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Ross Nov 25, 2018
Without going into details… the chest/arm connection can create a stiffness, where the chest restricts or even stops the shoulders. There should always be shoulder freedom (except for a slight tightening at the very top of the backswing just before the downswing. I think you’re okay, as long as you’re unwinding (on the downswing) and not thinking that the arms/chest/hips all realign through impact (like setup)… they don’t. They’re in a dynamic unwinding movement while turning all the way to the finish. In other words, your upper front arm never “attaches”. Hope this answers your question.Ross Sep 30, 2018
No, just keeping the elbows close does not automatically bring the arms/elbows back down in front. That is what the Ross Move helps with. It is very easy to leave the arms behind. Usually this happens because the arms did some lifting on their own vs. letting the shoulder turn control them. Many golfers get the arms too high or across the body and they end up stuck behind. Practice with shorter backswings to help you learn the feeling of using the body’s rotation on the downswing to bring the arms back down in front.Ross Sep 29, 2018
Yes, the back (right) elbow is still bent as it passes through impact. It will straighten out a little past impact. Also, the back elbow does not have to be straight at setup. I do think the back elbow should point back at the back hip at setup, and point again at the back hip through impact on the downswing, to help it stay close to the front elbow.Ross Oct 27, 2019
The Ross Move video is describing how the arms/elbows are not left behind when the body starts unwinding on the downswing, but are actually being moved back down. The Ross Move pulls the elbows/club down “back in front”… not “at the ball”. The downswing is a continuous dynamic move from the top of the backswing, back down and to the finish. The Ross Move is explaining that the arms/elbows need to come along for the ride, and should return back in front of the body* as the body unwinds through the hitting area. Dragging the handle is a term I use to help stop golfers from throwing the club head into the ball. After impact the club head will pass the hands and release on its own for a basic shot. The reason I use the “dragging the handle” term is… many golfers are taught to release the club head into the ball and then point the club head and shaft at the target, after impact. With my method that does not really happen because, the golf swing is rotary not linear. So, in the body rotation video I’m exaggerating the concept of the arms/club shaft being moved (by the body rotation) to the left for a right handed golfer.* This does not mean everything is exactly lined up static like setup, the body is still unwinding, turning to the finish. It just feels like the elbows have returned in front vs. left behind.
I don’t recommend clubs. I would however not buy clubs with correction build in (like offset hosels) or closed/open face… I would try many different say 6-7 irons at the range and then you choose which one you believe feels the best to you. That is the most important factor.
Ross Apr 05, 2020
Yes… no lift. Just let your arms get moved by your shoulder turn. Sometimes turning the shoulders a little faster helps create momentum to carry the arms to the top. The top is when your shoulders have turned as far as they can turn and they may have turned the hips a little too if needed on full swings.Yes, you need the shoulders to start first (like a head start) and move the club head about 1-2 feet. This takes the slack out of your back muscles … then as the shoulders keep turning, they’ll turn the hips a little. You don’t want the hips turning on their own.
Ross Apr 05, 2020
Hi Anthony
First, No the hips do not slow down. It is not a pull straight down… the arms don’t do anything. The arms/elbows are being pulled down by gravity as the body starts unwinding (from ground up*) at the start of the downswing. The body unwinds at a pace that will hopefully bring the elbows back in front of the body.One thing that might be affecting your backswing, hampering your downswing, is… on the backswing you might be using your arms/hands to help “lift” or “finish”, so they’re activating themselves to help get you to the top of your backswing. Then they’re kind of “resisting” and “restricting” gravity making it difficult for them to drop. Ideally, the shoulders will control and dominate the arms on the backswing, so there would be no lift with the arms and then they’d be ready to just follow (without resistance) back down.
Keep in mind, the elbows back in front, is an ideal position… to prevent a need to flip because the back (right) elbow got stuck on the downswing.
* This unwinding is like the forward movement when you throw a ball (except no weight shift). The body unwinds from ground up.
Ross Apr 01, 2020
Just a thought… Since you can’t physically play golf at the course, you can do something I use to do for “Mental” practice (and it helps)… Sit down somewhere comfortable and close your eyes and relax. Then imagine yourself at the golf course you want to practice. Then in your mind, start your perfect round. Visualize yourself from every point on the course… where you’d tee off… where you’d take your next shot… imagine looking up, seeing the green from a perfect drive right in the middle of the fairway. You get the idea. This is very hard to do at first. You have to “stay in the moment”. It is tough to do this for every shot and putt, but will become easier with practice.I also use’d to imagine putting and chipping from different areas around all the greens. Try to remember all the breaks and quirks that each green has. Imagine seeing the ball roll on the perfect line at the perfect speed.
This is a form of Mental practice. It too can improve your game. Then the next time you play, when you get to the shot (you imagined in your mind during your mental practice), you can recall taking it as a “perfect shot”… trust that image and tell yourself (just repeat that swing) and go! Then enjoy improving.
Ross Jan 21, 2020
Hi Dave. First, the elbows only point at the hips at setup and again through impact*. They don’t keep pointing at the hips during the backswing. Watch the Shoulder Turn Lesson Video for more on this. Yes the right (back) elbow does bend a little on the backswing. There have been discussions on this if you search. Keeping the elbows pinched helps a lot of things. Nothing to add if it is working for you. Taking a deep breath through your nose and holding a few seconds, then releasing the air just before you start your Routine is a great way to relax right before you take your shot. Good to hear from you Dave… glad you’re making progress !!* Remember at impact the hips are slightly opened due to the body unwinding… so the elbows/hips don’t line up exactly like they were at setup.
Ross Jan 19, 2020
The whole upper torso does not turn back down like it is a separate thing. We are unwinding from ground up like a rubber band. On the downswing, the body essentially is unwinding in the opposite direction. The right or back elbow will open up on its own due to inertia. You don’t want to activate muscles in the hands/arms to try to make it open. The elbow (in general) is still a little bent when, it arrives in front of the back hip just before impact. The back arm will eventually straighten out after impact.The elbows get back in front, when the body unwinding, brings them back down through impact. It is like the body “swings” the arms/club back down and through impact. I don’t usually use the word “swing” because a “swing” stays on one path and is not “turning”… but it is as if it was a “swing” that the body was moving in a rotary path.
Ross Apr 20, 2020
Yes, exactly! You should feel balanced in all directions once centered. Watch Athletic Setup.Ross Apr 27, 2020
No… and you are totally correct. The video was made before I discovered just keeping the shape from impact. There have been discussions on this in the forums. Here is a link to a post also in the Blog… https://movelessgetgood.com/to-hinge-or-not-to-hinge/
This will help explain… RossRoss Jan 04, 2020
Watch the lesson video “Square Club Face” in the Swing Section. It will explain. In general the Leading Edge will be “roughly” at a 45° angle “roughly” about waist high (everyone different). Most golfers use their hands to help take the club back on the backswing in they usually open the club face by rolling the face open. With my method we use the shoulders to take the arms/club back on the backswing. If a golfer truly uses the shoulders on the backswing, the face should just remain how it was at setup and that would have the leading edge at about 45° at waist high.Ross May 18, 2020
No, you want to focus more on the large muscles… it is an abbreviated movement to get the body to move the arms.In an actual swing on the backswing the front arm (left arm for a right handed golfer) will stay straight and the back arm (right arm for a right handed golfer) will eventually bend a little … then on the forward swing the right arm will straighten out and left elbow will bend down (not out that’s a chicken wing). At the very finish on a full swing, most of the time, both arms will bend unless using an advanced shot like holding off the toe from turning over to carve or cut a controlled shot.