. With this balance configuration, you will notice his lead knee protrudes out further than his trail knee at address. Additionally, as you can see from the following image that a player with this configuration will have their weight more on their lead side (Top right corner showing PSI).

His pelvic rotation to the right will likely create a move off the ball from address and an "overswing" causing the club to get "behind him" in his backswing and a feeling of being "stuck" in his downswing.

The following swing sequence is of the gentleman in the red tie and blue suit on the golf course.

Look carefully at his lead knee. He has slightly greater knee flex in his lead knee than his trail knee. That is a result of his hips being rotated closed at address, the same position you see in any player with a closed hip line at address.

To experience this balance configuration, stand and increase the flex in your lead knee. Note that your weight loads more on the side of the increased flex. Also note that your hips rotate to a closed position when you increase the knee flex in your lead knee. That is what you are seeing in the image below.

Note the position of the bushes behind him at address relative to his lead and trail shoulders in the above image.

The following image is his first move from his address position and his defined loading to his trail side. The clubhead has just begun to move in this image. Note the change in the position of the bushes in his move to his trail side, a common move in players who set up with a closed hip line.

Note that his hands / grip position hasn't moved but his lower body has as his first move creates greater shaft lean.

Note the move to the trail side and shoulder rotation in his backswing. A closed hip line at address facilitates a greater shoulder turn but a "stuck" position in the downswing. Again, note the position of the bushes relative to his body position.

The following image shows the top of his swing. His lead knee position and center of mass at the top indicates that he started his swing with his shoulders, a characteristic of a Posterior / Lower Core player. He has recovered his center of mass as you can see from his move toward the target. His center of mass is still trail side, much like the Posterior / Lower Core player.

He continue to look for balance through his swing as he rotates his hips back to the target line.

Although the club gets "stuck" behind him as his hips "stall".

This position produces a power leak. Trail hip pain is a common report in players whose hips "stall" in the downswing.

The club is left behind and, as it catches up, the path is from the inside producing a "push draw" as the club face closes through impact.

Note the position his body relative to his address position. You can see that he is still behind the ball through impact.

His trail foot through his finish shows that his hips have not cleared, all due to the starting position of a closed hip line.

Repeating this "stuck" position through impact long term leads to trail hip pain.

Red Tie Blue Suit Kinetic Chain

The following image shows what the gentleman in the red tie and blue suit presents with in a standing tall position. The following is what has created his set up and swing. Note the lower right shoulder and the raised trail hip and the left knee pronation. However, there is no indication of bone spurs on either foot. What presents as a collapsed arch on his left foot is a result of a long period of knee pronation.

The following image shows what he would look like following the Wright Balance® Express. Note that following the Wright Balance® Express his hips and shoulders would level, his hands would hang exactly the same impacting his grip on the club and his knee pronation would be eliminated. The Wright Balance® Express would also eliminate all pelvic rotation so that his hip line is square to his stance line. His balance at address would be even in the lead and trail side.

The Wright Balance® Express will eliminate this balance configuration creating a square hip line with no range of motion restrictions and minimize the probability of injury with his golf swing and in daily activities. The alignment of his Kinetic Chain will allow him to recruit maximum strength in all activities, reduce soft tissue pain, increase his range of motion in all joints and minimize the potential for falls and the probability of injury.

As noted, the gentleman in the red tie and blue suit would have a miss that is thin and right (that could be a political observation as well) or a nasty hook (potentially a political observation). When the club gets behind him he will have a push draw as shown in this swing sequence above. He will also produce little to no divot due to his shallow inside return to the ball. Unless he can square his hips in the downswing, his shoulder rotation will stop through impact and he will feel a flip of his hands (perhaps another political observation?) and a potential for a nasty hook depending on his timing.

Short Guy Dressed in Black

The shorter gentleman dressed in black has a lower right shoulder and internal rotation of his left hand. He will present with a rotation of his pelvis to the left. His right hip will be higher than his left and he will likely have pronation of his right knee impacting balance in his backswing.

If the shorter gentleman in black were to do the Wright Balance® Express, his hips and shoulders would level, his hips would be square (absent of any pelvic rotation) and his knee pronation would be eliminated). He would have freedom of range of motion in all joints due to the alignment throughout his body in his kinetic chain. His aligned kinetic chain would give him the ability to recruit greater power from the ground, not something we should encourage in this case.

Following the Wright Balance® Express exercise, his balance configuration would look like the following image, easily tested and demonstrated before and after exercise using planes of motion.

If the shorter gentleman in black were to do the Wright Balance® Express prior to play, his shoulders and hips would level, his hips would be square (absent of any pelvic rotation) and his knee pronation would be eliminated).

In spite of his closed border, he will have an open hip line at address, similar to the pelvic rotation shown in this image.

It has been noted during his range practice that he has an over the top move (matching his politics) and steep approach to the ball and frequently "hanging back" despite his aggressive approach toward targets.

His open hip line creates a trail hip that is higher than his lead hip producing a steep approach to the ball. His miss will be "heavy" pulled left of his target or blocked right, a consistent miss (we can hope).

Observations of the gentleman dressed in black is that he sets up with great focus on his target. He ANNOUNCES his target loudly to his playing partners. However, when he starts to "pull the trigger" as he starts his swing, his open hip line creates more weight on his trail side, his backswing is restriced and he "hangs back" and blocks his shot right. During his range practice, he doesn't "hang back" and hits his target consistently. When he does get back to his lead side, because of his high trail hip and over the top move, his steep downswing create deep divots.

I believe you will find some of the answers to his "hanging back" in his grip as shown in this image.

Both of these gentlemen would benefit from the Wright Balance® Express to level their shoulders and hips and eliminate knee pronation. However, that will not "level" their political views, just their physical status. Given their self reports of their golf scores, they don't need much help in scoring. If, by the way, they were to lean toward each other, each would be supporting the other.

You will find these anatomical observations in your students, family members, friends and people on the street, regardless what their political leanings (left or right) might be.