GFAA Best Practice: Communicate the Effect of Dissociation on a Golf Shot

Tommy Was Featured In the Golf Fitness Association of America Best Practice

Tommy Asuma on the importance of communicating the effect of dissociation on a golf shot:

Dissociation is a golfer’s ability to use his or her upper body independent of the lower body, and vice versa. Though the golf swing looks rather fluid in nature, certain parts of the body need to move separately from one another. For example, in an ideal backswing, the shoulders will rotate farther than the hips. Most golf coaches and golf fitness instructors see it every day – many golfers simply cannot rotate their shoulders without moving their hips, creating a challenge in developing the power-enhancing relationship between upper and lower body within the golf swing, known as the X-factor.

This concept affects the path of the swing and angle of approach, which directly ties in to the ball flight (left or right), trajectory (high or low) and distance of the golf shot. The number of degrees of separation between upper and lower body is one of a few elements that determines how much swing speed, ball speed and distance a golfer gets out of a shot.

With golfers seeking distance more than ever, this is one of the first places we look. If the student is unable to create this separation, common reasons are: coordination, as the individual may not have taken part in activities that require such movement; tightness, inflexibility or lack of mobility that causes a limited range of motion due to age, physical make up or injury, among others factors.

About the Author

Tommy Asuma is a 2003 graduate of Grand Valley State University, where he majored in physical education with an emphasis in athletic training, K-12 professional instruction, and a health education minor. He has over 12 years of experience as a board certified and state licensed athletic trainer.

Tommy is among an elite number of trainers in the world as a Level 3, Titleist Performance institute Certified Golf Fitness Instructor and a certified Nike Golf 360 Instructor. His client base ranges in age from 12 to 82 and includes many of Chicago’s best amateurs and junior players, over 30 past and current collegiate players (10+ at the Division I Level), current playing professionals, and players whose handicaps range from +3 to 36.

Click here to learn more about Tommy.