Let’s face it: summer is moving by quickly. At this point, you’ve probably had the chance to hit the fairways at least a few times, and you have a general idea of how your golf swing is feeling this year. We all have some room for improvement, however, so let the Titleist Performance Institute certified experts from Athletes’ Advantage give you some help!
This is our last post in a series on thoracic rotation and it fits perfectly with the golf swing. One of the key elements of an efficient swing is the dissociation between the thoracic spine (mid-back) and the lower spine (lower thoracic, lumbar spine, and pelvis).
Here are a few tests that we can perform at the clinic in order to determine where you may be lacking:
The Pelvic Rotation Test (PRT) measures a golfer’s ability to rotate the pelvis separately from the upper body, which requires a certain level of mobility that not all golfers have attained. Working on mobility through the hips and stability through the chest and shoulders will help with this test, and will also translate to a better and more efficient game of golf.
The Torso Rotation Test (TRT) is essentially the converse of the PRT, instead of measuring how well an individual rotates the upper body independently from the lower body. The ability to dissociate the two is important for proper swing mechanics and optimal power generation.
There is a large discrepancy between PGA tour professionals and amateur golfers with regard to these two tests. Obviously, professionals tend to score much higher on both. There is a correlation between pelvic and thoracic stability/mobility and performance on the golf course.
If you’re looking for a great exercise to improve your thoracic mobility, look no further! Here’s an extremely useful and easy-to-perform movement: