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Aldrich Potgieter's TPI Experience: Our Assessment with One of Golf's Rising Stars
At just 20 years old, South African prodigy Aldrich Potgieter has already made waves in professional golf, becoming the youngest winner ever on the Korn Ferry Tour last year and winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic in his rookie year on the PGA TOUR last month. But elite talent doesn’t happen by accident - it’s built on a foundation of physical capability and efficient mechanics.
In the latest video on our YouTube channel, we take you inside Aldrich’s visit to TPI where Dr. Rose and Dave Phillips conducted a movement assessment, 3D motion capture, and force plate analysis to better understand the physical traits driving his performance - and where he can continue to improve.
1. Elite Torso Mobility Fuels a Massive Shoulder Turn
As with every athlete we see at TPI, we began Aldrich’s assessment with the physical screen that we teach in our Level 1 course. While this screen is not predictive of golf skill, it helps us evaluate key movement capabilities which are often associated with common swing characteristics.
One of the key physical capabilities that we measure in rotational athletes is the mobility of the thoracic spine through our Seated Trunk Rotation Test. Aldrich tested as well as anyone in golf, demonstrating 65° rotating right and 70° rotating left. This remarkable range of motion is one of the physical qualities which helps him make a 100° shoulder turn in his backswing, extending his “acceleration ramp” and allowing him more time to apply force to the club.
2. Generating Vertical Force Early and Often
Aldrich not only pushes against the ground aggressively - he pushes early. Vertical ground reaction force is one of the kinetic variables that we’ve found to be closely associated with clubhead speed. Aldrich generates about 230% of his bodyweight in vertical force, well above our PGA TOUR average of 198%. Crucially, he creates the force early in the downswing which gives him more time to transfer energy into the clubhead - something many amateur golfers fail to do. If golfers push too late, they often don't have time to get it to the club. This is a key topic in our advanced Golf and Power Certification courses.
3. Late Release / Lag in the Downswing
While we generally don't cue golfers to hold lag, research suggests that late-release or lag in the downswing is closely associated with clubhead speed (Chu et al, 2010). If ground reaction forces are a good indication of how a golfer gets energy "into the system," the ability to create lag is one of the ways they "transfer it to the club." Aldrich does this as well as anyone on TOUR. High-handicappers who cast the club and drag the handle, do not.
We believe that one of the keys to creating lag is sequencing in transition. Golfers that are able to initiate their downswing by pelvis -> trunk -> lead arm are often more successful at creating lag efficiently. This is why we say we coach sequence, not lag.
Teach sequence, not lag.
— TPI (@MyTPI) February 12, 2021
From our last TPI LIVE with Dr. Rose, @mytpidave and @blackburngolf: pic.twitter.com/e4RZOaHSCH
Aldrich is a terrific athlete. He grew up playing rugby and wrestling competitively. The strength he developed in these sports (and in the weightroom), combined with his supernatural spine mobility and elite mechanics (s/o to his coach Justin Parsons) helped create one of the more impressive moves in golf.
In short, Aldrich Potgieter’s assessment offers a masterclass in the biomechanics of elite speed - melding flexibility, kinetic timing, and flawless sequencing in one seamless swing.
If you are a coach, fitness or medical professional interested in learning more about how to help golfers determine if their body is affecting their swing, check out our newly updated Level 1 online course.
View TPI Level 1 Online Course
If you're a golfer interested in a physical assessment, you can connect with a TPI Certified expert via our Find an Expert page.