Why chasing numbers can wreck your rotator cuff.
Simulator golf has made "Club Head Speed" the holy grail for amateurs. But without the physical foundation to support it, chasing speed is the fastest way to a rotator cuff tear.
Think of your shoulder like the brakes on a supercar. You can put a Ferrari engine in a Honda Civic, but if you can't stop it, you crash. Your rotator cuff muscles (especially the external rotators) are responsible for decelerating the arm after impact.
If you increase your club speed by 5mph but don't increase your rotator cuff strength, the eccentric distraction forces at the finish of the swing can exceed the tendon's load capacity. The posterior cuff (infraspinatus/teres minor) must fire violently to decelerate the arm, often absorbing forces up to 30-50% of body weight.
Sim data reveals a paradox: often, swinging "harder" (more effort) results in lower ball speed and higher injury risk. Our coaching team uses GCHawk data to optimize this sequence, ensuring you generate power from the ground up, not just by thrashing your arms.
Instead of staring at Club Head Speed, look at Smash Factor (Ball Speed divided by Club Speed).
Optimal Driver Smash: ~1.50
Inefficient Smash: <1.40
A highly efficient swing (1.50 smash) puts significantly less stress on the musculoskeletal system than an inefficient, muscled swing (1.40 smash) that relies on brute force rather than kinetic sequencing.
Do not chase speed until you have stability. Perform "External Rotation" exercises with cables or bands to build the brakes before you upgrade the engine.
Want to add 10 yards without the surgery? Our Performance Testing identifies exactly where your speed leaks are.
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