Move SMARTER. Play Longer. Live Better.
About Titleist Performance Institute:
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Titleist Performance Institute is the world’s leading educational organization dedicated to the study of how the human body functions in relation to the golf swing.
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TPI was founded in 2003 by cofounders Dr. Greg Rose, a Doctor of Chiropractic with a mechanical engineering degree, and Dave Phillips, a world-class golf instructor (Golf Digest’s “Top 50 Best Teachers in America” and Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America since 2001).
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It’s main research and development facility is located in Oceanside, CA. TPI’s mission is to educate golfers and industry professionals on the Body-Swing Connection™ through its one of a kind ‘TPI Certified’ educational program, which was developed by its founders along with a 52 member advisory staff of industry leading experts holding variety of degrees from some of the most prestigious universities across the world.
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Over the past two decades, TPI has researched thousands of golfers ranging from TOUR players to the recreational golfers. With the wide variety of industries and specialties represented on their advisory board (surgeons, optometrists, engineers, chiropractors, physical therapists, physicists, world leading golf instructors, professional athletes, nutritionists and more) they have been able to thoroughly study how very specific functional abilities/limitations of the human body (joints, muscles, brain, etc) as well as a variety of other factors (club fit, shoe fit, technical understanding, fitness level, etc) influence the golf swing.
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Together, they have spent years gathering data, pioneering one-of-a-kind 3D biomechanical analysis equipment (i.e. KVest’s KCOACH), as well as developing very specific screening and evaluation tools and assessment processes to help their TPI certified professionals reach golfers all of the globe in hopes of improving the mindset, culture, instruction, and treatment of those in the golf industry.
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Throughout the process, they have been able determine exactly how likely (%) an individual is to exhibit specific inefficient swing characteristics based on his/her specific functional abilities/limitations. That is because the golf swing, at its core, is accomplished by performing numerous single plane movements in multiple joints at the same time. So if one of those joints is not functioning adequately, in order to continue accomplishing the swing and improving their game, another area/segment is forced to pick up the slack by taking on responsibilities it is not anatomically intended to perform.
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Research shows that, when physical limitations are not thoroughly addressed first, as a golfers decrease their golf handicap, the incidence of injury actually increases. This is because the “great golfers” have simply figured out (consciously/subconsciously) how to overcome certain inefficient swing characteristics-- ones they would otherwise exhibit based on the anatomical abilities required to safely and accurately perform each movement involved in the golf swing—by performing whatever compensatory movement(s) is necessary to produce a good shot. The problem? This normally happens at the expense of an otherwise healthy joint/muscle that wouldn’t normally produce that direction/amount of movement based on its particular anatomical purpose/ability. Bigger problem? This usually won’t cause immediate pain or injury, so the golfer sees it as improvement and continues to practice/golf using those biomechanics without realizing/understanding the extent of stress it’s putting certain on certain areas of the body. But we can’t fight the inevitable, and eventually, it will present as pain, injury, and/or decline in performance. And sorry to break it to ya—it’s not “age” that caused any of it.
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That is why it is SO important to go get evaluated by a TPI level 3 medical professional as soon as possible rather than waiting for the inevitable to occur. As a TPI M3, I have the ability to differentiate whether each swing characteristic that is occurring/being compensated for is due to his physical limitations/abilities, improper club fit, and/or poor technical understanding. This then allows me to develop the best and most effective plan of action in regards to treating the golfer’s functional limitations and/or referring to the proper certified professional in order to get the golfer unleashing and reaching his maximum potential the safest, quickest, and most effective way possible.
