Terry Rowles: Does Biomechanics Matter for YOUR Golf Swing?

Welcome back to the Edel Podcast.  On this week’s installment, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Terry Rowles.  Terry is a Top 100 Instructor who works with a host of PGA and LPGA Tour players.  

When I asked Terry who some of the other people he’s been influenced by, he said “technology has been a good friend… and before that I worked with David Ledbetter in the late 90’s and early 2000’s which stimulated me to think about a holistic approach to golf…” 

Terry points to the importance of teachers understanding how the body works as it relates to the golf swing.  It’s absolutely critical.

He says there’s two pieces to being a great teacher.  “First is having an understanding of the game… we’ve got to look at a golfer and see what the skills they need to score better are… Second you have to be good at listening… Who is this human being in front of you and what are they asking for?”

When we talk about biomechanics as it pertains to golf, Terry thinks “it’s quantifying movement… to enhance performance or reduce injury.” Biomechanics gives us “the framework to understand where we are on a map and how to move forward.” 

For modern teachers, Terry stresses that understanding biomechanics and how to properly apply them is a long process.  Unfortunately, not enough teachers make the necessary investment to go through the process.  In order to be an industry leader, these skills have to be mastered.

Through the process of quantifying the movements of the best players in the world, Mike and Terry have learned two things.  First, that what players are working on usually coincides with their biomechanics.  Second is that these players are so good, “they don’t usually need to make big changes.” The key is determining what the right things to work on are in a biomechanic sense.

According to Terry, the ultimate golf lesson involves biomechanical tests that determine what a player needs to do with their golf swing in order to improve.  Keep an eye out for his upcoming book. 

What’s so great about Terry and Mike is that “they aren’t just teachers, they’re teachers of teachers.” To that end, their ideas have proven tremendously beneficial in helping other instructors learn and therefore, allow their students to see real, tangible benefits.

As it pertains to fitting, Terry thinks the key is  “matching up all the pieces so that you can go after it hard… it’s a matter of matching up the offense and defense.” 

If there’s a single pinch pin where the golf swing goes wrong, Terry says  “Average is the enemy… if Matt Kuchar and Dustin swung ‘in the middle,’ they wouldn’t be the players they are… We need to fit the golf swing (and therefore equipment) to the way a person’s body is supposed to move.” 

We’re all too thankful for Terry taking the time to sit down at the workbench with us today.  If you’d like to learn more about his ideas and teaching