Drop the arms on down swing?

[Sai-Jin]

You know, I have heard this over and over and I still don't know if I even did it.

And of course, when I try it.... it doesn't work for me.

What is it exactly? How do I practice this?

[JackLee]

IMO, it is not a good swing key.  My arms are pulled down and through by my body movements.

[Zeph]

Originally Posted by Sai-Jin

You know, I have heard this over and over and I still don't know if I even did it.

And of course, when I try it.... it doesn't work for me.

What is it exactly? How do I practice this?

Depends where your arms are and how your body moves. Here is a picture demonstrating two different positions at the top. One which require a drop, one which does not. I have seen players in the position of Wi on the right dropping the arms, getting the club too far inside and creating a hook. I wouldn't give it as a swing thought to anyone without seeing their swing.

Dustin Johnson got really high hands and have a big vertical drop from the top of the backswing to get into the so called "slot". With lower arms at the top, you don't need the same amount, if any drop at all.

Some people drop the club without thinking about it, some have to use it as a conscious swing thought for some time to get it automated.

Both positions are OK as long as you are able to get the club on the right path at some point.

[WUTiger]

Zelph offers good perspective on this:

Quote:

Dustin Johnson got really high hands and have a big vertical drop from the top of the backswing to get into the so called "slot". With lower arms at the top, you don't need the same amount, if any drop at all.

Some people drop the club without thinking about it, some have to use it as a conscious swing thought for some time to get it automated .

Both positions are OK as long as you are able to get the club on the right path at some point.

I am one of those people who uses a hand drop to start the downswing. As mentioned in a post last week:

• Early days as a baseball player left me with tendency to "spin out" rather than go diagonally "down and through"
• Post-baseball, I had a tendency to overswing, which led to looping and other "over the top" adventures

I now have a modified 3/4 Hogan swing, and don't get my hands all that high - slightly above ear level. BUT... I still use the hand drop to trigger my swing. Makes sure I go "down and through".

I tried a hip kick this winter and sping, and got a little extra power, but I tended to have more wild shots on my misses. Too many banana slices of baseball "spinout" type. Last week went back to "drop the hands" focus and am getting much improved control.

We repeatedly see this on ST: A few general principles govern the golf swing , but individuals accomplish these principles through different means. As Zelph says "...as long as you get the club on the right path at some point."

[bunkerputt]

I depends on the kind of swing you want to build to fit your personality.  If you want to be accurate, but not as long as you can possibly be, make the backswing plane similar to the downswing plane.  They will be different because there are two different planes, but if they are close, it won't take a lot of movement to make the transition from backswing to downswing.  If you want to hit it further, get your hands higher up in the air for leverage.  Then pull your right elbow down in front of your right hip on the downswing (assuming proper sequencing of the lower body first).  You can hammer the ball by having a relatively strong grip, getting the hands really high with huge width, and even standing up a little on the backswing for extra leverage.  All of this requires great timing to get back to a decent impact position consistently.  Cf. Jamie Sadlowski, Bubba Watson for these kinds of swings.  Otherwise Charlie Wi's is as good as anyone out there at the other style.  Are you a control player?

[Sai-Jin]

What's a control player?

I do know that I have a 2 plane swing.

[saevel25]

I would say both are equally as accurate as the other. It depends on the player and how he uses his swing. Yes some swings look more compact and less movement, but that doesn't mean they have the same control or better control as any other player, if that person doesn't know how to take advantage of his swing.

The Best way to find out is on video.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by Sai-Jin

What's a control player?

I do know that I have a 2 plane swing.

Someone who's game favors control to power.  They hit more fairways, but have longer clubs into the greens.  Here's the top of the fairways hit list in stats:

1		Brian Gay		76.18
2		Ben Curtis		74.71
3		Joe Durant		72.35
4		David Toms		71.50
5		Jerry Kelly		70.95
6		Rocco Mediate		70.63
7		Heath Slocum		70.44
8		Brian Davis		70.05
9		Scott Verplank		70.00
10		Zach Johnson		69.46

And here's the bottom.  Notice that they all hit the ball a long way.

171		J.B. Holmes		52.47
172		Troy Matteson		52.44
173		Jim Herman		52.42
174		Phil Mickelson		52.09
175		Jhonattan Vegas		51.78
176		Shaun Micheel		51.43
177		James Driscoll		51.39
178		Martin Piller		50.52
179		John Daly		50.23
180		Angel Cabrera		49.31
181		Anthony Kim		48.55
182		David Duval		47.43
183		Derek Lamely		47.38

Also notice that there are winners in both lists.  Which list fits you best?  I can blow it by everyone in the first list, but eat the dust of everyone in the second.  Not coincidentally I'm somewhere in the 60s in terms of fairways hit %.  Are you willing to take a lot of risk off the tee that you won't hit the fairway so that you'll have a short iron into the green?  The bottom list makes good television.  The top just plods away patiently waiting for opportunities.  It can also make good television at times.  David Toms was a perfect example this weekend.  He credited "great timing" to winning this week.  His game came together at the same time he played on a course and tournament he loves.  A lot of great players make a career out of staying in their comfort zone, not changing their swing, and patiently waiting for opportunities.  They'll win, sure.  Other guys like Phil are constantly monkeying with things, pushing the boundaries of the kinds of swings their human bodies can produce.  When they're hot, it's like fireworks, endorsement deals, glory of the moment, etc..  When they fizzle, it's like a sprinting face-plant in the mud.  Anyone who is going to be an excellent golfer, has to figure out what kind of game he/she is trying to create.  Otherwise you are constantly going to be swinging like someone you saw on TV instead of working with the body and personality you've got.

[Sai-Jin]

I'm in the 2nd list for sure when it comes to woods and mid irons. I like to bomb tee shots and I definitely sacrifice some Fairway % for distance, even though it gets me in trouble at times.

150yds in (8i - wedges) I have a mentality of control and accuracy.

[WUTiger]

Part of the choice has to do with physical coordination. As far as raw athletic ability goes, I'm probably at the 49th percentile. I tried a "reach high" swing for much of my golf career, but found I had major control problems in years when I couldn't play a lot.

So in recent years I tried for control: 3/4 backswing, drop the hands and go. Basically, a one-plane swing. Playing time is increasing, but I still push for a reliable, control swing.