Using art, photography, and animation this article documents the story of Thomas Kincaid and his contribution to the golf swings of the past and present. This article content is mostly extracted from the book "The History of the Golf Swing,"
The Edinburgh Student
Young golfer Thomas Kinkaid chronicled his considered opinion of the golf swing while still learning the basics himself. This was original thinking years in advance of the time when the basics were being formulated.
Leith recreation fields.
Within a month of the cold, wet winter of 1687, the notes of an educated young man's golf swing experiences were recorded for perpetuity.
Thomas Kinkaid, an Edinburgh medical student, skilled archer, and talented writer became engrossed with the mechanics of the golf swing.
(Photograph shows Edinburgh University Medical School in the time of Kincaid).
Fortunately for golf academics, he decided to document his findings and thereby created the starting point for the history of the golf swing.
The animation of the Kincaid swing according to his swing thoughts. The young student possessed a bright, analytical mind and a curiosity in all things which was evident in his reflections and ideas. However, his detailed analysis only seemed to cause him trouble in settling on one specific theme.
I wonder what kind of exasperation his parents endured, especially as his father was the Deacon of the University.
Thomas led a full life with his many interests. He would write his thoughts on any subject that took his fancy, which could vary from throwing a stone to kicking a football. He never did fulfill his father's desire that he qualify to be a surgeon, but gained people's respect by his generosity in donating the extensive collection of medical books, accumulated by his father, to the university's library.
As with many writers, it is highly likely that Thomas jotted down his thoughts while on the field of play or before breakfast. He would then use these notes for reference when he filed the log in his diary at the end of the day.