Putting the left hand in charge of this motion makes it easier and also takes a lot of stress off the right hand in the process._Ê When it comes to actually playing golf, if you have trouble with slicing or hooking the ball, don't try to muscle your swing with your right hand. Instead, remember the left is in charge of clubface rotation.
Full Answer
Do you rotate your hands in the golf swing?
What you're doing is training your body to rotate, and to keep rotating, well into the finish of the golf swing. If you educate your hands and rotate your body, better scores are within your grasp. John Stahlschmidt, PGA, is the Head Instructor at the TOUR Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona.
What happens when you play golf left-handed?
When a right-handed plays golf left-handed, or vice-versa, your dominant arm becomes your lead arm, which can make it harder to release the club.
How to prevent over-rotation of hands in golf?
The second drill that you are going to use to prevent the over-rotation of your hands is a ball flight drill. You are going to make your regular golf swing without any modifications – except you have to hit a fade.
Why don't golfers rotate their body when they hit the shot?
The issue with rotating the body through the shot is that it feels very powerful to the golfer because they are quite literally putting a lot of muscular effort into it in order to keep the torso turning.
What happens if you don't rotate in golf swing?
A golf swing without rotation loses its greatest source of power and gets your entire body out of sync, it becomes nearly impossible to get back to a nice square impact position resulting reduced distance and shots that are wildly off target.
Do you rotate left arm in golf swing?
4:2516:36GOLF: How The Left Arm Rotates In The Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI'm going to put that right there now all i want you to do is turn your arm back and forth. And theMoreI'm going to put that right there now all i want you to do is turn your arm back and forth. And the ball does you turn your whole forearm see my forearm.
How do you keep your left hand straight in golf?
0:027:29The Trick To Keeping The Left Arm Straight In The Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd start with a split hand grip. So the right hand's down towards the end of the grip. And start toMoreAnd start with a split hand grip. So the right hand's down towards the end of the grip. And start to make some swings where you go back to left arm parallel.
Is it important to keep your left arm straight in the 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.
Should you rotate wrists in golf swing?
2:086:17Correct Forearm Rotation and Wrist Cock in Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTurn through and rotate. They start to do a lot better. I think at first if someone is probably moreMoreTurn through and rotate. They start to do a lot better. I think at first if someone is probably more of a newer golfer. They may have to think a little bit about that rotation back in the rotation.
Which hand is 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.
Which arm is more important in golf swing?
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.
Can you turn too much in golf swing?
Ideally, you want your hips to be around 45 degrees open in the backswing, and 40 degrees open at impact. Too much hip turn in the takeaway will make it difficult to get your hips open enough when it comes to striking the ball, which can hurt your swing.
How do I improve my golf swing?
7:0010:07Possibly the EASIEST way to improve ANY golf swing! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo here's the first thing i want you to get movement in your backs. And put your feet. Together.MoreSo here's the first thing i want you to get movement in your backs. And put your feet. Together.
How do you stop chicken wings in the golf swing?
2:117:15HOW TO STOP YOUR CHICKEN WING FOLLOW THROUGHYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut initially what I'd love you to do is actually just with a little bit of a body pivot. Just startMoreBut initially what I'd love you to do is actually just with a little bit of a body pivot. Just start to let the club. Head travel around your body with some freedom.
What should arms feel like in golf swing?
The golf swing should feel effortless, with minimal tension. Think of it like a coiled spring: as you rotate and load into the backswing, you are storing up energy (just as a coiled spring would) before releasing all that energy – in one sweeping downswing motion – through the ball at impact.
How do you keep your elbows in the golf swing?
0:509:23Right Elbow In Golf Downswing Drill - PERFECT POSITION! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf I can get it in this slot position tuck that elbow in. Everything is lined up for me just hammer.MoreIf I can get it in this slot position tuck that elbow in. Everything is lined up for me just hammer. Away at the golf ball. And you really it just requires a lot less timing.
Which side of the downswing should you pull with your hands?
If you can manage to keep your hands passive during the start of the downswing, while pulling with your left side (see video), the angle between the left arm and the shaft will get smaller.
How to do a downswing?
Start the downswing as described above – passive arms and hands wile pulling/rotating with the left side. Your hands will automatically fall into the spot. Now use your dominant hand through impact. Don’t be scared to utililize your entire right side too.
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.
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.
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 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.
When is the next golf tournament in 2021?
January 29, 2021. June 21, 2021. As amateur golfers, one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll likely receive from other players – especially when you’re new to the game – is that in order to make a good swing, you must keep your lead arm straight at all costs. So, for right-handed players that means keeping your left arm straight, ...
What happens if your left hand rotates too far?
If your left hand has rotated too far around to the left on the handle of the golf club, it is actually in a weak position not a strong one . This will give you the same directional control issues, however, the ball will tend to fly right of target from this position rather than left. Sorry Try Again!
What does it mean to hold your golf club with your left hand?
A strong position with your left hand means that you are holding the handle of your golf club with your left hand rotated too far round it in a clockwise direction. Your hand position on the handle of the golf club, and therefore, how you grip the golf club is absolutely crucial for controlling shot direction, ball flight ...
What happens when you swing a golf club?
As you swing the golf club and move your hand through impact, your left hand will rotate back to its natural position and the club face will rotate more to the left than it started and closing the club face in this way will result in your golf shot missing the target to the left . A great way to check if your left hand is on ...
Why is it important to have a strong left hand grip?
A strong left hand grip is extremely important as it affects directional control of your golf shots. A strong left hand grip in golf means that you have not positioned your left hand on to the handle of the golf club correctly.
How to hold a golf club?
How you hold the golf club needs to replicate this natural palm inward position as closely as possible. If you have a strong left hand grip, you are holding the golf club with your left hand rotated clockwise beyond this natural position. As you swing the golf club and move your hand through impact, your left hand will rotate back ...
What does it mean when your hands are connected to the golf club?
Your hands are the only connection that you have with the golf club and it is the golf club that connects with the golf ball, so being able to control how the club face strikes and connects with the golf ball means that you are able to control the flight that you then see the ball take.
How to tell if your hands are in a natural position?
If you stand with your arms and hands relaxed by your body, you will notice that your arms hang slightly in front of you with your hands in a palm inwards position to your body. This is your hands natural position that they want to be in.
What side of the body do you release the golf club on?
Checkpoints for Practice. Many golfers release with just the right hand or right side of the body using much more effort, and often not releasing the club at all. Proper release can turn a weak, high ball flight into a low, penetrating one. For the drill, get into proper impact alignment and keep the left wrist flat.
What happens when you hit a golf club with a weak ball?
If you struggle with a weak, high ball flight, it's pretty likely that you're pushing the right side of your body through, so the club never releases. You'll see a lot of golfers where the handle of the golf club is in close to their body while the club head is still way out away from them and hasn't turned over yet.
How to hit a golf ball with a short iron?
Just start out really small, left hand only. Get into your impact alignments and just let the club release on its own and you should be able to hit nice, flat little pitch shots and slowly work into hitting longer shots. I recommend doing it with your left hand only with a short iron, just to get the feeling.
What happens if you feel tired after 9 holes of golf?
If you feel tired after 9 holes of golf or hitting balls for a short period of time, it is very likely that you're not releasing the club properly. There are only two options for the club to be released through impact.
Do you need to move fast to get speed in golf?
The body doesn't need to move that fast to produce a great deal of speed and research has proven this.
How to get your hands to turn over in golf?
Step 1. Adjust your grip on the club. If your hands aren’t rotating sufficiently during your swing, adjust your grip by shifting your hands clockwise (to the right, for a right-handed player). This type of grip “will encourage your hands to have an aggressive release and turn over through the impact area,” says golf instruction writer Les Miller.
How to swing your right arm in tennis?
Swing your right arm through the hitting zone and follow through normally, stopping when your forearm is again parallel to the ground. If you’ve rotated your hand correctly, your thumb should be aimed skyward while your palm is pointed in the opposite direction that it faced on your backswing.
How to do a backswing?
Work from the address position and take your right arm back and rotate your body, as if you were starting your backswing. Stop when your forearm is parallel to the ground. Be sure your thumb is pointing vertically and your palm is facing your front.
What does maximum acceleration mean in golf?
As golf teacher Robert Baker puts it, “Maximum acceleration occurs when your hands give in to the force of your downswing and turn over to release your clubhead toe over heel.”.
How to get maximum club head speed?
To generate maximum club head speed -- and, therefore, maximum distance -- on your shots, your hands and forearms must rotate during your golf swing, with your bottom hand (the right, for right-handed players) rotating over your left. As golf teacher Robert Baker puts it, “Maximum acceleration occurs when your hands give in to the force ...
Why do my hands rotate when hitting?
The over-rotation of your hands at impact is simply a response to problems that exist earlier in your swing. Once you take away the problems that are causing the over-rotation, you should find that your hands start performing better through the hitting area.
How to overrotate your hands?
In fact, giving up on your body rotation before you get all the way through the swing is an easy way to over-rotate your hands – exactly the mistake you are trying to avoid. Keep your confidence up, stay aggressive, and swing all the way through the shot to a full, balanced finish. Two Simple Drills.
What happens if you settle for a poor backswing?
If you settle for a poor backswing and spend all of your time focused on the downswing, you ball-striking will never reach its full potential. Remember, the downswing phase of the swing only takes a fraction of a second, so it is incredibly difficult to make up for mistakes that have been made in your backswing.
What is the cardinal rule of the backswing?
Balance at the top. The cardinal rule of the backswing is that you always need to remain on balance – especially when you reach the top of the swing. As the club is transitioning from backswing to downswing, you need to have excellent balance to support the aggressive downswing that is about to take place.
What happens if you allow your arms to lift up and away from your body during the backswing?
If you allow your arms to lift up and away from your body during the backswing, they will be in a disconnected position. From there, you wont be able to use your body rotation to naturally release the club at impact. Many players who struggle with over-rotating their hands will notice that they make this mistake.
How to tell if your grip is too strong?
Your grip is too strong: Grasp a club in your usual manner and address a ball. Look at you the back of your left hand. If you can see more than two knuckles, your grip may be too “strong,” or turned to the right. This gives the hands and forearms lots of freedom to roll over, sometimes too much.
Is it too late to rotate your hands through a golf shot?
By the time your use your brain to tell your hands to rotate through the shot, it is too late – the moment has passed. Given the speed of the golf swing, human reaction times aren't quick enough to consciously release the club at the perfect moment.
Why do pros hit the ball so far?
It’s a big reason why pros hit the ball so far. They may only be using about half of their maximum grip strength, but if an amateur golfer tried to match them, they’d need to grip the club as hard as they could because pros are so much stronger.
What exercises help you gain distance?
Kettlebells, weights , pull ups; anything that requires you to grip and lift something. I wish I could make it sound more complicated than that, but it’s not. Lift heavy stuff and you’ll improve your grip strength. Improve your grip strength and you’ll gain distance.
Is Sam Snead's "Grip it soft" true?
Grip it soft, like a little bird you don’t want to fly away. It’s a famous Sam Snead-ism that isn’t entirely true. It’s not that pros are lying, of course. It’s that they’re describing something they’re feeling, not what’s actually happening.
Is grip strength important?
All of this is a way of saying, simply, that grip strength is important. You should probably be gripping the club firmer than you are already, and be actively trying to improve your grip strength in the meantime.