The aim of the
present study was to validate a full-body computer simulation of a golfer’s
swing for driving clubs. An elite male golfer performed 24 shots in a
laboratory, comprised of 8 trials using each of three drivers of different
shaft length (46″, 48″ & 50″). A 5-camera MAC™ system operating at 240Hz
collected kinematic data which was subsequently used to drive the model
utilising ADAMS/LifeMOD software. Additional skin markers were used for model
validation. A large-scale musculoskeletal human model was constructed, with a
parametric model of a driver. Inverse and forward dynamics calculations were
performed with the imported experimental motion data in order to generate model
movement. A commercially available launch monitor recorded experimental
clubhead and launch conditions. There was a very high level of agreement
(r=0.995) between experimental kinematic data and the predicted trajectory
splines of the model. There was also a high level of correlation (r=0.989)
between the model predicted mean values for clubhead speed and the experimental
values for each of the club lengths, both demonstrating increased clubhead
velocity as club length increased. Muscle contraction force output by the model
showed a significant difference (p≤0.001) between driver simulations,
demonstrating its capability to illustrate the link between gross muscle force
production and club length, as evidenced by the increased force output for the
longest shafted club.