Elbow Position and Its Effects on the Downswing

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by jkrunsthecity

Saw this video on youtube and finally seeing this thread here... great work, one of my favorites of all time

Great to have you on the site!

[jkrunsthecity]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Great to have you on the site!

Was always lurking, never participated, will post up more.  I'm enjoying some of the more recent findings, always learning

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by jkrunsthecity

Was always lurking, never participated, will post up more.  I'm enjoying some of the more recent findings, always learning

Please do, looking forward to it

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by jkrunsthecity

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

Great to have you on the site!

Was always lurking, never participated, will post up more.  I'm enjoying some of the more recent findings, always learning

The more people who think like this, the merrier

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

The more people who think like this, the merrier

Agreed.

Great vid Erik.  Thanks for sharing!

[iacas]

As we continue along with 5SK, we'll be developing training aids specific to each Key. One that we saw at the show and were able to test out just today is the Perfect Connextion for this Key #4 stuff.

Just position the Perfect Connextion above your elbows so that the ends are fairly close together (larger chested or broader shouldered folks can use a wider setting). The "loops" bend easily so if you pull your elbows apart you'll feel it, but the aid will not prevent you from doing it by restraint. This aid is also great for people who complete their backswings not by turning but rather by lifting their arms and pulling their elbows apart a little.

On the widest setting (which will push your elbows apart), it can help you by forcing you to actively PUSH your elbows closer together.

So one training aid, two Key #4 uses.

We have a few Mediums at the Academy and they work for both Dave (fairly broad chested) and myself, so a Medium should be pretty good. Click the links above or the picture below to order with 10% off.

P.S. The VisionTrack is also, of course, a great Key #4 training aid, but it doesn't relate to this particular topic about the right elbow position.

[CrazyD3]

My first post.  Very informative, great videos and discussion.  Thank you.

In the videos, I see the right elbow very close the body, in front and not tuck behind.  I also see many modern players with their elbow very far out from the chest, not as close to the body, (to create width?).  Is that becasue of different swing?  One more arm, one more body?  One plane vs two plane?

[Stretch]

Yes. Players who are more "vertical" (or "up and down" or "two plane") will tend to lift their arms more and have the right elbow flying further out. Players who are more "flat" ( or "in and around" or "one plane") will tend to keep the arms tighter to the torso and the right elbow will stay closer to the rib cage.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by CrazyD3

My first post.  Very informative, great videos and discussion.  Thank you.

In the videos, I see the right elbow very close the body, in front and not tuck behind.  I also see many modern players with their elbow very far out from the chest, not as close to the body, (to create width?).  Is that becasue of different swing?  One more arm, one more body?  One plane vs two plane?

I think most players definitely have space between the elbow and the rib cage, some more than others.  Just what works best for the player or what the player is trying to work on.  Some players might have coaches with different "philosophies" on how that right elbow should look.

Couple common pieces with these back swings below, the heads are steady and the right elbow hasn't moved behind the shirt seam on the back swing (Freddy might be an exception).  You can create "width" with any of these elbow positions.  I can also be very narrow with the right elbow way off my body.

[iceman777]

Working at the range , I have tried to think of moving my left elbow towards the target  and across my chest , on the downswing . It has definitely helped produce straighter hits . We'll see if it works on the course .

[JetFan1983]

Dufner's elbow positioning are about as text book as it gets.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Dufner's elbow positioning are about as text book as it gets.

... for what he does in his swing.

They're all great. Variations are perfectly acceptable.

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Dufner's elbow positioning are about as text book as it gets.

... for what he does in his swing.

They're all great. Variations are perfectly acceptable.

Oh yea, oops. "Backswing pieces." It's crazy though how Dufner keeps the pitch elbow for as long as he does throughout the swing.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Oh yea, oops. "Backswing pieces." It's crazy though how Dufner keeps the pitch elbow for as long as he does throughout the swing.

Are you making fun of DW's use of the word 'backstroke' in a lot of his videos??

[Talldude]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Pharaoh,

#2 on that list might be great for you actually, since you were saying you uncock early, right? Elbows together, per my teacher, helps increase and retain wrist cock longer.

Great Comments, All!  My right elbow gets behind me on the backswing & I have little to no lag.  I'm trying to maintain pressure @ pp#1 from TGM & also trying to turn my left shoulder "downward" toward my left foot, i.e. more "tilt" to start my backswing.  Any other thoughts on trying to increase lag & distance?  Also working on trying to rotate around my left knee instead of my right.  Thanks!

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Talldude

Great Comments, All!  My right elbow gets behind me on the backswing & I have little to no lag.  I'm trying to maintain pressure @ pp#1 from TGM & also trying to turn my left shoulder "downward" toward my left foot, i.e. more "tilt" to start my backswing.  Any other thoughts on trying to increase lag & distance?  Also working on trying to rotate around my left knee instead of my right.  Thanks!

Simple "tip", make sure you grip it with a long left thumb and not a short one.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Simple "tip", make sure you grip it with a long left thumb and not a short one.

Mike, that's fantastic.  Like I mentioned Friday, I had been having trouble understanding James telling me to "move my left thumb more down the shaft" until you showed me.  I had thought he simply meant more straight down the shaft AS OPPOSED to around the shaft, not FURTHER down the shaft.

Pretty sure that if he had used this language I would have understood it immediately. :)  (Just for your future reference) :)

[Talldude]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Simple "tip", make sure you grip it with a long left thumb and not a short one.

Can you explain the different results you get with long & short left thumbs?  Steve Elkington & Hogan advice using a short left thumb.  Thanks!