Shorter (Probably Better) Swing? Keep the Right Arm Straight

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Thanks, but it still bothers me that it really feels straight?

Think arms wide and in front of chest but not forced wide (stay relaxed) so they will remain slightly bent. Assuming you go for rather passive arms (they follow chest) during backswing. Look from :38-:41 at right arm. Do not lock the left arm straight -- it is relaxed. From what I've been told, even Day's left arm is not locked straight - it is straight but relaxed.

Makes sense, and my arms are relaxed not locked. . .I suppose it would just take a lot more effort and create tension if I forced them into a locked position. I should film my son and see if his arms are straight or not?

[Brakkus]

Working on this for now and spotted that I have a slight reverse pivot at the top. Suspected I was turning to far but the culprit was losing my secondary angle. When I concentrate on retaining that in my backswing my arms stay shorter and I'm naturally wider. Not that I have his power and my swing isn't as steep as his but when I'm in a good position from face on I look a bit like Jb Holmes. Major difference with my divots and ball contact.Also feels that max swing speed is happening later. On

[Jameson]

I am going to try tis one. I think that I forget about this little by little because I want to hit the ball farther, and I end up with my right arm far from my chest. 

Now I screw up my swing. Should go back to basics.

[Crazycanuck44]

Still s great thread love re reading it

[nevets88]

This is an almost six year old post. Understood it intellectually during the first read, it made sense but, six years later, only really starting to understand it athletically. Slow learner.

[Frank62]

Of all the instructional threads I've read here this is the one I have struggled with the most. The whole notion of extensor action feels totally unnatural and I have never been able to adopt it without disastrous consequences.

[klineka]

Little bit of an old topic, but I read through this, tried it at the range last night, ball striking was the best I have ever experienced! I have never hit a 3 wood as consistent and as straight as last night.

Distance was a little short on all clubs at first, but about halfway through the session the distance started coming back and was right back to normal, without swinging as far back or nearly as hard. Thanks for the great tip!

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, klineka said:

Little bit of an old topic, but I read through this, tried it at the range last night, ball striking was the best I have ever experienced! I have never hit a 3 wood as consistent and as straight as last night.

Distance was a little short on all clubs at first, but about halfway through the session the distance started coming back and was right back to normal, without swinging as far back or nearly as hard. Thanks for the great tip!

It is an old topic, but a great one. It is in the Instructional Content thread.

 

[Gaetano Fasano]

A) Should the trail arm (right arm, triceps internal) stay close to your right side (pectorals) during the takeway?

In this video, Day seems to stretch his right arm very well and seems to detach the right arm very soon from his right side   

One more thing (hope not to be OOT here): from A2 to A4 he seems to elevate his arms on purpose. Which of the following sentences would be more appropriate?

1) he actively lift the left and the right arm 

2) left arm (along with club..) gets elevated due to momentum (shoulders rotating back) while right arm actively keeps the handle away from the head

cheers

[iacas]

10 hours ago, Gaetano Fasano said:

A) Should the trail arm (right arm, triceps internal) stay close to your right side (pectorals) during the takeway?

Some do, some don't. There's really no right answer.

Tiger keeps it pretty close to attached.

[Kekeisen]

The feeling of either keeping the right arm straight, or (in this case) the "extensor action" reminded me of Scott Piercy.  He's pretty narrow in the backswing, but has a pronounced extension of right arm at transition / start of downswing:

 

Kyle

[iacas]

I'm picking up about four of these as I think they're going to help some students. I have one somewhere, but it's worth getting a few more to have around Golf Evolution. Taught a lesson today where it would have come in handy, not even just for the backswing, but also to "drive the box downward."

[Vinsk]

25 minutes ago, iacas said:

but also to "drive the box downward."

I have one around too....would you mind explaining your statement and how this device helps with that? Thanks Erik.

[iacas]

13 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

I have one around too....would you mind explaining your statement and how this device helps with that? Thanks Erik.

Kinda tough to explain perhaps. Trail shoulder stays rounded. The box sits in the elbow fold and you drive it downward with the trail shoulder.

Off topic though.

[Puttin4Dough]

On 5/5/2010 at 7:01 AM, iacas said:

Yes, I said right arm.

No, I don't mean it literally.

If you want to keep your backswing shorter - and probably 95%+ of golfers should - feel like you keep your right arm straight(er) on the backswing.

Give it a try.

Update (2018-08-31):

How straight should I keep my right arm in my head?

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Puttin4Dough said:

How straight should I keep my right arm in my head?

I have no idea what your "feels" are like in your head and how they translate to actual mechanics.

[Vinsk]

12 hours ago, Puttin4Dough said:

How straight should I keep my right arm in my head?

Use a mirror. Get in your setup and don’t look at the mirror. Take your club back slowly and try to keep your right arm straight but not stiff. Do this slowly. You have whatever feel you have. Then look in the mirror.

[colin007]

On 8/31/2018 at 10:04 AM, iacas said:

I'm picking up about four of these as I think they're going to help some students. I have one somewhere, but it's worth getting a few more to have around Golf Evolution. Taught a lesson today where it would have come in handy, not even just for the backswing, but also to "drive the box downward."

I have one of these....ended up getting frustrated because I couldn't get the damn thing to stay fixed wrapped around my bicep, kept popping off.

Then I realized it's much more effective strapped to your forearm, and easier to attach.