2026-09-25 · Birdia Blog

What Is the Kinematic Sequence in Golf?

What the kinematic sequence is

The kinematic sequence is the pattern of acceleration and deceleration of the four major body segments during the downswing. In an efficient swing the order is proximal-to-distal: first the pelvis, then the torso, then the arm, and finally the club. Each segment accelerates, hits its peak speed, and then decelerates to transfer that energy to the next link, like cracking a whip.

Dr. Young-Hoo Kwon, in his biomechanics work, describes exactly this sequential transfer mechanism: each segment passes the baton up the chain, so the club arrives at impact with the maximum speed accumulated across the whole system. TPI measures this signature with 3D sensors and considers it the most reliable marker of a powerful, repeatable swing, regardless of style.

Why yours is reversed

The sequence reverses when the upper body (arms, shoulders) starts the downswing before the pelvis. Instead of the hips initiating the move and the club finishing it, you push from the top: the typical result is an over the top move, early casting, and loss of lag.

The most common causes are an anxious transition to "hit at it" from the top and a rushed tempo. John Novosel's data in Tour Tempo helps here: timing hundreds of tour swings on video, he found a 3:1 ratio between backswing and downswing. When the downswing gets too fast relative to the backswing, it's very easy for the arms to jump ahead of the hips and break the sequence.

At Birdia we analyze the swing phases straight from your phone video to flag whether your transition starts from the top or from the ground, with no need for a 3D-sensor lab.

How to reorder it

The key isn't to "move the hips more," but to change the starting order. David Leadbetter stresses initiating the downswing with the shift and rotation of the lower body while the club is still completing the backswing: that small separation is what puts the pelvis ahead in the sequence.

Useful drills: the step drill, to feel your weight move into the lead foot before the arms drop, and rehearsing the transition in slow motion counting a 3:1 rhythm. By filming yourself face-on and down-the-line with Birdia, you can see whether the hips open before the shoulders, which is the visual proof the sequence is running in the right order.

Fuentes

• TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) — material sobre kinematic sequence.
• Dr. Young-Hoo Kwon — biomecánica del swing (transferencia proximal-distal).
• David Leadbetter — The Golf Swing.
• John Novosel — Tour Tempo.

Frequently asked questions

Is a reversed sequence the same as coming over the top?

No, but they almost always go together. The reversed sequence describes the timing order (arms before hips); over the top describes the club path (it drops outside the plane). When the upper body fires early, the club tends to move outward, so fixing the sequence usually cleans up the path too.

Do I need 3D sensors to know if my sequence is off?

Not to spot it. TPI's 3D sensors give the exact signature of peak speeds, but a face-on video shows you the essentials: if the shoulders turn before the hips, your sequence starts from the top. To measure the order and tempo precisely, a frame-by-frame video analysis already gives you very reliable signals.

Does changing my tempo fix the sequence?

Sometimes, partly. A ratio close to Novosel's 3:1 gives you time for the hips to start the downswing before the arms, so slowing an anxious transition often reorders the sequence. But if the issue is a motor pattern (always pushing from the top), you'll also need specific separation drills, not just a slower rhythm.