Need help with right (trailing) elbow on the downswing

[Dave325]

I tried to do a search on TST for this subject and found nothing. So, maybe I am just the weirdest person in the history of golf that has had this problem.... it's my right elbow on the downswing. It appears that I tend to straighten the right (trailing) elbow too soon before impact, which causes missing the sweetspot. I am trying a lot of things including slowing everything down and consciously reminding myself about it... But this appears ever so elusive and causes me to miss the sweetspot. Anybody else have this issue... Or am I the only one?  Any suggestions or drills for a cure from this disease? I truly appreciate any and all suggestions. I do have a post in MySwing if you get a moment to check it out. This is by far the toughest part of the game that I have run into. Thanks in advance and much regards.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Dave325

[mdl]

Do you have a my swing thread?  At a 20 index, I'd bet there's a good chance that this issue shouldn't even be your primary focus.  Like, it's very possible you actually have other bigger issues that cause or at least contribute to this issue you're talking about.  Post two good videos, down the line and face on, and you'll get much better tips.

[collapse]

1 hour ago, Dave325 said:

I tried to do a search on TST for this subject and found nothing. So, maybe I am just the weirdest person in the history of golf that has had this problem.... it's my right elbow on the downswing. It appears that I tend to straighten the right (trailing) elbow too soon before impact, which causes missing the sweetspot. I am trying a lot of things including slowing everything down and consciously reminding myself about it... But this appears ever so elusive and causes me to miss the sweetspot. Anybody else have this issue... Or am I the only one?  Any suggestions or drills for a cure from this disease? I truly appreciate any and all suggestions. I do have a post in MySwing if you get a moment to check it out. This is by far the toughest part of the game that I have run into. Thanks in advance and much regards.

Not sure why you decided this is the problem.Having said your swing looks good,upon a second look it seems to be an arm swing with no lower body bias towards the target other than following the arms.Otherwise it appears the parts needed should be producing a well struck ball......bottom line is ...I dunno.....also I don't particularily like the hands pressed forward at address.

Edited December 11, 2015 by collapse

[natureboy]

Skip to 2:00

[Dave325]

1 hour ago, mdl said:

Do you have a my swing thread?  At a 20 index, I'd bet there's a good chance that this issue shouldn't even be your primary focus.  Like, it's very possible you actually have other bigger issues that cause or at least contribute to this issue you're talking about.  Post two good videos, down the line and face on, and you'll get much better tips.

Yes, I have a my swings video feed under Member swings. Thanks

21 minutes ago, collapse said:

Not sure why you decided this is the problem.Having said your swing looks good,upon a second look it seems to be an arm swing with no lower body bias towards the target other than following the arms.Otherwise it appears the parts needed should be producing a well struck ball......bottom line is ...I dunno.....also I don't particularily like the hands pressed forward at address.

Yes, I have been working on the wrist issue, but noticed that the right elbow causes two issues on my drives.... The bottoming out before impact due to premature extension and heel hits close to the hosel.

[Dave325]

4 hours ago, natureboy said:

Skip to 2:00

That's it... It's how Ben's trailing elbow proceeds close to his body on the downswing. Maybe it just needs to be a swing thought that I need to focus on with every swing. Don't get me wrong, my swing has made improvements over the last few months with focusing on the first few keys (#1 and 2, 3 specifically)... But this issue has been the hardest one to correct. I am thinking about getting an elastic band and wrapping it around my chest and right arm to force it in, but don't want to create another problem.

[natureboy]

I think the Leonard video is emphasizing some slow motion sequencing practice (which Hogan did quite a bit) and hitting partial shots to focus on it too.

[billchao]

@Dave325, I haven't seen your swing, but it's likely what you do with the right elbow is a symptom of a problem and not the problem in of itself. What you're doing with your body causes you to extend it in order to get your clubhead to the ball and not the other way around.

Our brains are pretty good at finding a way to make contact with the ball despite the positions we put our bodies in.

[SavvySwede]

6 hours ago, Dave325 said:

I tried to do a search on TST for this subject and found nothing. So, maybe I am just the weirdest person in the history of golf that has had this problem.... it's my right elbow on the downswing. It appears that I tend to straighten the right (trailing) elbow too soon before impact, which causes missing the sweetspot. I am trying a lot of things including slowing everything down and consciously reminding myself about it... But this appears ever so elusive and causes me to miss the sweetspot. Anybody else have this issue... Or am I the only one?  Any suggestions or drills for a cure from this disease? I truly appreciate any and all suggestions. I do have a post in MySwing if you get a moment to check it out. This is by far the toughest part of the game that I have run into. Thanks in advance and much regards.

The site's search function has been weird since the site switchover. Type "site:thesandtrap.com" into google before you're query and you'll be able to find things much more easily. My first result was this thread http://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/62657-straighten-right-arm-through-impact/ which has some good info.

I have one of these training aids and it works pretty well. (Just look at my profile pic.)

[natureboy]

46 minutes ago, billchao said:

@Dave325, I haven't seen your swing, but it's likely what you do with the right elbow is a symptom of a problem and not the problem in of itself. What you're doing with your body causes you to extend it in order to get your clubhead to the ball and not the other way around.

Our brains are pretty good at finding a way to make contact with the ball despite the positions we put our bodies in.

That's a good point. If the hips aren't bumping forward and staying deep (away from the ball) with the shift to the front leg then there may be less room for the right elbow to get in there? Video will be most helpful to ID the problem.

[Dave325]

4 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

The site's search function has been weird since the site switchover. Type "site:thesandtrap.com" into google before you're query and you'll be able to find things much more easily. My first result was this thread http://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/62657-straighten-right-arm-through-impact/ which has some good info.

I have one of these training aids and it works pretty well. (Just look at my profile pic.)

Thanks for the tip, Savvvy. This looks like the key that might help with the correction.... Along with weight shift and hip shift that was mentioned. I appreciate the help.

[mvmac]

6 hours ago, billchao said:

@Dave325, I haven't seen your swing, but it's likely what you do with the right elbow is a symptom of a problem and not the problem in of itself. What you're doing with your body causes you to extend it in order to get your clubhead to the ball and not the other way around.

Our brains are pretty good at finding a way to make contact with the ball despite the positions we put our bodies in.

Good post.

@Dave325, fix the cause, not the effect.

[SavvySwede]

13 hours ago, billchao said:

@Dave325, I haven't seen your swing, but it's likely what you do with the right elbow is a symptom of a problem and not the problem in of itself. What you're doing with your body causes you to extend it in order to get your clubhead to the ball and not the other way around.

Our brains are pretty good at finding a way to make contact with the ball despite the positions we put our bodies in.

 

7 hours ago, mvmac said:

Good post.

@Dave325, fix the cause, not the effect.

Looking at his MySwing thread I noticed two things.

1. The already mentioned early straightening of the right arm.

2. Goat humping move through impact.

Obviously the two are connected but how do we know which is the cause or the effect? If he used the training aid to put his arm into position as I suggested, would not his body "find a way to make good contact" as Bill suggests ( i.e. not goat humping)?

[Mr. Desmond]

As to the right elbow, I try to get it in front of the body on the downswing without separating too much from the left elbow. But if you overdo squeezing the right and  left elbows together, bad things occur. Throttle back.

[Dave325]

2 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

 

Looking at his MySwing thread I noticed two things.

1. The already mentioned early straightening of the right arm.

2. Goat humping move through impact.

Obviously the two are connected but how do we know which is the cause or the effect? If he used the training aid to put his arm into position as I suggested, would not his body "find a way to make good contact" as Bill suggests ( i.e. not goat humping)?

Thanks again, Savvy! I have never heard that therm, goat humping... But found a you tube video that had an excellent explanation on the various causes. I needed to search for the right thing.... Early extension was the key. Also, I truly appreciate everyone's help on this thing.. It is by far the hardest thing I have encountered. Here is the link I found.... A lot to digest here...

 

[Dave325]

59 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

As to the right elbow, I try to get it in front of the body on the downswing without separating too much from the left elbow. But if you overdo squeezing the right and  left elbows together, bad things occur. Throttle back.

Mr. D - So, are you saying that you try to get the right elbow in front of the body? That makes sense to ensure a solid hip turn through impact. Throttle down? Would that mean to slowing down the swing?

[Mr. Desmond]

2 minutes ago, Dave325 said:

Mr. D - So, are you saying that you try to get the right elbow in front of the body? That makes sense to ensure a solid hip turn through impact. Throttle down? Would that mean to slowing down the swing?

1. Yes - right elbow in front of body - I find myself having to feel as if the butt of the club points at the ball as I "shallow out". My biggest priority is keeping the arms in front of the body going back and going down (because that is my priority issue). Now getting there ... has been a journey.

2. Throttle down on squeezing the elbows together on the downswing if you find contact equals topping the ball when you find yourself trying to squeeze too much.

[billchao]

3 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

 

Looking at his MySwing thread I noticed two things.

1. The already mentioned early straightening of the right arm.

2. Goat humping move through impact.

Obviously the two are connected but how do we know which is the cause or the effect? If he used the training aid to put his arm into position as I suggested, would not his body "find a way to make good contact" as Bill suggests ( i.e. not goat humping)?

As I understand it, the small muscles are reactive to the big muscles, not the other way around. Learning to keep the elbow folded through the swing will likely cause other compensations that need to be fixed, because the arms extending are not the root cause of the problem.

Learning to move the body properly will eventually "teach" the arms to be in a different position.