The information in my blogs,“Feel and Efficient Swing,” and “How to Use the Fingers,” can be used to create what Ben Hogan describes as the chain action in the down swing.  This article describes in detail what needs to be done to achieve an effective chain action in the down swing.

The best golfers generate power efficiently with a “chain action” in the swing.  The chain action is a sequence of motions executed during the down swing.  The average golfer does not swing efficiently but the natural strength and occasional proper timing allows the inefficient and unconnected swing to occasionally produce a shot of acceptable distance and accuracy.  But natural strength and occasional proper timing does not produce consistent swings and shots.  Also, as golfers get older, this natural strength, that is mainly in the arms and shoulders, diminishes as does the ability to time the body to match the arm swing.   Thus, the distance and accuracy of the golf shot diminishes.  If the average golfer desires to create and maintain the distance and accuracy of the golf shot, generating power efficiently in the down swing is required.

Efficient power generation starts by feeling a tension caused by resistance.  Motion in the primary direction that is resisted by a motion in the opposite direction creates resistance.  The motion that is doing the resisting is eccentric motion.  This requires that the muscles and ligaments feel at ease, loose, relaxed, or empty, but not tight.  At the completion of the stretch, use a “flick” to cause the efficient release of energy.  The “flick” is the quick and short forceful “bounce” in the direction of the resistance to cause the release the built-up tension in the in the opposite direction of the “flick”.  For the accomplished golfer, the resistance and the “flick” is a supporting motion that is a subtle or unconscious feeling used to build and release energy efficiently.

The average golfer attempts to consciously move the body, the right arm, and the hands in a very mechanical and manipulating manner without feeling any tension.  Feeling tension means feeling an active stretch, as opposed to feeling tight which means feeling paralyzed.  The best golfers feel the tension build and release in what Ben Hogan describes as the “chain action” of the body, arms, and hands.  The release of energy in the lower and upper body triggers the chain reaction release of energy in the arms, followed by the release of energy in the hands.  Using eccentric motion to build and release tension is an efficient way to execute the chain action.

The following precisely describes how to use eccentric motion in the chain action.

Body

As described in my blog post, “Feel an Efficient Swing,” the stretch up of the top of the right pectoral, the stretch down of the ball of the left and right foot, and the stretch up of the bottom of the front right hip bone is an efficient way to build energy in the upper and lower body.  The “flick” up of the bottom of the front right hip bone and the “flick” up of the hands are used to release the energy in the lower and upper body.

Arms

As described in my blog post, “Feel an Efficient Swing,” the upper body coil creates momentum to swing the arms up.  As the hands stretch up, the back of the right upper arm stretches up.  This is an efficient way to build energy in the arms.  The “flick” up of the bottom of the front right hip bone results in the snap down of the right upper arm to release the energy built up in the arms.

Hands

As described in my blog post, “How to Use the Fingers,” the stretch up of the inside of the tip of the little fingers creates energy in the hands.  This is an efficient way to build energy in the hands and fingers.  The “flick” up of the back of the right upper arm triggers the “flick” up of the hands to release the energy.

The chain action sequence in the down swing, body, arms, and hands, is triggered by the “flick” up of the bottom of the right elbow.  The sequence occurs in a millisecond, almost simultaneously, although it feels “leisurely.”

The focus on the chain action automatically creates the patience required at the top of the back swing to produce the proper rhythm.

Using eccentric motion requires less energy to produce more power. The speed of the eccentric motion is the most efficient way to release the gathered energy.  As we age, eccentric power diminishes less compared to concentric or isometric power.  It is therefore more important for senior golfers to use eccentric motion in their golf swings.

The efficient chain action feels like doing less when compared to doing inefficient motions.  To develop a consistent and powerful golf swing, it is essential to accept the feeling of doing less by using efficient eccentric motion and chain action.