Great Question....
The reason that science is important to golfers has to do with knowing the TRUTH and trying to learn from it.
For instance, the "Heavy Hit."
It seems that science has said that it is a myth. My empirical evidence agrees. I adjusted my teaching, and the results have been very positive. My game is also much improved.
Acceleration is one of those term golfer teachers, announcers, and players throw around all the time. 99% of what they say about it is hogwash. I knew that in 1985, I almost never used the term. But, now thatnk to science—real science—I know why I was partially correct in my little Italian head, and why I wasn't. Teaching and Playing adjusted with positive results.
The advanced 3D systems thought me that there was no difference in speed with the flail working like a true flail or the club remaining up the left arm well past the ball. Where is that in
any book?
There are many things like these three, and I hope for many more.
The Golfing Machine is a great work of a smart man, but this site does not exists to prove or disprove it. This site doesn't exist to explain it, or to bow to it. This site is about how to learn golf better, play better golf, teach golf better, and learn from the process while having some fun with it. It is a sounding board for someone who has plenty to say, but was HIDDEN—often on purpose—by the golf industry.
That would be me.
What should you focus on in the swing?
If Hitting ideas help you, use 'em. My feeling is this:
I have my golfers set-up and grip the club in a way that will ENCOURAGE and ASSIST them in using the pattern I SUGGEST for them.
This pattern includes—stated to the student or not—a backswing hand and clubhead path, and plane shifts and lines, a certain motion of the pivot, and a desired and an attempted top of the backswing position (sometimes two different places).
The downswing includes hand and clubhead paths, axis tilt+rotation+location, an impact goal and location, and through the ball positioning of all the above, with and emphasis on the sweetspot and butt of the clubshaft location and rotation. At all times HAND CONDITIONS are stressed. Obviously there are many more "components" and "sub-components" to deal with, and they are when needed.
Hitting vs. Swinging?
Golfers need to use EVERYTHING that won't mess up the alignments to SNAP THAT CHAIN and hit that ball.
Certain shots work better with just a certain few.