Gravity Golf

Gravity Golf is a training method developed by David C. Lee that aims to teach a person to swing a golf club in a physics-friendly manner that provides maximum ball speed and distance with the minimum of effort. It was first explained in his 1976 book of the same name.

Basics

The term "gravity" is used by Lee to encompass several elements of his method, for example:
*The "first release": players are encouraged to use their back and shoulders to throw the club back and up at the start of the swing. Once the club passes the golfer's back leg, the arms should relax and float to the top without any effort or tension in the golfer's upper body.
*Likewise, gravity is relied upon to start the downswing by causing the arms to drop without any effort from the golfer.
*The "counterfall": during the swing, gravity pulls the golfer off-vertical - leaning away from the ball - before hip rotation starts. This counteracts the force of the arms and club swinging at high speed in front of the player, which would otherwise pull him or her off-balance.

Training method

The gravity swing is taught using drills such as swinging with one's feet crossed, or with one hand. The drills are intended to train the body to swing the club in a more fluid manner, allowing the player to rely on muscle memory in order to swing in a natural and relaxed way.

References

*Lee, David C. (1976). "Gravity Golf: The evolution and revolution of golf instruction."