The Fast Eddie Series

Over the past six years, I have had the privilege of working with Padraig Harrington as he continues to refine his golf swing. At this year's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Padraig—at 54 years old—was producing ball speeds of 186 mph and consistently exceeding 180 mph with clubhead speeds over 120 mph.

Those numbers are impressive in any setting, but achieving them in competitive tournament golf is remarkable. Padraig has used that speed to win both the U.S. Senior Open and The Senior Open Championship while continuing to compete successfully against players decades younger. Watching him hit the ball past many of his younger competitors is a fascinating reminder that speed is not simply a product of age.

The methods used to develop and maintain that performance are deeply rooted in biomechanics.

This past winter, I met Dr. Joe LaCasse of Rotex and "Fast Eddie" Fernandez during a seminar in Florida. A few months later, Eddie visited our facility, where we completed a full motion-capture session and Jacobs 3D analysis of his swing.

This article series will use data from Eddie's swing, along with occasional comparisons to Padraig Harrington, to explore some of the biomechanics that drive elite performance. Along the way, I will share and explain several of the metrics we use behind the scenes to evaluate high-speed golfers.

Some of the data may seem unfamiliar at first, but it represents real, unfiltered biomechanics. My hope is that these articles provide insight into how elite players create speed and offer a deeper understanding of the golfer-club system.