Flying elbow

[Sandhills Golfer]

Can someone tell me how to properly rotate/hinge my wrists and elbows to avoid the dreaded flying elbow? Thx SG

[Buckeyebowman]

I can't, but then Nicklaus had a flying right elbow and how did he do? Just return it to your side in the downswing! Or, try to make a flatter swing.

[billchao]

12 hours ago, Sandhills Golfe said:

Can someone tell me how to properly rotate/hinge my wrists and elbows to avoid the dreaded flying elbow? Thx SG

How did you do with working on your pivot? 

 

3 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I can't, but then Nicklaus had a flying right elbow and how did he do? Just return it to your side in the downswing! Or, try to make a flatter swing.

Typically that's not good advice: picking out an idiosyncrasy of one of the best players and saying they did just fine with it. Nicklaus played great despite his flying elbow, not because of it. He was athletically talented enough to overcome what is typically a flaw in most players' swings.

It's actually very hard to make that Nicklaus transition move and much easier to not have to do it in the first place.

[StefanUrkel]

Check your right hand grip. Also make sure you are completing your turn

[Sandhills Golfer]

13 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I can't, but then Nicklaus had a flying right elbow and how did he do? Just return it to your side in the downswing! Or, try to make a flatter swing.

Thanks, Buckeyebowman. Just returning it is a tricky move for me. Getting a flatter backswing sounds good. What are some good ways to achieve

this? Swing more around? Anything else? Thx for the help. SG.

9 hours ago, billchao said:

How did you do with working on your pivot? 

 

Typically that's not good advice: picking out an idiosyncrasy of one of the best players and saying they did just fine with it. Nicklaus played great despite his flying elbow, not because of it. He was athletically talented enough to overcome what is typically a flaw in most players' swings.

It's actually very hard to make that Nicklaus transition move and much easier to not have to do it in the first place.

Hi Bill,

 

Thx for the comments. Yes, working on my pivot helped. Either moving my shoulder/hips at the same time on the bs or just turn my chest. My ball striking has improved. However, I guess were always looking to improve more. 

Agreed, comparing Nicklaus to the average hack wouldn't be a useful comparison. But, it's a common reply when someone brings this topic up. Next is Freddy and Eamonn Darcy, who has taken this to an extreme.

 

Cheers

 

SG

 

1 hour ago, StefanUrkel said:

Check your right hand grip. Also make sure you are completing your turn

StefanUrkel,

 

On the right hand, would stronger or weaker help? Yes, I am completing my turn. Probably, more like overswinging as the flying elbow allows you to

keep going. 

 

SG

[Marty2019]

22 hours ago, Sandhills Golfe said:

Can someone tell me how to properly rotate/hinge my wrists and elbows to avoid the dreaded flying elbow? Thx SG

Okay, I'll give it a shot.  What the heck. 

If you're a right-handed golfer, starting in your stance have your elbows close together, with the insides of the elbows facing up.  At the top of the back swing, your left wrist should be flat, and your right wrist should be cocked back.   That will help you tuck in your right elbow.  Then when you start down, keep your right elbow tucked in.  Don't flip the club with your right hand.  Keep your right wrist cocked back.  Try to have your elbows close together when you hit the ball. 

 

[MarvChamp]

14 minutes ago, Sandhills Golfe said:

What are some good ways to achieve

this? Swing more around? Anything else?

I'm a high HI so you may not want to consider...But my coach said to try to increase my side bend. Think a little bit of a baseball swing. Or maybe Justin Thomas. There are some good illustrative videos online about side bend. -Best, Marv

[Mr. Desmond]

On 10/21/2017 at 9:59 AM, Sandhills Golfe said:

Can someone tell me how to properly rotate/hinge my wrists and elbows to avoid the dreaded flying elbow? Thx SG

Don't worry about the flying elbow - if you want to move it downward, it's an external movement. I just want my arms high at the top and relaxed, and like to keep the width starting down.

Also, golf instruction evolves - what was posted in 2011 may have changed.

Edited October 22, 2017 by Mr. Desmond

[Hacker James]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Don't worry about the flying elbow - if you want to move it downward, it's an external movement. I just want my arms high at the top and relaxed, and like to keep the width starting down.

Also, golf instruction evolves - what was posted in 2011 may have changed.

Yep, Jack Nicklaus once described in detail why he swung like he did and it made perfect sense at the time.  I do not remember his exact statement, but something to the effect that he swang from a straight line down from the top. Again, what he said, and what he did, may not be the same.  I have also read several proponents of the flying elbow.  I had pretty much the same flying elbow myself when I first started playing, and it served me well at the time, gradually, over time, I went to a more rotational, two plane swing.     
 

"go wide and deep"

 

[Sandhills Golfer]

7 hours ago, Marty2019 said:

Okay, I'll give it a shot.  What the heck. 

If you're a right-handed golfer, starting in your stance have your elbows close together, with the insides of the elbows facing up.  At the top of the back swing, your left wrist should be flat, and your right wrist should be cocked back.   That will help you tuck in your right elbow.  Then when you start down, keep your right elbow tucked in.  Don't flip the club with your right hand.  Keep your right wrist cocked back.  Try to have your elbows close together when you hit the ball. 

 

Good stuff Marty. I was looking for a reply like this. I am excited to practice with it tomorrow. thx

[Mr. Desmond]

2 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

Yep, Jack Nicklaus once described in detail why he swung like he did and it made perfect sense at the time.  I do not remember his exact statement, but something to the effect that he swang from a straight line down from the top. Again, what he said, and what he did, may not be the same.  I have also read several proponents of the flying elbow.  I had pretty much the same flying elbow myself when I first started playing, and it served me well at the time, gradually, over time, I went to a more rotational, two plane swing.     
 

"go wide and deep"

 

I am sensing some disturbance in the instructional force -

Some people like GGSwingTips and Dana Dahlquist seem to be using the ground force and delaying the weight transfer to the front - instead of hip slide, you get the trail leg knee going forward (outward) and then pushing off to load the front when the arms get parallel on the downswing - both feet using ground force for more speed, instead of using the arms. This method supposedly prevents one from stalling out, the hips are more level and the lead knee really opening up before the push to the front. The clubface squares naturally as arms are more passive ... it's new or old. Belief is that the old timers turned this way. 

And the flying elbow doesn't matter.

[Hacker James]

@Mr. Desmond, ok, Obie One.....   but I would have chosen different references. Heck, I think we should invite that  Truck Driving, Tobacco Spitting, Eureka finding, what's his name back to enlighten us on his Nirvana.

[Mr. Desmond]

1 hour ago, Hacker James said:

@Mr. Desmond, ok, Obie One.....   but I would have chosen different references. Heck, I think we should invite that  Truck Driving, Tobacco Spitting, Eureka finding, what's his name back to enlighten us on his Nirvana.

All I can tell you is that these instructors are influencing your neck of the woods - SoCal.

[Hacker James]

Just now, Mr. Desmond said:

All I can tell you is that these instructors are influencing your neck of the woods - SoCal.

Could be, but not me

[Mr. Desmond]

17 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

Could be, but not me

Not could be - they have a large cadre of juniors and some young pros.

Not you... it's a different way of thinking. George Gankas (GG GolfSwingTips) is like white gangsta' golf, but the more you listen to this guy, the more he impresses.

[Hacker James]

I think I will stick with my Arizona guy, or on occasion look in on Aimee Cho for different perspective.

[Mr. Desmond]

3 hours ago, Hacker James said:

I think I will stick with my Arizona guy, or on occasion look in on Aimee Cho for different perspective.

"Hi Guys, this Aimee, in my shorts, I have great legs..."

[OB1]

23 hours ago, billchao said:

How did you do with working on your pivot? 

 

Typically that's not good advice: picking out an idiosyncrasy of one of the best players and saying they did just fine with it. Nicklaus played great despite his flying elbow, not because of it. He was athletically talented enough to overcome what is typically a flaw in most players' swings.

It's actually very hard to make that Nicklaus transition move and much easier to not have to do it in the first place.

This is pretty much what all teaching is based on.  The idea that changes in your alignments will make you a better player.  

If a player comes in with either too strong or two weak a grip or a flying right elbow or a flat swing or an upright swing, the average teacher wants too change it.  

I too believe there is certain things you can do to change your swing.  But I more importantly believe that a proper transition fixes a lot of little details. 

I think most people would agree that tiger, jack, Sam Snead, Ben hogan, lee Trevino, and nick faldo are some of the best ball strikers and best winners of all time.  

But Trevino had a really strong grip and hogan had a really weak one.  So any where in between will work. 

Hogan had a really tucked elbow and jack had a flying elbow.  So anywhere in between will work.  

Sam Snead had a pretty upright swing as did jack and tiger but hogan and Trevino both much flatter.  So anywhere inbetween will work.

All these players do have one thing in common and that is a similar lower bodie transition