
Checkpoints for Practice
- Golfers who don't make a full turn often fold the right arm early
- Keep the right arm straight as long as possible - it acts as a piston to move the right shoulder blade farther back
- Use a video camera to check your form - you may feel that your arm does not fold at all even though it has
- Your hands should feel very far away from you at the top of the swing
How can I keep my left arm straight?
PGA Tour player:
- Left elbow -3.6 degrees (hyper flexed) bent at address
- Left elbow 0.0 degrees bent at first parallel in backswing
- Left elbow 5.5 degrees bent at top of backswing
- Left elbow 6 degrees bent at second parallel in downswing
- Left elbow 8 degrees bent at impact
How to keep our left arm straight in the backswing?
Your right arm doesn't need to bend that much. You're thinking about creating width in the swing, which is free club head speed. Keep your right arm wide, and you don't need to fold it that much, and your left arm will stay perfectly straight.
How sitting can screw up your golf swing?
13 Rules of Golf Etiquette
- Show Up Early. This is one of the easiest things to do yet so many people still make this mistake every single day.
- Obey The Cart Path Rules. If you’re new to the game, you probably think golf carts are the best thing ever. ...
- Warm Up with Three Balls. ...
- Don’t Talk While Others Are Hitting. ...
- Talk to Competitors Shots. ...
How to stop getting stuck in the golf swing?
If getting stuck is one of your swing flaws then here's a review of the correct downswing sequence:
- The downswing is initiated by the hips unwinding, not the shoulders.
- Next, the torso starts to unwind.
- After that, the arms follow.
- And after that, the club lags behind hopefully carrying a lot of energy with it.

Should you keep your right arm straight in golf?
Golfers should try and keep their left arm as straight as possible without it being rigid, or locked, but some bend is fine. Most professional players start with a straight left arm at address, which bends to around five degrees at top of their backswing.
Should right arm be straight at impact?
1:017:46DO THIS Simple Golf Right Arm Move For Effortless Rotation ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo a lot of you out there will be thinking well there's nothing wrong with having a straight rightMoreSo a lot of you out there will be thinking well there's nothing wrong with having a straight right arm. Coming into the golf ball there that's what you needed you need your right arm to be straight
How do I use the right arm in my golf swing?
14:4116:17The Role Of The Right Arm In The Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut your right arm is going to stay more bent elbow in front of wrist. Right shoulder down andMoreBut your right arm is going to stay more bent elbow in front of wrist. Right shoulder down and forward if you need to have the trail arm more bent.
Does right arm bend in golf swing?
Your right arm has a greater role in your golf swing than you might have originally thought. Ensuring that it remains bent at the point of impact with the ball, and only extending it straight after contact is made are the key things to remember when it comes to using your right arm in golf.
How do you keep your arms straight through the impact?
4:187:48How To Keep The Left Arm Straight In The Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipComing through the ball. So do a couple practice swings for me I want you to pause at what we callMoreComing through the ball. So do a couple practice swings for me I want you to pause at what we call the straight line release which would be right after impact.
How do you straighten your right arm downswing?
2:113:22Fold, Straighten and Roll: The Magic of the Right Arm - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipComes from the utilization of the right arm in the golf swing folding. The back stroke straightensMoreComes from the utilization of the right arm in the golf swing folding. The back stroke straightens in the downswing. And then rolls in the follow-through.
Which arm is most important in golf?
Overview. For right-handed golfers, the left arm is one of the most important aspects of the golf swing. The left arm determines the swing arc for a shot and helps release and rotate the wrists and club on the downswing.
Which arm should be dominant in golf swing?
The left-hand dominant golf swing is known to be very powerful, and it will help correct some misses golfers have in their game. If you are a player who wants power and you like the classic methods of pulling the golf club through your swing, then left-hand dominance is the right idea for you.
How to practice golf if you don't make a full turn?
Golfers who don't make a full turn often fold the right arm early. Keep the right arm straight as long as possible - it acts as a piston to move the right shoulder blade farther back. Use a video camera to check your form - you may feel that your arm does not fold at all even though it has.
What happens if the elbow pit isn't positioned correctly?
If the right elbow pit isn't positioned correctly, the right elbow is going to want to fold early, which is detrimental to a full turn.
What does a bent elbow look like?
A bent elbow is like a shock absorber. If I practice turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, you're going to see my right shoulder start to pop out over here. Now I have a little bit of flexion at the top. The less flexion I have, the easier it is to keep this left arm straight.
Can you make a full turn in golf?
In other words, you ARE physically able to make a full turn in the backswing! That's right, when you use your right arm correctly in the golf backswing, you will be able to make a full turn, no matter your flexibility!
Do you need a club for elbow pit?
When you're practicing this, just like everything else, you don't need a club at first. What I'm going to practice, I've got my right elbow pit in the right place.
How many degrees should your arm be bent when you wrestle?
As we always say…. You don’t arm wrestle with a straight right arm and at impact your right arm should feel exactly the same way, bent at almost 45 degrees.
What does Ben Hogan mean by "If the average golfer went out and did the opposite of everything they thought to
As Ben Hogan said, “If the average golfer went out and did the opposite of everything they thought to be true they would hit it much better.”. It’s a counterintuitive and contradictory game.
Is teaching golf an art?
Teaching golf is an interesting art. For a relationship between coach and student to become a successful one many things have to go right. It’s a lot more complex than most could ever imagine. One of the most important aspects of fixing a student’s golf swing is understanding their concepts.
Is it dangerous to have straight arms?
One of the most common concepts I hear and see is “make sure you keep your arms straight!”. But this can actually be quite a dangerous concept: Straight arms can often lead to loss of power, over-active wrists and an over-active body. Straight arms are almost never seen in any other sport.
Why do you need a straight right arm in golf?
What you really want is a relatively straight right arm during the initial part of the backswing as this promotes width and good pace -- keys to hitting solid shots.
Which arm should fold and move under your left?
As your right arm continues toward the top of the backswing, it should start to fold and move under your left, which encourages your wrists to set and load correctly and helps your upper body to make a full coil. This combination of width and the proper body turn sets you in the ideal position for the downswing.
What is a good arm structure?
Sloppy arms can lead to all kinds of problems. Among these is the flying right elbow ( hello, slice) and the torso-hugging right elbow ( goodbye, power ).
How to do the wheel trick?
Hold your arms in front of you as if you were (properly) driving a car—for those of you who skipped driver’s ed., that means hands at 10 and 2! In other words, the wheel is a clock; put your left hand on 10, now the trick, reach into the middle of the wheel and grab 2 o’clock, palm up.
Why is it important to keep your left arm straight in golf?
How important is keeping a straight left arm in golf? The reason players are encouraged to keep their left arm as straight as possible through their golf swing is to create as much width as possible during the takeaway and backswing.
How many degrees should a golfer's left arm be?
Golfers should try and keep their left arm as straight as possible without it being rigid, or locked, but some bend is fine. Most professional players start with a straight left arm at address, which bends to around five degrees at top of their backswing. Their left arm continues to flex slightly in the downswing and will have around eight degrees ...
What causes a player to turn their body and shoulders too far inside the swing plane?
Complete locking of the left arm causes many players to turn their whole body and shoulders too far inside the swing plane. The only way they can then get any height in their arms at the top of the backswing is to lift them up, which in turn can create some poor movements – such as an over-the-top slice – during the downswing.
What is the biggest killer of golf swings?
As the common saying goes, tension is the biggest killer of every golf swing. Below is a video demonstrating a great drill to release tension in your arms, wrists and hands while maintaining a straight left arm throughout your swing.
What happens if you lock your lead arm?
The arms and shoulders need to be relaxed to get the club going fast. But at address, if you lock up your lead arm then your body gets really tight … and can lead to some really poor (backswing) and downswing motions. If we don’t (keep the arm straight) it actually acts as another lever, if you bend your arm.
Should you bend your left arm in golf?
It (your left arm) is allowed to bend. It shouldn’t be ram-rod straight unless you have ultimate, super flexibility. But if there’s a little bit of bend in it, then it’s generally OK.
Does Rick Shiels golf have to be straight?
Rick Shiels from Rick Shiels Golf: It doesn’t have to be perfectly straight, it’s not absolutely crucial. The more we can keep it straight, the better but there’s many golfers out there who keep it as straight as they can (but still have it a little bent at the top).
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 ...
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 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 ...
Why does my left arm bend when I swing?
If you find your left arm is bending at the top of your swing it is most likely because your body has stopped rotating and you are trying to generate more reach and power with your arms. This only serves to make it harder for you to make a well timed and connected swing down to the ball.
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.
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.
