By keeping your arms loose and letting your hands and wrists dictate your body’s motion and direction, you will get a better strike and more power from your swing.
Full Answer
Why not use your arms to swing a golf club?
After all, your hands are holding onto the grip, so why not use your arms to swing the club back and through? Well, your arms certainly do have a role to play in the swing, but they should not be in charge of the action. Accomplished golfers know that using the whole body to produce the swing, not just the arms, is the best way to find success.
Should your arms respond to body rotation in the golf downswing?
Many top golf instructors emphasize using body rotation to pull the left arm and the club down to the ball during a right-handed player's downswing. These instructors believe the arms should respond passively to the body rotation.
Are your arms just along for the ride during the swing?
You have read in many of my past newsletters the concept of letting the arms just go along for the ride during the golf swing. What this means is that you want your arms to be relaxed and free of any tension throughout the entire swing motion – they should simply transfer the power generated by the rotation of your torso.
How do you control your arms when playing golf?
For golf shots, you'll want to use your lower body and your core to generate power, using use your arms to help you control your swing. Stand in the correction position to the ball.
Do you use your arms in golf swing?
In order to get distance out of your swing, the key is to let your arms, wrists, and hands drive your swing motion, not your hips and torso. By keeping your arms loose and letting your hands and wrists dictate your body's motion and direction, you will get a better strike and more power from your swing.
How do you not use your arms in the golf swing?
5:5312:24TURN OFF YOUR ARMS FOR AN EFFORTLESS DRIVER SWINGYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo just do a little smoother slower takeaway like i am not taking it back with my arms. I'm takingMoreSo just do a little smoother slower takeaway like i am not taking it back with my arms. I'm taking it back by turning my body see if my body moves my club's moving i'm not moving my club.
Do you swing golf club with arms or body?
4:188:42WHY YOU ARE "ALL ARMS and NO BODY" in your golf swing! EASY ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's got your elbow. And it's got your shoulder. So it can move a lot. Okay if we're just moving.MoreIt's got your elbow. And it's got your shoulder. So it can move a lot. Okay if we're just moving. And trying to hit the golf ball with. This.
Should arms be passive in golf swing?
In the modern athletic swing, an "active," rotating body through impact plays a big role in releasing the clubhead, with the hands and forearms being fairly passive.
Do you use your arms in the downswing?
2:0411:16How To Get The ARMS FIRING In The Downswing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen we get to the top. There's a transition the arms often get kind of squeezed into the chest.MoreWhen we get to the top. There's a transition the arms often get kind of squeezed into the chest. That's the sequencing.
How do you rotate a body in a golf swing?
3:579:33SIMPLE GOLF SWING ROTATION DRILL FOR CONSISTENCYYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLower body from there the hips. And the chest will turn obviously into the back soon be you can seeMoreLower body from there the hips. And the chest will turn obviously into the back soon be you can see my lower body I'm maintaining that stability as I wind up my upper body over. The top of it.
Is the golf swing an underarm throw?
0:201:42SLICE CURE - Underarm Throw - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSimply I want you to throw the ball in an underarm throwing motion towards your target to do thatMoreSimply I want you to throw the ball in an underarm throwing motion towards your target to do that naturally your lower body will lead the movement. Your right shoulder will lower down slightly.
Do the shoulders control the golf swing?
What your shoulders do in the golf swing is of utmost importance in making consistent and solid contact with the ball. If you slice the ball, this understanding of the job of the shoulders may help you. Your shoulders turn on a different angle than your hips.
How do I stop my arms from lifting in the backswing?
3:337:45Why Shouldn't You Lift Your Arms in the Golf Swing? [Yes, REALLY!]YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe do the opposite. Here's what i'm going to suggest. Watch the player on the right as he takes theMoreWe do the opposite. Here's what i'm going to suggest. Watch the player on the right as he takes the club back he's going to swing the club. Around his body in a circle instead of lifting the arm.
How do you keep your arms loose in golf?
1:238:41EFFORTLESS GOLF SWING DRILL TO RELAX YOUR ARMS ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo here we are we've got it upside. Down now what i want you to do is take it back super super slowMoreSo here we are we've got it upside. Down now what i want you to do is take it back super super slow all the way to the top. All right so we're gonna do this three or four times all the way to the top.
What is the problem with arms only golf swing?
Deal with a variety of situations. Yet another problem with the arms-only golf swing is the struggle that you may face when trying to deal with various lies. If you practice enough on the range with your arms-only swing, you may work your ball striking up to a decent level on flat, clean lies.
What does it mean when a golfer starts his or her downswing with the hands and arms?
That means the club will move down toward the ball prematurely, and the lower body will never have an opportunity to get involved in the swing.
What do your hands and wrists do in golf?
With that said, your hands and wrists should play more of an active role here, helping the set the club going back so you can swing down into the ball nicely. The combination of your hands and wrists, along with your shoulders, will do the vast majority of the work for a typical chip shot.
How to get rid of arms only swing?
I think one of the easiest ways to set ourselves up in getting rid of an arms only swing will be to set you right. Set yourself up. Remember before the body wasn’t doing anything, so let’s do something.
How to make a smooth transition in golf?
As you practice, do your best to make your lower body the first thing that turns toward the target in the downswing. Turn your left hip open toward the target as the club reaches the top of the swing so you can make a smooth transition and start to build speed on the way down.
How to get used to your new ball flight?
Use your practice sessions to get used to your new ball flight and new aim so they feel as comfortable as possible on the course. Maintain your patience. It’s pretty likely that your whole-body golf swing is going to take a bit longer to complete than your arms-only swing.
What happens when you turn your back to the target?
If you turn your back to the target, you can see that the body is obviously doing what it wasn’t doing before . It’s actually just turning quite easily. So, from here to the back of the target and as we hit the golf ball, back target and the body comes through. It’s almost like just firing yourself up.
How to keep your arms passive in golf?
How to Keep the Arms Passive in a Golf Swing. Swing easy and hit hard using less arm effort during a golf shot. Trying to generate power during a long golf shot primarily using your arms can cause you to fight your body, resulting in an incorrect swing path. To generate power during a golf swing, you should use the big parts of your body.
How to swing your arms forward?
Start the forward swing with your hips and legs, which will drive your shoulder forward. Your shoulder will then drive your arms forward naturally with little muscular effort from your arms. Leading with the hips is more natural, creates less muscle stress and accelerates the arms better during a sport swing, according to Ben Kibler ...
How to move your golf club backwards?
Move your club backward with your shoulders, not your arms. Your shoulders, aided by your upper body, can more easily push your arms backward than your arms can pull your upper body backward.
What happens if you swing too far away from the ball?
If you are too far away from or too close to the ball during your swing, or if the ball is too far forward or back in your stance, you may have to make adjustments to your forward swing, requiring extra arm effort to make these corrections.
How to get power in golf swing?
To generate power during a golf swing, you should use the big parts of your body. The larger the muscle, the more energy it can generate, which means your legs, hips and torso contribute more power than the smaller arms, hands and wrists. For golf shots, you'll want to use your lower body and your core to generate power, ...
How to make a hook in golf?
Swing through the ball at contact using a natural wrist snap, turning your forearms over just prior to contact. Actively making the forearms turn over, rather than letting this occur naturally, can create a hook, according to top golf instructor David Leadbetter.
How does the lead arm work in golf?
At the start of the downswing, the lead arm has to begin to rotate as it moves down and around the body. By rotating the lead arm, the hands can still lead the club head into the golf ball, but the club face can also be squared without having to to get the hands too involved. The lead arm has rotated so the lead wrist is pointing at the target.
What is the role of the lead arm in golf?
The role of the lead arm: Rotate, don’t pull for consistent contact. Many golfers who come to me for swing help (especially golfers who struggle with distance) have been told that by someone that they “release the club too soon.”. The theory behind the advice is not bad, because the hands need to stay in front of the club head to create ...
How to start a downswing?
When most golfers begin the downswing by pulling the handle of club down from the top of the swing, the watch points too far to the right (for a right-handed player). Trying to not release the golf club too early is a great thought to have for consistent contact and longer shots, but it is important to learn the proper lead arm rotation ...
Why is the club face open in the downswing?
The issue with trying to “pull” the club handle down in the downswing is that the club face remains open for too long. That means that golfers will need to get their hands involved late in the downswing to square the club face. After pulling the club handle down, the club head is too open heading into impact.
How to hit good chips and pitches?
To hit good chips and pitches, you need to “get down”. Get closer to your work for better precision. Too many golfers I see stand up too tall and grip the club to the end. And having your weight favored to the lead foot almost guarantees a proper strike.
What happens if you don't rotate your chest and shoulders back and through?
If you don’t rotate your chest and shoulders back and through, you won’t develop good consistency in distance or contact.
Do you have to release your hands early to square the club face?
However, if the hands are not moving correctly during the downswing (which happens quite a bit when golfers tries to delay their release) golfers will have no choice but to release their hands early to square the club face. Learning the correct way to bring the hands into the golf ball by rotating the lead arm makes it very difficult to release ...
Not rocket science
The fundamental move to get power into your swing is to keep your arms straight. You keep hearing the coach yelling it and even your friends when you are at the range or on the green. But is it as difficult as it seems? The truth is, it is not. If you know the right technique, it is not impossible to get it and it is quite easy.
The elements of a good swing
What you don’t want to do here is to let your left (or other) arm get in the way during the swing. Follow the guide below and you should get a powerful swing very quickly.
What is body rotation in golf?
Many top golf instructors emphasize using body rotation to pull the left arm and the club down to the ball during a right-handed player's downswing. These instructors believe the arms should respond passively to the body rotation. This motion allows for force to whip the lead arm and the clubhead through impact with greater speed.
How to rotate your hips in golf?
Shift your weight onto your front foot and begin to rotate your hips toward the target. Use the hip turn to trigger your torso to rotate. Swing guru David Leadbetter uses this drill to teach the feeling of body rotation controlling the golf swing.
How to do a downswing?
Create the proper downswing sequence. Swing back to the top of your backswing and pause. Start down slowly following the correct sequence. Your lower body should begin rotating first, then your torso will follow. Your left arm should lag behind your torso, which indicates it's being pulled down. Pause halfway down.
How to do a backswing swing?
Assume your address position without a club or ball. Cross your hands over your chest so your opposite hands touch opposite shoulders. Make a backswing pivot and pause. Shift your weight onto your front foot and begin to rotate your hips toward the target. Use the hip turn to trigger your torso to rotate. Swing guru David Leadbetter uses this drill to teach the feeling of body rotation controlling the golf swing.
What side of your chest should your left arm be?
Your left arm should still be connected to the left side of your chest. Swing through to a balanced finish. It isn’t easy to hit good golf shots with a drill right away. Practice the drills without a ball first, then start hitting with a wedge or short iron.
How to do the same motion with left handers?
Left handers can create the same motion by switching these tips for the opposite arm. With a few practice drills, you can learn to connect your left arm to your torso and use rotation to pull the left arm through the downswing.
How to get better at triceps?
1. Connect your arms to your chest as you address the ball. Ben Hogan, perhaps the best player ever to come out Texas, liked to feel that his triceps rested against the top of his chest when he set up to the ball. Get used to this feeling before you start the other drills. It will make your practice more productive.
What is the right arm for golf?
As Tattersall says, your trail arm — which is your right arm for right-handed golfers, or left arm for left-handers — can and does a variety of different things on the backswing. “The right arm can fan a little bit, it can rotate, and it can lift. All those things happen in most people’s backswing,” Tattersall says.
Why is the trail arm important?
Your trail arm has an incredibly important role in the golf swing, one with the ability to both help — and hurt — the outcome of the shot you’re about to hit. When something goes wrong in a golfer’s downswing, it generally does so in one of two ways: Either the arms both work too far behind you at the start of the downswing ...