What Should the Arms Do in a Golf Swing?
- Address. On address, both arms are extended straight. ...
- Back Swing. On your back swing your left arm acts as a pushing arm and your right arm acts as the hinge that keeps the swing straight.
- Down Swing. On your down swing the right arm becomes the power and the left arm becomes the guide. ...
- Contact. ...
- Follow Through. ...
How your right arm works in the golf swing?
How the Right Arm Works in Golf
- Backswing Plane. Because you stand to the side of the golf ball at address, your clubhead moves on an arc angled to the ground called the swing plane.
- Top of the Swing. Old-time golf instructors recommended players feel as if they were supporting a tray with their right hand at the top of the backswing.
- Starting down. ...
- Through Impact. ...
Which arm should power the golf swing?
The role of right arm in golf swing should be mostly to guide the club into position and get it ready for an aggressive downswing. Once set properly at the top of the swing, the lower body and left arm should take over and do the rest of the work. Think of it as a transfer of power – the right arm in golf swing takeaway does most of the work, and the left arm regains control when you transition into the downswing.
What does the left arm do in the golf downswing?
Golf Tips: Left Arm. 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. Understanding the purpose of the left arm in the golf swing and how to properly utilize it are critical factors in shooting low scores.
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 the right arm works in the golf swing?
12:4116:17The Role Of The Right Arm In The Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDuring the downswing. Number one is keeping your right arm more externally rotated that meansMoreDuring the downswing. Number one is keeping your right arm more externally rotated that means keeping your elbow. More towards the target than your wrist bone.
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.
What does the right arm do in the downswing?
The proper movement of the right elbow on the downswing allows for so many complementary and fundamentally sound movements to occur. It allows the club to shallow and move behind the hands, which in turns promotes more rotation of the body.
Is right arm relaxed in golf swing?
Every right-handed golfer knows the left arm should be straight at address. (For lefties, its the opposite.) But what about the right arm? Theres no hard-and-fast rule about the right arms position at setup, but this much is key: It should be relaxed, not tense.
Which hand is stronger 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.
What hand controls the clubface?
The left hand (the right for southpaws), is responsible for the rotational movement of the golf club, which, in turn, controls the direction of the clubface.
What arm controls the downswing?
On the downswing, the right arm should tuck so that you can shallow the golf club. This allows you to rotate your body through the swing and provides a great position at impact. It's also where a ton of power is generated and why so many golfers don't maximize their distance thanks to a flaw in their right arm.
Do you use both arms in golf swing?
Your left arm is still guiding the club through contact, and the right arm is pushing the club through the ball. As you bring the club through the ball, the right arm has gone from pulling the club through the swing to pushing the club through impact. The left arm remains straight and is still used as a guide.
When should I extend my right arm in golf?
If you want to hit the ball far and accurately, you need to extend your right arm fully during the downswing. Your arms are straight at only one moment during your swing ― just after you hit the ball. Straight arms immediately after striking the ball show you've extended your right arm correctly through the shot.
Is the right hand important in the golf swing?
0:475:39Should You Hit With Your Left Hand or Right Hand in the Golf Swing ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo here's a good understanding of what each hand does as a rule. You should be playing golf withMoreSo here's a good understanding of what each hand does as a rule. You should be playing golf with your dominant hand. So you pick your dominant hand you play with that dominant hand if you're a left-
Do you pull with left arm in golf swing?
You should pull the butt of the club toward the ball. Remember, this pulling down is done by the left arm. It's the controlling agent, and if you let it be you will escape the many troubles that result from trying to push the club down from the top with the right hand and the right shoulder.
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
Right Arm in the Golf Swing: The Throwing Motion
For years, too many golfers have struggled with properly release of the club from the still photos found in many golf publications that show this awesome position before impact where it appears that the golfer has a ton of lag.
Right Arm in the Golf Swing: How the Right Hand Releases
For years, the golfer was taught to turn the right hand over during the swing which resulted in some rather extreme forearm rotation. The conventional teaching had the golfer opening the club face on the backswing and then shutting it on the downswing.
Right Arm in the Golf Swing: Why This Motion Works
For years, golf was taught through still photos. While the intentions were good, the reality is that the golf swing is a athletic movement based on making an athletic, target based movement through the swing.
Right Arm in the Golf Swing: Giving Your Right Hand A Task To Complete
Mike Malaska has spent more and more time on the position at impact and training your right hand to get to the impact position, which matters the most. He believes in starting with the right hand and training your right hand and arm to get to the right impact position.
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage.
Which muscle is used to move the right arm in golf?
Core muscles, which describes the muscles that run the length of your trunk and torso. Internal and External Rotation, which describes the rotation of the right arm in the golf swing, and how to increase your range of motion.
What is the right arm used for?
The right arm is often referred to by golf instructors as the “speed arm”, it has primary responsibility for transferring the energy from your torso through to the golf club , playing a crucial role in the golf swing kinematic sequence. But the right arm isn’t simply used for energy transfer, it is also a compound pendulum in its own right, ...
What muscle is used to power a golf club?
What’s more, the right arm amplifies the power generated by the torso as it transfers that power to the golf club. The muscles in the arm and chest pulling and straightening the arm during the downswing, building more energy, and then releasing that energy into the golf club at precisely the correct moment for maximum club head speed through impact.
How to know if your right arm is bent?
There are a few key characteristics that you should note: 1 The right arm stays bent at the elbow at approximately 90 degrees (the angle is distorted by the perspective of the two views), from the top until very late in the downswing — it doesn’t start to straighten until the hands reach about hip height. 2 There is no conscious muscular effort applied to the right arm until the hands drop down to about waist height and the shoulders reach maximum rotational speed. 3 The external rotation of the right arm (established at address and increased during the backswing) increases further as the right elbow starts down ahead of the hands, increasing the lag angles and stretching the shoulder. This also enables the deltoids to contribute energy to the golf swing. 4 The elbow is pulled down and in front of the body just after the upper body starts to rotate hard. As the hands reach 9 o’clock (the left arm is horizontal), the right elbow is pointing towards the right toes. 5 The right shoulder seems to “pause” as the right arm straightens, enabling (and due to) the transfer of energy from the core through to the arm. 6 At the same time as the upper body rotation starts to decelerate, due to its energy transferring through to the right arm, the triceps fire to amplify the energy as the right arm straightens.
Why is my right forearm pointing straight at the ball?
The right forearm is pointing straight at the golf ball as the golf club lag is released into impact, and well ahead of the ball at impact. The right arm is still slightly bent through impact, straightening as he extends (is pulled) well into the follow-through as a result of efficient energy transfer. It is very important to understand that there ...
What is the external rotation of the right arm?
The external rotation of the right arm (established at address and increased during the backswing) increases further as the right elbow starts down ahead of the hands, increasing the lag angles and stretching the shoulder. This also enables the deltoids to contribute energy to the golf swing.
What happens if you fire your arm too early?
If the muscles are fired too early, then the arm will straighten too soon.
Why do golfers use their right arm?
The role of right arm in golf swing should be mostly to guide the club into position and get it ready for an aggressive downswing.
Which arm should take over the golf swing?
Once set properly at the top of the swing, the lower body and left arm should take over and do the rest of the work. Think of it as a transfer of power – the right arm in golf swing takeaway does most of the work, and the left arm regains control when you transition into the downswing.
How to keep a glove in place?
With the glove in place under your arm, pick up one of your short irons and try to hit a few shots. The idea is to keep the glove in place under your arm throughout the backswing and downswing – if it falls to the ground on the follow through, that’s fine.
What is the angle of the right bicep?
The top portion of the right bicep remains tucked against the body as the club goes back. At the top, the right bicep and forearm should form a 90-degree angle, or close to it. The backswing positions are closely mirrored on the downswing, with the right elbow tight against the body.
What is a golf swing?
The golf swing is a series of movements all put together in a specific order to complete the task of hitting the ball.
What should the right arm do?
Here’s what the right arm should do from setup to finish. At address, the right arm is relaxed; a little slack at the elbow is OK. On the takeaway, the right elbow begins folding almost immediately as the right hand rotates away from the ball. Both arms stay in front of the chest for the entire backswing.
What is the body part of a golf swing?
Making a good golf swing requires many different parts of the body to work together properly – both of your arms, your hands, your shoulders, your legs, feet, and more. Only when everything gets in sync together will you be able to produce a swing that can consistently send the ball toward the target.
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.
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 ...
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!
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 ...
Why is the trail arm important?
Not only does it help you stay more connected going back, but it helps you maintain arm structure at the top as well so that you can develop the muscle memory needed to be more consistent. It provides a great visual of where the trail arm is coming down relative to the lead arm .
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.
What is the difference between your right and left arm on a golf club?
On address, both arms are extended straight. Your right hand is at the bottom part of your grip on the club, and your left hand is at the top part of the grip. If the ball is too close you will be forced to bend your arms.
Which arm is used to guide a golf club through impact?
As you bring the club through the ball, the right arm has gone from pulling the club through the swing to pushing the club through impact. The left arm remains straight and is still used as a guide.
How to swing a golf club?
On your back swing your left arm acts as a pushing arm and your right arm acts as the hinge that keeps the swing straight. You keep your left arm straight to get the maximum arc out of your swing. The more arc you get from your swing, the more power you will have. Allow the left arm to push the club into the back swing and keep your right arm tight to your body to keep the swing straight.
What arm is the power in a down swing?
On your down swing the right arm becomes the power and the left arm becomes the guide. Continue to keep your left arm straight to maintain the maximum arc, and continue to keep the radius of your right arm as close to your body as possible. Your right arm will actually be pulling your club through the swing and your left arm will be guiding the club to the ball.
What happens if you bend your left arm?
If you allow your left arm to bend, you will wind up pulling the club closer to your body and reducing the speed you can generate. If you allow the right arm to drift too far from the body, the club will get away from a straight swing path and this could lead to a slice or a hook.
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.