Kinetic Differences in the Target-Side Knee among Three Shot Types in Each Section During Downswing

Attention on knee kinetics during golf swing has been increasing. This study aimed to compare the kinetic differences in the target-side knee among shot types during downswing using different clubs.

Twenty-nine healthy right-handed golfers were divided into two groups: high-skilled (HS) and low-skilled (LS) groups. The angle of extension/flexion, valgus/varus, and external/internal rotation of target-side knee during downswing of shot types, i.e., fade, straight, and draw, using driver and 5-iron clubs were analyzed. The downswing was divided into four sections. One-way RMANOVA was used to identify the differences in knee kinetics among the shot types in each section or group.

The HS group using both driver and 5-iron clubs and the LS group using the driver club had no significant kinetic differences in the target-side knee among the three shot types during downswing. However, in the first, second, and third sections in the LS group, significant differences among the shot types were noted (p = 0.01, p = 0.01, p = 0.04, respectively). In the first section, the valgus angle of fade shot was less than that of straight shot (p< 0.01), and in the second and third sections, the valgus angles of fade shot and draw shot were less than the valgus angle of straight shot (second section, p< 0.01 and p = 0.03; third section, p = 0.04, p = 0.03).

Only the valgus/varus angle in LS golfers using 5-iron clubs showed differences in target-side knee among the shot types during downswing. This finding could help improve golf performance.