Turning on the back swing

[Eklypised]

I ve seen a few instructors say to just move your arms  back on your back swing so your postures nice and lined up. And others that you should turn your body on the back swing. Which one do you do? And if you turn your body do you start your back swing turning your shoulders first and then the arms come around?

[Vinsk]

Hello friend. Don't mean to be snide but this topic is well discussed in many previous topics. If you just search you'll find many discussions which you are welcome to add to. Cheers!

[Hategolf]

I think about turning my upper body instead of turning just my arms...that helps me to keep my elbows somewhat in front of my chest. 

What you probably heard is a thought of starting the take away by moving you arms away from the ball. That is a great piece and a good start,  but some people including me forget to follow the turn with your shoulders too.

In other words, you are supposed to turn your chest arms and shoulders. 

[Kalnoky]

I think about turning with my shoulders on both the backswing and downswing, while keeping my trunk fairly connected (a little slop is okay). If I feel myself snatch the club back with my hands I will stop my swing and try again. This is what I work on at the range, and on the course. It's going to feel like you are swinging really slow because you can't use your arms to power the motion, but that's just your mind lying to you. 

My hips open a little bit naturally on the backswing, but I don't force them or think about them. 

Anyway, I've been striking the irons pretty well. I hope this helps.

[iacas]

Every good golfer ever turns their shoulders back. (I often prefer to say they turn their torso.)

Nobody moves just their arms back for any full swing.

You may be talking about the initial move, which varies, or a feel, which is really, really variable and "feel ain't real."

[lastings]

If you only use your arms in your back swing, then you will only use your arms in your down swing.   

if your first move in your downswing is to push forward with your arms, you now have all the ingredients for a over-the-top swing path.   you don't want that. 

 

[TN94z]

8 minutes ago, lastings said:

if your first move in your downswing is to push forward with your arms, you now have all the ingredients for a over-the-top swing path.   you don't want that. 

 

I was explaining this to my 15 year old last night. He doesn't swing with all arms, but his first move back is arms and then torso. I don't see how you would get any distance at all with an all arm swing...  I think there is a misunderstanding there.

Edited April 19, 2017 by TN94z

[Hacker James]

On 4/18/2017 at 10:23 AM, Hategolf said:

I think about turning my upper body instead of turning just my arms...that helps me to keep my elbows somewhat in front of my chest. 

What you probably heard is a thought of starting the take away by moving you arms away from the ball. That is a great piece and a good start,  but some people including me forget to follow the turn with your shoulders too.

In other words, you are supposed to turn your chest arms and shoulders. 

This in effect is what is advocated by Jim Waldron in his "arm swing Illusion move". He wants the feeling of moving your hands/arms out at a 45 degree angle for about 4 inches or so, then allow the torso to turn while keeping the hands in front of your chest at all times. Supposedly, this helps with the syncing  of torso, arms, and hands. The problem is, that some focus too much on it and lose connection. I use it as a "trigger". I do not know just how far the hands/arms move, but it is not much when done  right. So in that regard, I would agree with it being a "feel" that will vary between individuals, BUT there is some initial movement before the torso begins its coordinated  turn.

[TN94z]

25 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

This in effect is what is advocated by Jim Waldron in his "arm swing Illusion move". He wants the feeling of moving your hands/arms out at a 45 degree angle for about 4 inches or so, then allow the torso to turn while keeping the hands in front of your chest at all times. Supposedly, this helps with the syncing  of torso, arms, and hands. The problem is, that some focus too much on it and lose connection. I use it as a "trigger". I do not know just how far the hands/arms move, but it is not much when done  right. So in that regard, I would agree with it being a "feel" that will vary between individuals, BUT there is some initial movement before the torso begins its coordinated  turn.

I think that would vary in terms of feel because I really don't think my arms move any before my torso. For me, it seems that they all start as one piece as far as the back swing. I have noticed that right before that starts, my hands will press forward a tad...like a preset on the shaft lean.

[NoobSwingz]

@Eklypised at the very top of the page, click on the "Info" tab, and then on "Instructional Content" in the drop down box. Scroll down some and check out the Videos on Key #1.....can also check out the threads on Centered Pivot, and How to make a Centered Hip Turn that are linked near the top of that thread

these are definitely great places to start and very good fundamentals to get started with

Edited April 22, 2017 by NoobSwingz