Just how important is maintaining a straight left arm?

[Grizvok]

This is something I’ve been thinking of quite a bit recently. From what I’ve seen and read in general you do want to keep a straight left arm but not if it inhibits you from making a complete backswing. Well, what constitutes a complete backswing? At what point are my arms going too far back above myself and at what point should I reduce height of my arms in favor of creating more width and being able to maintain a straighter left arm?

[Piz]

For me...a complete backswing is however far I can comfortably turn without my arms breaking loose...i.e. reaching for the top.  If I take the club back farther than my torso can manage...my left elbow folds to keep my hands going and that screws up the rest of the sequence.  As far as the left arm is concerned; I try to have it stay about the same as it was at address...reasonably straight but not locked.

[boogielicious]

9 hours ago, Grizvok said:

This is something I’ve been thinking of quite a bit recently. From what I’ve seen and read in general you do want to keep a straight left arm but not if it inhibits you from making a complete backswing. Well, what constitutes a complete backswing? At what point are my arms going too far back above myself and at what point should I reduce height of my arms in favor of creating more width and being able to maintain a straighter left arm?

It depends on the rest of your swing. Spieth has a very similar A4 position.

[HawkNballs]

I've seen long drive guys that allow their lead arm to bend some.  They probably would rather have a longer swing than a straight left arm.  They are a whole different breed though.  

I think the term for the lead arm should probably be straight-ish.  

[iacas]

5 hours ago, HawkNballs said:

I've seen long drive guys that allow their lead arm to bend some.  They probably would rather have a longer swing than a straight left arm.  They are a whole different breed though.  

Yeah, they're looking to create an extra lever and only have to get like one out of six balls in a rather wide "fairway."

[mvmac]

On 7/2/2018 at 7:44 PM, Grizvok said:

This is something I’ve been thinking of quite a bit recently. From what I’ve seen and read in general you do want to keep a straight left arm but not if it inhibits you from making a complete backswing. Well, what constitutes a complete backswing? At what point are my arms going too far back above myself and at what point should I reduce height of my arms in favor of creating more width and being able to maintain a straighter left arm?

It's fine to have some "softness" in the lead arm. Width for the sake of width won't do you any good.

What more important IMO is that the trail arm humerus doesn't get behind the shirt seam on the backswing.

That backswing looks complete, judging by the amount the torso has turned.