One of the reasons why you lift up may be in your left arm. Its a simple golf swing drill that really breaks down the golf. Use the golf tips below in order to improve your golf backswing. For the drill, get into proper impact alignment and keep the left wrist flat. The problem is that you heard an old theory that really isnt true, especially in todays golf. Swing plane can get complicated especially if you want to cover all the possible variations in the plane from address to the end of the followthrough. An upright golf swing is chosen more players with back pain or strain. Breed says youll probably feel a little pull on the left side of your torso. The role of the left arm in the righthanded swing three. Teaching professional jamie mcconnell from the butch harmon school of golf dubai talks you through a fantastic drill to help you create a. The driver is different than other clubs because to hit driver well, the low point of your swing should be further back than with other fullswing clubs. If your elbow points too much in front of you outside the target line your club will lay back on a flat plane. If youre one of the many golfers who starts a swing by pulling back on their club with their left shoulder. The left arm determines the swing arc for a shot and helps release and rotate the wrists and club on the downswing.
In a oneplane golf swing, the player takes the club back around his body, rather than lifting if fairly straight over his head. What really ends up happening in your swing is that right arm is really yanking on the left arm and the left arm just can not handle it and it will give it two ways. Theres the full pivot action of the body, an arm swing and a hinging of. Extend your arms away from your chest as you reach the top of the backswing. In this video i explain why you should have the wrist of the lead arm slightly cupped at the top of the backswing as opposed to being flat. In a great swing, your shoulders should turn back on a plane that is perpendicular to your spine at address see figure 1. A swing is considered flat when the left arm forms an angle of less than 45 with the ground at the top of the backswing when viewed looking down the target line. From the moment you address the ball to the moment you reach the top of the backswing your left arm should remain straight. The role of right arm in golf swing should be mostly to guide the club into position and get it ready for an aggressive downswing.
The swing plane, at its most basic, is the path your golf clubs shaft follows when you swing. The left shoulder is heavily involved in the backswing, but it should not be the initial move the first part. A cupped or for the medical types a wrist that is in dorsiflexion has the potential to ruin even the best of golf swings you make out on the golf course. The back arm, or right arm as its commonly known, is similar to the onepiece in that it focuses on one part of the takeaway. How to correct a flat golf swing has your golf swing gone flat. What is the correct hand rotation on the backswing golf. If youre hitting a driver, you want generate clubhead speed and hit slightly upward on the ball to maximize distance. The hands and wrists, arms, shoulders and hips are doing their jobs in what i. The lead arm crosses the chest as moes spine has remained in position. One, the left wrist should be flat or matching the left forearm. Aug 17, 2015 this is a simple drill that will quickly teach you what a correct shoulder turn should feel like in a great golf swing. Finally, your arm position is the final important element of the top of your golf swing. The degree to which you can rotate this shoulder away from the ball during the backswing has a direct effect on how much clubhead speed you can produce and, subsequently, how far you will hit the ball.
The role of the left arm in the righthanded swing i was interested to see that padraig harrington, tom watson, and adam scott, in one way or another, all described the importance of their left arm in the golf swing in this new golf digest. Note how both feet have maintained their position flat on the ground. Slowswing, limit backswing and keeps front arm straight. All of these things help set up the proper position for a good downswing with axis tilt and a good flat spot. Understanding the purpose of the left arm in the golf swing and how to properly utilize it are critical factors in shooting low scores. If youre righthanded and youve noticed that your left arm in your golf swing is doing a little too much, pga professional joseph hallett recommends practicing a simple drill to help you get your swing back on track. Jan 07, 2020 the izzo smooth swing trainer is designed to keep your arms and body in sync on each swing. School of golfs martin hall and holly sonders teach the proper use for each arm in the golf swing.
For wedge play, let your right elbow fold in the takeaway move. This will cause the left handwrist to become bent as the right handwrist moves towards flat. When you try to keep your left arm too straight, you will tend to lift up. Are you hitting a lot of hooks, or perhaps pushing your shots. The irony in this topic is that most golfers use their right arm too much in the golf swing. The why and how of shallowing your golf swing the left. The problem with a shoulder plane that is too flat in the backswing is that it takes your arms and the. Golf left hand release drill for effortless, penetrating. Many amateur golfers, and even pros from time to time, suffer from a shoulder plane that is too flat in the backswing. When you have a slightly bowed wrist, it usually means youre coming down from the inside with a square clubface.
The ultimate goal is always to keep the club shaft swinging on its original plane line, returning it to. The takeaway is usually inside, then they lift their arms to the top and from there they throw the club over the top attempting to hit the ball. The swingplane is a frequently misunderstood, and frequently misused, term that has entered the golf intructional worlds lexicon in recent years, and there are endless debates in golf discussion forums on what represents the correct swingplane. This advice can help righthanded golfers create power in their swings. Tip 3 cupped or flat wrist at the top of the backswing. How to get the body to pull the left arm down in the golf. Golf backswing how to correctly perform your backswing. In a great swing, your shoulders should turn back on a plane that is perpendicular to your spine at address.
A flat shoulder turn can cause the club to be out of position on the backswing and creates a shift in swing planes on the downswing which reduces the efficiency of. I like to call it the backarm takeaway because it would not be a right arm for lefthanded players, so for the sake of universality, well call it the backarm method. Joseph calls it the left arm only drill, where you use only your left arm in. At this point, your left arm should be parallel to the ground, the clubshaft should bisect your right biceps and your hands should be in front of your chest. How to control your arms during the golf swing golf channel.
So any forward motion of the pivot necessarily throws the arm and club outwards before it can move down, thus committing the bullet as it leaves the barrel in the wrong direction, requiring a rerouting of the clubhead prior to impact. The distinction is most obvious at the top of the backswing, where a oneplane swingers left arm should be roughly parallel to the shoulder plane for a righthanded golfer. Apr 10, 2020 once you feel the proper downswing position, you will find it easier to get back there on your full swing. What is the correct hand rotation on the backswing golf tip video by pete styles one of the most complicated things about a golf swing is that everythings moving all at the same time is not like one bit goes, then the next bit goes then the next bit. Distance from the golf ball hand and arm positions 0. This type of swing doesnt require as much twisting as a flat swing, since your arms and club will go upwards, rather than wrapping around your back, which can save a lot of stress on your spine, shoulders, and neck. Science proves traditional golf ball position is wrong. Practice hitting chip shots with a short iron, bringing the right hand back in gradually. Crucial to correct left forearm rotation in the backswing is the proper grip of the left hand, which needs to be neutral. This causes an outside in angle of attack on the ball resulting in a pull hook if the club face is closed or a slice if the club face is open. A lot of instruction about arm position as you address the golf ball talks about the distance of the butt end of the club from your thighs, but this isnt very useful or reliable, the precise distance will vary. You can diagnose a flat shoulder plane from the target line view with your video camera or with your eyes. From here, our next checkpoint is halfway back once youve grooved a good takeaway position and slotted the club into a good halfway back position, completing a full swing is relatively straight forward. Once set properly at the top of the swing, the lower body and left arm should take over and do the rest of the work.
Heres a quick video to explain why you need a bowed left wrist in your golf swing. Im talking from a dtl angle, my hands dont get above my right shoulder im a righty. Golf backswing proper halfway back position free online. If your swing tends to get too long, the steeper pivot actually creates more tension in the backswing and this will serve to tightenshorten the backswing. If your elbow points inside the target line the shaft will tip over the swing plane. Louis oosthuizens 4 simple moves for a worldclass swing. The radius of this circle, back and through to the finish, is defined by your left arm position for a righthanded golfer. The common mistake here is to move the right shoulder forward too quickly, steepening the plane. With a flat backswing, it is nearly impossible to take the club on an outside in path, and you may be able to reduce slicing with this style. A socalled flat swing plane can cause these problems and more. If it falls, that indicates that your back arm lifts too much in your backswing.
Among the most common mistakes that slicers make is taking the club back on an overly vertical plane. Most steep swingers try to keep the left arm straight too long. Michael breeds top tip for the backswing golf channel. The left shoulder is heavily involved in the backswing, but it should not be the initial move the first part of the body to move should be your hips. A too low backswing position of the left arm puts the golfer in jeopardy in that the arm and club are likely off plane. To flatten out your backswing, swing your left arm across the buttons on your shirt as if you were trying to place your left palm on an. In the first part of this golf swing tips series, we looked at the allimportant takeaway. This is a simple drill that will quickly teach you what a correct shoulder turn should feel like in a great golf swing. Ive had ongoing issues with my backswing, and realized last night i havent been allowing my left forearm to rotate properly in the backswing. Thats a good thingit means youre turning more than you usually do. If you raise your hands too high at the top, there is less chance that you will hit the ball solid with the correct swing plane. Typically golfers who cup the left wrist the most will bend and fold their lead arm the most, separate their arms from their chest and body, and finally open the face of the club to the path they are swinging on photo 2, and swing the.
Of the 3 main inclined planes in the swing, the shaft plane, the shoulder plane and the elbow plane, the shoulder plane is the easiest to feel and control. Because that wrist angle keeps the hands ahead of the clubhead, its what gives you that intoout draw swing with the driver and a downward strike with the irons. You should feel that the left hand stops at the seam in the left pant leg. Nov 16, 2018 this motion causes the club to cut across the golf ball, resulting in the left toright spin.
An upright swing will cause you to bring the club toward the ball with a steeper angle of. Too strong a grip tends to cause the club to swing back on a path that is. A short tomato stake, golf club shaft or alignment rod can be used to provide feedback in your backswing. How to load the club during the back swing james parker golf. Nov 03, 2016 i a righty had a tendency to let my left wrist collapse at the top of by backswing, dropping the clubhead towards the ground and causing inconsistencies in my ball striking. Lchqm3o6tdq here is a video on how to fix a flat swing plane and is. Most amateur golfers have a lot in common when it comes to swing faults. Left arm position in the golf swing golf tips magazine. Golf lesson forearm rotation, it can fix your golf swing.
The front shoulder, or left should for a righthanded player, plays an important role in the golf swing. Thats the whole hinging motion in the entire golf swing. Jun 02, 2016 the more the left wrist cups, the more trouble we will find ourselves in during the remainder of the swing. In this golf lesson, you will see that lifting the arms on the backswing separately can give you the perfect plane and position. The entire backswing literally just does this and this. Lastly, the amount of left tilt will be a little bit less because the pelvis will be slightly more level than with the iron. Mar 15, 2018 the driver is different than other clubs because to hit driver well, the low point of your swing should be further back than with other fullswing clubs. From this position, the downswing can move the club correctly thorough impact. To train your left arm to swing behind you and across your chest, fold up a towel and secure it between. At address, your left arm should be straight, but not rigid or stiff, just naturally straight in a relaxed position.
Ive been hitting my driver really well lately, at least in my book, but i was wondering if im losing some dista. Kuchar looks like he was told to swing as if there was a glass ceiling just above his head that if scraped would set off a dynamite charge. Learn whats correct based on the physics of the golf swing and your anatomy. The best way to describe how the left arm and club shaft should work together is to sit in your desk at work and take your grip in your left hand right handed golfer. Once in position, sweep the clubs head back in an arc until its behind your head. To find out if your backswing is too long and what problems this may be having in your golf game, we will piece this out a bit further. What it means to be cupped during your backswing is your left wrist bends so that the back of your left hand and the top of your left forearm create an angle like photo 1 above. Hit balls with the towelglove under your armpit until you get complete a backswing without it falling. Most golfers, however, dont know the fundamentals that allow you to keep your left arm straight in a golf swing.
How to keep your arms in front of your chest on a golf. The front arm left arm for a righthanded player, ought to stay relatively straight. Jan 10, 2018 in this golf lesson, you will see that lifting the arms on the backswing separately can give you the perfect plane and position. How to establish your golf swing plane the swing plane, at its most basic, is the path your golf clubs shaft follows when you swing. To be sure, a flat swing isnt necessarily a bad thing. The left upper arm has continued to internally rotate in the left shoulder socket joint and the left forearm has continued to pronate while the left shoulder socket continues to move backwards away from the target due to the rotation of the upper torso. The backarm, or rightarm as its commonly known, is similar to the onepiece in that it focuses on one part of the takeaway. Dec 08, 2016 teaching professional jamie mcconnell from the butch harmon school of golf dubai talks you through a fantastic drill to help you create a more upright shaft angle in the backswing and help you. Back in say the 50s, a lot of the flat swing plane golfers hit the ball pretty low. Nov 17, 20 this is the final piece of the puzzle in establishing the perfect golf posture, setting the stage for you to make a great golf swing. Each arm has a correct position, but they are nearly opposite in how they are described.
The back of your left wrist should be flat and the clubface should match that angle. Your left arm should lag behind your torso, which indicates its being pulled down. The top of the shoulder pivot drill there are so many benefits to having the shoulders pivot correctly. With the camera and the student swing in the setup position simply draw a line from the base of the tailbone to the back of the neck. I was watching a video i took of my swing last night and realized just how flat my driver swing is. To help check your swing plane, when you are half way back in your swing, your left elbow for right handers should point back at the target line. What is the correct hand rotation on the backswing golf tip video by pete styles one of the most complicated things about a golf swing is that everythings moving all at the same time is not like one bit goes, then the next bit goes then the next bit goes. A flat shoulder plane is when the shoulders turn on a more horizontal plane than the axis of the original spine angle. So, you start like this where the right wrist is flat and the left wrist is cupped and at the top it looks like this. What is the correct hand rotation on the backswing golf tip. Using the driver, i want you to leave your headcover on your driver and start your backswing. Fix that flat backswing the left arm towel drill youtube. Ultimately, you want to make sure that your left wrist is flat or bowed to begin your downswing.
Your lower body should begin rotating first, then your torso will follow. Jul 16, 2019 traditional golf ball position is wrong. The golf swing in its most simple form is a circle. Jul 16, 2014 5 thoughts on ben hogans secret in one picture buddhabob july 16, 2014 at 4. This makes the left arm fly too high in the backswing, effectively disconnecting it from the. The second problem, a backswing that is too long, is not as easy to tease out but has the potential of causing much more problems than a backswing that is too short. Nov 28, 2009 the top of the shoulder pivot drill there are so many benefits to having the shoulders pivot correctly. In this video youll learn what determines the bottom of your swing arc so that you can hit crisp iron shots every time and stop chunking the ball or topping it. Notice below how in dustin johnsons upright backswing, his left arm is. Tips for keeping left wrist flat instruction and playing. The basket really grows because this right arm, this shoulder, has the flexibility to go much further back. This is one of my favorite simple drills for a number of reasons.
Too often golfers especially beginners have too many movable parts during a swing. This makes the left arm fly too high in the backswing, effectively disconnecting it from. Once you understand it and work on it you will be in a better position as the club starts down. This onearm drill helps athletes intuitively swing the club on the proper plane and reconditions them to feel the role of both arms. Your left arm should still be connected to the left side of your chest. For righthanded golfers, the left arm is one of the most important aspects of the golf swing. With your left arm only, gently use the back of your iron and roll the ball away from the target line. Justin thomas shows us how to execute the no backswing swing as he warms up for this golf clinic. A flat left wrist at the top of the backswing is evident in the techniques of many elite golfers.
Michael breed shows how keeping the lead hand flat at the top of the backswing can improve ball striking and help you shoot lower scores. Your shoulder plane is flat if your shoulders turn on a more horizontal plane see figure 2. Dipping the forward shoulder in the backswing healthy living. It will feel laid off but that left feeling with the club is correct, you are now on plane. Ive worked on keeping that left wrist flat and it has improved my consistency, especially for my driver with which i was. From a full top of the backswing position, there needs to be an initial backward movement of the club head to bring it into proper position for the forward movement into the downswing, on plane, as illustrated in the following frame series. Swinging past parallel at the top above, left is okay for the pros, but it can hurt the posture of weekend golfersthe hands release too soon above, right, robbing you of power. Meandmygolf explain the flat swing plane and whether a flat swing plane can lead to poor contact. That makes the swing plane way too flat and forces the player to.
I like to call it the back arm takeaway because it would not be a right arm for left handed players, so for the sake of universality, well call it the back arm method. How to not let your left arm break down in a golf swing. Mar 29, 2019 to swing a driver, start by standing 3 steps behind the ball with your feet shoulder width apart. Whats the difference between a flat and upright backswing and why. One common phrase heard around driving ranges and golf courses is keep your left arm straight. Driving approach shots around the green bunker shots putting rules fitness.
Sometimes it is simply an effort to fix the kind of backswing mentioned aboveif the right arm pulls the club too far around the body, then the right arm and hand will need to push the club back through, trying to get back on path, and trying to get centered with the body which allows the clubface to square up. Golf has turned into a hightech sport, but even with swinganalysis software and. Then, swing the driver back down and straighten your arms as it approaches the ball. That 45degree backward bend that you set going back and retained coming down has to be there at impact, as the right arm straightens to the ball above. The backswing movement is dynamic and the following downswing is a continuation of this motion. The left arm should be straight at the top of the backswing. The backswing is a swing sequence that takes place immediately after the takeaway and will bring your club up until it reaches the top of the swing. Here is a video on how to fix a flat swing plane and is. I finally decide between scotty cameron and evnroll. Then, bend your knees and lean forward from the hips. This one arm drill helps athletes intuitively swing the club on the proper. The right arm golf swing sequence from setup to finish.