Double Pendulum

A golf swing is a double pendulum — your arms form the first pendulum, the club shaft forms the second. This two-segment system stores energy during the backswing and releases it in a whip-like sequence during the downswing.

The key to distance is releasing the second pendulum — the club — at exactly the right moment. Release too early and the clubhead decelerates before impact. Release too late and you lose the whip effect entirely. Tour professionals time this release to a fraction of a second, generating clubhead speeds above 180 km/h from a motion that looks smooth and effortless.