PubLinks Golfer Magazine- Winter 2000

La’ Machine

One of the most innovative designs to come along in the past thirty years is the USGA’s Iron Byron Machine. For those golfers not “in the know”, the Iron Byron Machine is a mechanical one armed device that the USGA uses for testing golf clubs and golf balls. Named after the Great Byron Nelson for his pure and simple swing mechanics. Many golf club and ball manufacturers often design or purchase their own machine for use in developing a company standard for club head speed, golf ball velocity at impact measurements, and marketing savvy. The Machine is a marvelous technological innovation of hydraulics, lightweight metals, specialized clamps and hinges, and computer hieroglyphics. For any golfer watching one of these machines in action is like watching a bottle capping machine. The thing just punches the ball out there - automatically - and consistently.

How many golfers do you know that have the swing mechanics of such a machine? Over the past year we have seen glimpses of perfection in PGA Tour Professionals such as Ernie Els, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and Jim Furyk. Whoa, did I just say Jim Furyk? Yes I did. Think about it. When the USGA uses its Iron Byron Machine to hit golf balls, it has no backswing. There is one technician to position the ball, clamp the club in place, and set the club in the proper backswing position. The other technician presses the button to trigger Iron Byron’s downswing into the ball. Jim Furyk at impact is one of the most consistent players on Tour, and it is because he is square at impact and has timed all of the muscles in his body to provide power to bring his club into the ball with purity.

When the engineers who designed the Iron Byron Machine got together they took the base root of a golf swing and broke it down into three categories: 1. Backswing (Position) 2. Downswing (Generating Power) 3. Impact (Release). What they devised was a right armed mechanical device that creates power from its hydraulic center (torso), sets on a firm base, and releases the club with envious accuracy. Watch Mark McGuire hit a home run and you will see pure power from the arms and body working together. The abdomen, buttox, and legs are the powerhouse in a golf swing, and the arms (especially the right hand and arm) are the release mechanism.

Many golfers today don’t understand the timing of that powerhouse and often just thrust the arms into the ball while restricting the body. Or, some will start the swing with the legs dancing back and forth hoping that the club will find the ball. The Iron Byron Machine like Tiger Woods is a combination of precise timing and power. Tiger is considered a great athlete for his physical condition and intense competitive prowess.

We had the privilege of having the Olympics in Sydney, Australia this year and observed many fine examples of great athletes performing feats with biometrical principles similar to golf. The Hammer throw, the Javelin, the Discus - all of these competitors created fascinating amounts of speed and power by spinning and or getting a running start. In golf we have to create torque from a stagnate position. Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones were swing masters in that they created torque by lifting their left heel on the backswing. The left heel initiated a timing mechanism during the backswing in their legs and torso to create a dynamic motion that helped deliver the arms to the ball with a whip like release. In the Olympics the divers had to take a little bounce on the board to make bigger bounce (triggering and timing). At the British Open this year we observed Tiger Woods hit a ball out of deep rough and take a step with his right foot. He had exerted so much power into the ball to lift it out of the rough that he nearly flew off the ground, but stepped through and over to his left doing his best Gary Player impression.

Dr. Gary Wiren - a PGA Master Professional and author - said in his book the New Golf Mind that he once observed the USGA Iron Byron Machine hit drives 300 yards at the testing facility. After that he was scheduled to play in a golf tournament. When he arrived at the course he went straight to the first tee without any warmup and hit his drive 300. He had played that image of the machine hitting balls in his mind as he drove to the golf course and kept a picture in his mind of the pure mechanical power.

The Iron Byron Machine is an excellent mechanical structure to immitate. The release of the club into the ball is pure and uninhibited. The next time you see a commercial featuring one of Iron Byron Machines hitting golf balls, tune out the hype and observe the simplicity of the motion. You never know, you might just hop out of your car, scramble up to the first tee and crack a drive 350! Otherwise, you could purchase one of the Iron Byron Machines for about $30,000 put it on the Driving Range throw a huge barbeque and invite all of your golfing friends to see how it is really done.

To learn how to swing like “La’ Machine” contact Phil.