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The Evolution of Wright Balance

  • 1988 Dr. Wright was a speaker at the first PGA Teaching Summit, Dallas, TX
  • 1990 began research on Balance observing that the size on the grips of golf clubs altered the players address position opening and closing the hip line and altering heel to toe balance
  • 1991 Dr. Wright was approached by See More Putter Company to see if he would encourage the use of their putter with his LPGA and PGA Tour Students due to alleged improved  putter face aim.  Dr. Wright’s initial observations of himself showed that his putter face aim was actually worse.  This led to the question “Why?” and the beginning of 30 years of research
  • 1992 Dr. Wright Published his first Golf Book in 1992 on the Mental Game: Mind Under Par while continuing to do research on Balance.  Note:  This book in digital and audio form is available to members as released by Chapter Monthly.  Members also receive access to audio relaxation and concentration for sleep, pre-play and on course application.  These same audios are used by professionals taking lessons from Dr. Wright.

  • 1992 Dr. Wright became a Class A PGA Professional.  He began to observe Rotation of Pelvis while measuring putter face aim and changes in aim and path based upon this pelvic rotation
  • 1993 Dr. Wright developed measurement systems based upon these observations of Pelvic Rotation.  The illustration below shows the first pelvic rotation assessment.  The bracket on Dr. Wright’s hips here was made by a physical therapist.  The plastic board he is standing on locks the feet in place in a square position. Notice the rotation of his hips to his left, an open hip line, a common observation in the majority of players

  • 1994-95 the followup development of this pelvic rotation measurement shows an addition of a projection off the horizontal bar.  The photo is of PGA Tour Player Pat Burke testing the new system.

  • Below is what the measurement tool looked like to the subject as they looked down.  The measurement tool is attached to Patrick’s shoulders in this illustration

  • 1995 the next phase of development was a measurement of both pelvis and shoulder rotation with the use of a laser to determine amount of rotation as shown in this illustration.

1995 – 1996 Dr. Wright began to look at changes in club and putter face aim as a result of heel to toe balance.  The photo illustrations below show PGA Tour Veteran, Dennis Paulson demonstrating  changes in club face aim.  Note the open and shut club face changes as Dennis changes his weight distribution from first his heels in the first illustration and then  his toes in the second illustration.

 

  • 1998 Dr. Wright and Dr.
  • 1998 Dr. Wright and Dr. Mellman (team physician for Lakers, Dodgers, Kings and Rams) worked together on a project involving the measurement of eye hand coordination and concentration  on putting with an apparatus Dr. Mellman used with the Dodger hitters.  The apparatus was being tested at Callaway Golf in Carlsbad, CA where Drs. Wright and Mellman met.  Dr. Mellman began taking golf lessons from Dr.Wright.  During a lesson, Dr. Wright was teaching a Hogan instruction position where the arms / elbows were on the chest wall.  Dr. Mellman said, “Oh, that’s the reverse Carrying Angle”.  Dr. Wright asked what the “Carrying Angle” was.  That began a discussion on the Carrying / Power Angle that became an integral part of the future biomechanics lab research protocol and Wright Balance teaching.  This is a photo of Dr. Mellman demonstrating the Carrying Angle at the top of the range at Pelican Hill Golf Club where Dr. Wright was teaching at the time.

  • 1998 Dr. Wright joined Dr. Michael Mellman, Dr. Robert Watkins, Mr. Fred Claire and Dr. Frank Jobe in discussions on Balance Research at the Centinela Biomechanics Lab. Stance Width, Posture, Grip Size and Vision as related to Balance  were discussed as the focus on the research Protocols.
  • 1999 Began Pilot study on Balance and testing the protocols for research.  The Carrying Angle was one of the measurements taken on all subjects.
    • The Protocols included multiple measurement systems: A. 40 light sensors on the body and light sensors on dowel poles to test the validity and reliability of use of bars in further research in the field.

    • B.  1000 force sensors in each shoe.  Note in the above photo the ankle wraps.  These wraps secured the electronics in each shoe where insoles cut to each subjects shoes were placed to measure changes in force (balance) with changes in set up and swing.  The following illustration is what the insole system looked like before placement in each shoe.

     

  • 2003 – 2007 Began 3 year study on Balance in Dr. Frank Jobe’s Biomechanics Lab at Centinela Hospital, Los Angeles
  • 2000 to 2008 Dr. Wright was a coach for the University of Southern California Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams.   During his tenure the teams combined to win two NCAA Team Championships, three NCAA individual Championships and six Regional and Conference Championships.
  • 2003 The photo below was taken in the West Wing of the White House with the University of Southern California Women’s Golf Team with players, coaches and USC Administrative staff.  This White House visit followed a NCAA Division 1 National Championship win.  Dr. Wright is on the far left.  The others in the photo are women’s team members and coaches. President George Bush is in the center of this photo.

  • 2008 – 2010 Dr Wright determined the Stance Width formula based upon biomechanical measurements.  Fibonacci numbers were used to determine the pattern of 9 Stance Widths that recruit the 9 Regions of the Core as shown in this illustration.  Biophysicist, Dr James M Smith developed the algorithm based upon the formula Dr. Wright discovered.  This algorithm and the 9 Stance Widths continue to be used by Wright Balance Professionals around the world via an online system.  The illustration below shows the “mapping” of the Core based upon the Fibonacci sequence of the 9 Stance Widths.  It is well known that all of nature is linked to a Golden Ratio or Fibonacci sequence.  Dr. Wright cracked Nature’s code of  body symmetry in Mapping the Regions of the Body.  Proof of concept is demonstrated at every turn in the research path.

 

WB-9-CORE-REGIONS-JPEG

COME BACK and Join us as we complete the chronology of the overview of the next 10 years of Wright Balance as it gets better and better From Dr. Robert Giombetti’s Ground Reaction Force Research using Wright Balance technology.

  • If you click on this link you can view a short EBook on the research protocols.  This Ebook has embedded videos on the research as well.  Click on this link to view:  http://fliphtml5.com/azhq/ulzw

 

Link to research Paper based on Exercises tested in Dr. Jobe’s bio-mechanics Lab: http://fliphtml5.com/azhq/ulzw