Coil is more than just a turn

Coil is more than just a turn

COIL IS MORE THAN JUST A TURN
By Dr. T. J. Tomasi, Keiser University College of Golf
Senior Faculty and Director of Research

Your pelvis powers your golf swing, so finding the correct amount of hip turn is important. But creating power is not just a question of hip turn — it’s how much you turn your hips in relation to how much you turn your chest and shoulders. This difference is called coil, and it is far more important than just turning.

To coil correctly, you must set one part of your body against the other so that torque is produced. When you turn your shoulders more than your hips during the backswing, you stretch the big, banded muscles of your back, pelvis and thighs. You need these big muscles for power because you can’t generate maximum power using only the small muscles in your hands and arms. All good swings, no matter how different they look, find a way to activate the big muscles. If you turn your hips and shoulders the same amount, you won’t produce any resistance, which is why I say, “There’s a turn in every coil, but not a coil in every turn.”

You may have heard that it’s correct to turn your shoulders 90 degrees and your hips 45 degrees, but that varies according to how you’re built. If you’re not very flexible and can turn your shoulders only 80 degrees, then you should try for a 40-degree hip turn. If you’re as flexible as Gumby and can turn your shoulders 100 degrees, then shoot for a hip turn of about 50 degrees or less if you can take the strain. The key is to develop just the right amount of hip-vs.-shoulder turn for your physique.

If you’d like to study with Dr. Tomasi and other PGA Master Professionals, contact The College of Golf today.