
- At address. When you are standing over the ball getting ready to hit a shot, your left arm should be straight, meaning your left elbow should be straight. ...
- Halfway back. Most golfers and golf instructors think of the backswing as being halfway completed when the left arm becomes parallel with the ground. ...
- At the top. We have now arrived at the top of the backswing, and guess what? The left elbow should still be in a straight position. ...
- At impact. Yet again, the left elbow should still be in a straight position. ...
- Into the follow through. Finally, we reach the point where your left elbow is going to do something other than hold a straight position. ...
Which golf ball is best for my swing?
Sure, unless you get golf balls for free like the pros, the price of all your equipment matters, and modern golf balls with their aerodynamic cover patterns, energetic cores and intricate designs are definitely equipment. However, there can be massive performance differences for you between balls that have nearly the same price.
How to keep left arm straight during golf swing?
What I’d like to see
- The left arm is straight.
- The right arm angle is 90 degrees.
- The hands are “away” from the head.
- The wrists are fully hinged.
- The shoulders are fully turned over the top of a controlled lower body.
- The backswing is parallel, with maximum width at this point.
How does the left arm move in the golf swing?
LEFT ARM GIVES WAY ON THE DOWNSWING. Left arm moves down chest making way for right arm. Once at the top of the swing and after a fully completed backswing, the hips initiate the down swing allowing the left and right arm to fall down the chest and the hinged wrists to naturally unhinge. Through the tension free right arm, it straightens from ...
How to feel a real golf swing?
Product details
- Publisher : Crown; 2nd edition (March 17, 1998)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 144 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0812930282
- ISBN-13 : 978-0812930283
- Item Weight : 9.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 7.4 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches

Why is it important to swing the club on the proper plane?
When the plane is correct, especially on the downswing, the club head approaches the ball from slightly inside the target line, which leads to more golf swing power and potentially more accuracy as well.
Why is Jim Furyk's shaft vertical?
Most everyone knows that Jim Furyk’s shaft is virtually vertical in the backswing. That’s because his left elbow is pointed at his toe line. During his downswing the shaft plane flattens because his left elbow is now pointed at the ball target line.
What is golfer's elbow?
Tweet. Golfer's elbow often presents itself in the form of tendinitis or the tendon actually tearing itself away from the bone. This most often occurs in the left, or lead elbow for right handed golfers. It is extremely painful and debilitating to the point that time off from the game or even surgery is required to correct ...
What is the most common swing fault in golf?
The most common swing fault I see in golf lessons where the golfer complains of left elbow pain is when they try and overuse the left side of the body for power. As you've likely read in my club head speed research article (click here) it is the right arm and right wrist that is responsible for producing the majority (as much as 60%) of the club head speed in the golf swing. If you're not using the right wrist correctly, you will try and make up for the lack of speed somewhere and that's exactly what she was doing.
Which arm did the sailor pull with?
In the left image, she had basically no setting of the right wrist. Because of this, she had to pull as hard as she could with the left arm and left side of the body. In this chain of movements, the left elbow was the vulnerable link and gave out first.
Is rotary swing surgery preventable?
It is extremely painful and debilitating to the point that time off from the game or even surgery is required to correct the situation in many cases. The good news, it's completely preventable with a simple tweak using RotarySwing golf swing mechanics.
Why do golfers bend their elbows?
Golfers of a certain age whose flexibility is no longer what it used to be often resort to bending the left elbow a little bit. This helps them coil further in order to compensate for what would otherwise be a too narrow swing and it helps them gain yardages.
What does "don't bend the left elbow" mean?
Also Known As: “Don’t bend the left elbow”. This swing thought reminds you to keep your left arm stiff during your swing, including at the top of the backswing. This is in contrast to letting your left elbow bend, which some golfers tend to do as they proceed to the later stages of the backswing.
Why do you keep your left arm straight?
Keeping the left arm straight promotes a full swing amplitude. Indeed, by pushing the hands furthest away from the body, you are forcing your hands to travel the most distance during your swing. Furthermore, not allowing your left arm to bend also promotes shot consistency and reliability.
Which elbow should be straight during a golf swing?
This starts with the left elbow, as it is the hinge in your arm that controls its bend throughout the golf swing. The left elbow should be kept as straight as possible during the golf swing before hinging after impact in your follow-through.
How to keep your left arm straight in golf?
Proper Left Arm Positioning. There are several key positions worth noting — takeaway, left arm parallel to the ground, the top of your backswing, downswing, and impact — that you can focus on to keep your left arm straight through your golf swing. First, as you start your backswing, keep your left arm straight and close to your body ...
Why is the left arm of the golf club important?
It largely determines the spacing and arc of your golf swing, it helps control the clubface and ensures power through impact. Too much bend in your left arm can throw off the timing of the rest of your body, costing you power and making it more difficult to square the club at impact and start the ball on-line.
What is the role of the left arm in golf?
Every part of the body has to be insync for a golf swing to work, but the role of the left arm in golf swing is one of the most crucial and easy to check components. This article will discuss proper positioning for your left arm in a golf swing, when to think about it, and how it should move throughout your swing. An important note, this page will discuss the importance of the left arm in the golf swing as most golfers are right-handed, but what we really mean is the lead arm in the golf swing. So if you’re a left-handed player, this article will be about your right arm.
What arm does the follow through do?
It also teaches you to make a full swing instead of decelerating at impact. During the follow through your left arm will remain straight after hitting the ball, but will bend as you rotate through to face your target and your arms come up to your finishing position.
How to swing backswing golf?
First, as you start your backswing, keep your left arm straight and close to your body until it approaches parallel to the ground and your wrists start to hinge. You’ll want to make sure that your arms and body are “connected” and your body is driving your turn away from the ball, not your arms. Remember that golf is a rotational game ...
How to push your arm away from a golf ball?
A good thought is to push your left arm away from the ball by rotating your shoulders and trunk with your left shoulder working down and under your chin. If you are using a Swing Align device the front of the rod will move down first (not out and around).
Why do you tuck your right elbow in golf?
You want to tuck the right elbow close to the body in order to let the club head move behind ...
Why do you use your right elbow on a downswing?
It allows the club to shallow and move behind the hands, which in turns promotes more rotation of the body. This makes it much easier for the hands to lead the club into impact and provide a powerful ...
How to keep elbows from flying?
A good drill is to swing to the top and focus on maintaining your elbow spacing. The Swing Align swing trainer with its flexible connection belt will keep your elbows from flying too far apart and away from your body during the transition from backswing to downswing. With your trail arm in a good position the lower body can initiate downswing ...
What is the proper position for a trail arm?
Having the right elbow in the proper position at the top allows the trail arm to move externally and under the lead arm resulting in a shallowing of the club shaft.
What happens if you move your trail arm away from the body?
Having the trail arm move away from the body during the downswing can lead to a multitude of negative consequences the worst of which is a steep shaft angle that puts you in the death position with an over-the-top delivery back to the ball leading to a chunk, slice or dead pull. All of the things you want to avoid!
What is the trail arm in golf?
The trail arm plays a massive role in one's ability to deliver the club head consistently into impact. Here are the top three areas of the swing that it influences. The first move off the ball is one of the most important parts of the golf swing. Hogan called it one of his “crossroads” where things could easily go one way or another.
Who has a flying right elbow?
There are several elite players who have been successful with a “flying right elbow” such as Nicklaus, Fred Couples and in modern times Matt Wolfe. These players were all able to quickly and efficiently externally rotate their trail arm back into position and deliver it beautifully into the impact zone.
How to get your right elbow to bend?
Let your right elbow move away from your side slightly at the top of your backswing position; this will increase your right elbow bend slightly and your right tricep will move slightly away from your chest. You don't want to move your elbow much; your hands should move no higher than your ear.
How to do a downswing with a bent elbow?
Start your downswing by dropping your right tricep back into its connected position against your chest. Your right elbow is now tucked and still bent, allowing your hands to drop down without making your wrists uncock early.
How to swing a golf club in a half swing?
Starting at the waist-high backswing position , swing the club down through the ball position to a waist-high finish (a half-swing). Again, your arms should remain in roughly the same position they were at address. This means both triceps remain lightly against your chest throughout this half-swing, which keeps your right elbow near your side.
How to do a followthrough with a left elbow?
Swing to your finish position. Let your left elbow bend as your left tricep "disconnects," so that your hands move to an ear-high finish. Because your right tricep remains lightly connected against your chest, your right elbow will remain straight during your followthrough.
What part of the elbow does the left elbow bend?
At that point it straightens and remains straight for the rest of your swing; your left elbow will bend as you reach your shoulder-high finish. This mirrors your backswing, just as you did with the shorter swing. Again, both triceps will remain connected to your chest throughout this three-quarter swing.
What is the key to keeping your elbow tucked?
The key to keeping that elbow tucked is something called connection , and the key to staying connected is a good shoulder turn – or "coil," as it is sometimes called. Legendary golfer Ben Hogan recommended a drill that teaches how a tucked right elbow feels; it can be easily "stretched" to teach a full swing.
What is the connection between your arms and chest?
Your arms should hang in a relaxed position, your triceps will rest lightly against your chest and both of your elbows will hang a slight distance away from your chest. This "light resting" is what the term "connection" means. You want to maintain this connection throughout the drill until the steps tell you otherwise.
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 ...
