What is L.A.W.s Golf Coaching?
Why can one golf swing work brilliantly for one player but be completely wrong for another?
L.A.W.s is a golf coaching system based on the principle that every golfer is physically different. Body shape, proportions, flexibility, range of motion and the way a player naturally moves can all influence the most effective way for them to swing a golf club.
In many sports, particular physical characteristics naturally suit different techniques. Golfers, however, come in all shapes, sizes and levels of flexibility. Trying to teach every golfer exactly the same swing can overlook the physical characteristics and movement patterns that make each player different.
Rather than forcing every golfer into a single swing model, L.A.W.s uses these individual characteristics to help identify a golf swing better suited to the player.
The L.A.W.s system identifies three principal player characteristics:
Leverage – Arc – Width
These characteristics can influence important elements of the golf swing, including setup, backswing, body rotation, power source and club delivery. Physical assessments can help identify which characteristics and swing principles are best suited to the individual golfer.
At Full Swing Golf Academy, PGA Professional Greg McClurkin incorporates L.A.W.s principles into his individual approach to golf coaching. Greg trained directly with Dr Jim Suttie in Florida and became a qualified L.A.W.s instructor in 2007, giving Perth golfers access to a coaching system designed around the player rather than forcing the player to fit a single swing model.
Full Swing Golf Academy is one of only two golf academies in Australia teaching the L.A.W.s method.
About Dr Jim Suttie & L.A.W.s
Dr Jim Suttie is an internationally recognised golf instructor, biomechanics expert and the creator of the L.A.W.s approach to golf instruction.
With more than 45 years of teaching experience, Dr Suttie has received some of golf instruction's highest honours. He was named the 2000 PGA National Teacher of the Year, has been recognised as a Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher and GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher, and has been inducted into both GOLF's Top 100 Teachers Hall of Fame and the inaugural Golf Digest Legends of Golf Instruction.
Dr Suttie's academic background includes advanced study in biomechanics and a Doctorate in Biomechanics. His research into the relationship between a golfer's physical characteristics and golf swing helped shape the philosophy behind L.A.W.s and his individualised approach to golf instruction.
Throughout his career, Dr Suttie has worked with leading professional golfers including Paul Azinger, Loren Roberts, Chip Beck, Larry Mize, Fred Funk, Kevin Streelman and Mark Wilson, as well as golfers of all abilities.
Dr Suttie is also an author on golf swing instruction, including Your Perfect Swing and The LAWs of the Golf Swing, exploring the relationship between body type, physical characteristics and matching swing fundamentals to the individual golfer.
His L.A.W.s Swing Customization instructor certification programme teaches golf professionals how to match swing fundamentals to a player's body and physical capabilities rather than applying a single swing model to every golfer.
Greg McClurkin trained directly with Dr Suttie in Florida and became a qualified L.A.W.s instructor in 2007. He now incorporates these principles into his golf coaching at Full Swing Golf Academy, based at Chequers Golf Club in Bullsbrook, Western Australia.
Understanding Your L.A.W.s Swing Type
A golfer may predominantly display the characteristics of a Leverage, Arc or Width player, while others may combine characteristics from more than one type.
Understanding these characteristics can help determine which swing movements are naturally suited to the golfer, rather than trying to build a golf swing around a technique designed for somebody else's body.
The sections below introduce the three principal L.A.W.s player types and some of the characteristics associated with each.
The Leverage Player
The Leverage Player typically has a proportionate build, with the arms and legs relatively symmetrical to the rest of the body. They are generally of average height and weight, with good flexibility and balanced body proportions.
The Leverage Player's golf swing tends to be more rotational, using the body's turn and coordinated movement to generate and control the swing.
Well-known examples of golfers whose characteristics have been associated with the Leverage Player include Ben Hogan, Stuart Appleby and Zach Johnson.
Many female golfers and junior golfers may also display physical characteristics associated with the Leverage category.
Think you might be a Leverage Player? Understanding your natural physical characteristics can help identify swing movements that are better suited to your body and the way you move.
View the Leverage Player swing sequence - front and down-the-line views
The Arc Player
The Arc Player is typically taller, with a leaner build, good flexibility and longer arms and torso relative to their overall body proportions. These physical characteristics can allow the player to create a wide, flowing motion and generate considerable clubhead speed with relatively little effort.
The Arc Player's golf swing tends to have a more circular or arc-like appearance, with the player's length and flexibility contributing to the shape and movement of the swing.
Well-known examples of golfers whose characteristics have been associated with the Arc Player include Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III and the younger Tiger Woods.
Think you might be an Arc Player? Identifying your natural body proportions, flexibility and movement characteristics can help determine whether an Arc-style swing is better suited to the way your body naturally moves.
View the Arc Player swing sequence - front and down-the-line views.
The Width Player
The Width Player typically has a stronger, more compact build, often with a broader chest and relatively shorter arms and legs. Flexibility and range of motion may also be more limited compared with the other L.A.W.s player types.
These physical characteristics tend to produce a shorter, more compact golf swing, with the upper body playing a greater role in generating power. The resulting motion can have a stronger, more direct appearance through the ball.
Well-known examples of golfers whose characteristics have been associated with the Width Player include Darren Clarke, Craig Stadler and Peter Senior.
Some senior golfers may also develop characteristics associated with the Width category as flexibility and range of motion change over time.
Think you might be a Width Player? Understanding your natural body proportions, strength and range of motion can help identify swing movements that work with your physical capabilities rather than against them.
View the Width Player swing sequence - front and down-the-line views.
Hybrid Combination Players
In reality, relatively few golfers fit perfectly into a single Leverage, Arc or Width category. Most players display a combination of characteristics, creating what L.A.W.s describes as a hybrid player.
Examples of hybrid characteristics include Sergio Garcia as Leverage–Arc, Adam Scott as Arc–Leverage and Greg Norman as Leverage–Width.
This is where the individual nature of L.A.W.s coaching becomes particularly important. Rather than simply identifying a player's body type, the system considers their physical characteristics, flexibility, dominant power source and how the different elements of their golf swing work together.
Matching the Elements of Your Golf Swing
Every golf swing contains movements that need to complement one another. In L.A.W.s coaching, these are referred to as matching swing elements.
Put simply, if one element of the swing works in a particular way, other elements need to complement it. There are many possible matching elements within a golf swing.
Examples include:
- Shorter backswing → stronger left-hand grip
- Steeper backswing → weaker left-hand grip
- Greater leg drive in the downswing → higher backswing
- Faster hip rotation in the downswing → flatter backswing
The goal is not to make every golfer swing the same way. It is to identify a combination of movements that works with the player's body proportions, flexibility, range of motion and natural power source.
For a golfer to reach their potential, the different elements of their swing need to work together and be suited to the way their body naturally moves.
This is the foundation of the L.A.W.s approach used by Greg McClurkin at Full Swing Golf Academy: build the golf swing around the golfer, rather than forcing the golfer to fit a predetermined swing.
View Hybrid Combination swing sequence - front and down-the-line views.
Discover the Golf Swing That Suits You
L.A.W.s coaching isn't about fitting every golfer into the same swing. It's about understanding how your body moves and building a golf swing around your individual characteristics.
As a qualified L.A.W.s instructor and PGA Professional, Greg McClurkin can assess your swing, physical characteristics and movement patterns to help identify an approach better suited to you.
Ready to find out what type of golf swing suits you?
Book a golf lesson with Greg at Full Swing Golf Academy, Chequers Golf Club in Bullsbrook, or contact Greg directly:
Mobile: 0457 444 279