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Ross Mar 31, 2021
The back elbow (right for a right hander), will bend a little on a full backswing. it is not crucial that it bends, but might restrict the amount of shoulder turn in a swing that keeps it straight. I have a “drill” that demonstrates keeping both arms straight, only to show how removing variables (the elbows bending), can’t improve that golf swing… but that is just a drill. If something works for you and gives you confidence, use it. Golf is not about a perfect swing… it is about having fun. My method offers ways to make a golf swing more reliable and hopefully more enjoyable.Ross Aug 13, 2014
1. The arms hang. Since the elbows are close together, the arms hang on top of the pecs (chest). Different length clubs create a different distance from the body. I have many videos that explain this.2. No, the elbows do not stay in contact with the body. The shoulders move the arms/club around the spine. Elbows stay close… back elbow bends on the backswing and the front elbow bends after impact.
Ross Mar 06
If you think, at the top of the swing, that the arms/club are in a sense “weightless” (since the shoulders moved them to the top of the backswing), as they change direction, and gravity starts to pull them back down, the arms/club can easily be “moved” or “pulled down” essentially “milking” gravity or “using” gravity by unwinding the body. It is kind of like a child on a swing as it finishes one direction, there is a weightless sense for a second, then gravity takes over, and the swing changes direction and speeds up. Well, as this happens in the golf swing, the body’s rotation takes advantage of this and “helps” the arms/club back down and around to the left (right hander). In other words… “The body Swings the Arms/Club”. Watch the “Ross Move” to learn more. Or search the forums here for more discussions on this.Ross May 04
Thanks, Dan. I love left-handers. My wife is a lefty. That is why I try to refer to body parts (that we have two of) as, front or back with respect to the target … and add for a left-hander or for a right-hander after using terms like turns, moves, “Left or Right”. It can be challenging to not confuse or get confused! ?Ross May 02
Hey Dan
First: Dan, I need to tell everyone you are “left-handed”, so they understand your use of the words “to the right” is “to the left” for a (right-hander).Second: Yes, to your (artificially change the direction of the club), because if you swing down the line (traditional instruction) you have disconnected and manufactured that movement with the hands, because … passive arms/hands will follow the rotation of the body. I have tried to say in my lesson videos and other posts, that the butt of the club should lead the club face at impact and then move around to the left for a (right-hander). This happens because the body is rotating and the arms/club will follow the rotation. The club head will release shortly after impact (or not if held for special shots).
Ross Jul 17, 2014
It teaches the hands to work with the body. All the pieces work in harmony once learned. Just like throwing a ball, all the body parts work together to move the arm… and you let go.Ross Jul 15, 2014
Hi Ron
I have (and still use) the door jamb for various simulations. If you give me the page you saw this on I will clarify. I do use this reference in my “tool tips” (see below).You can use a door jamb at ground level to simulate impact. Pretend the bottom of the door jamb is the ball. Using a golf club, set the club head up against the jamb, just inside your front foot. You can them unwind your hips a little (like turning through impact), pushing up against the jamb to simulate impact. This sends a great imprint to your brain. It kind of maps how all the body parts are (should be) working together, turning, trapping the ball at impact. Just keep repeating this impact position and hold impact a few seconds, and surprisingly, you’ll start to feel impact position during your swing. It is like your body is now familiar with how you want impact to feel like, because you’ve been practicing it. With practice, the body will do it!
* Nothing “happens” in this position. It is a dynamic position… kind of a moment where things come together as you are rotating and accelerating around to the finish.
Ross 12 days ago
No worries. This is a tough element in the golf swing. You can even create different kinds of shot results using different grip pressures on purpose… but that’s a whole new ball of wax as they say.Ross 12 days ago
The ideal grip pressure for every golfer, is about controlling the club so it does not “flop” or “flip”. I use the term “flop” to replace the word “hinge” (they had different meanings). Here are my definitions so you understand the difference.Flop: If when the grip pressure is light or soft, and the shoulders do move the club and arms to a point in the backswing, where the club shaft/head starts to fall (towards the golfer) due to the weight of the club head passing over the top of the shaft… or, in other words, where the club head passes the grip. This is difficult to explain but, what happens with a light grip is, the wrists hinge without the actually being activated. The wrists are not moving the club, the weight of the club head falling pass the center line of the shaft (due to gravity) is hinging the wrists… or the club “Flops”.
Hinge: The wrist muscles contract and bend to prepare the hands to throw the club head at the ball (like and axe at a tree).
Flip: Flip or flipping is the result of the wrists having been hinged (either by flop or hinge) and now have the need for the opposite reaction* … to be un-hinged and this many times results in the club head passing the butt end of the shaft just before impact, resulting in thin shot, weak shop, opened or closed club face and other bad things. Many times if there was control on the backswing, there is no (opposite reaction) need to “flip” and the body can just rotate and trap the ball.
Restrict the shoulders: If the golfer grips the club so hard that the arms also tighten … or the arms extended and elbows towards each other with a very firm grip, can hinder or restrict the shoulders from turning freely.
… again, grip pressure (with my method) is about controlling the club just enough that you don’t “restrict the shoulders” (too tight)… let the club head “flop” in the backswing… or “flip” into or just after impact.
* There is a saying: For every “Action” there is an opposite and equal “Reaction”. This means if you ‘do something’ the energy potential stored will have the need to ‘un-do’ it. Like a child on a swing… if you push them one way, as some point the potential energy will want to do the opposite.
Ross Jul 09, 2021
Great… and try to keep it there through impact. Just after impact, the club will release on a full shot. Don’t confuse this with the Fixed Wrist Drill I have in the Lesson Videos that teaches you how to maintain the wrist angle through impact all the way to the finish (and is a great technique for short shots around the green). That is a special use.Ross Jul 09, 2021
Yes, because this is how the wrists must be at impact. The back wrist is bent in and holding to keep the left wrist flat or even bowed out a little. If you start any other way at setup, then you’ll have to find this critical position during the swing before impact. It is also why hinging during the back swing does not help, but only causes problems.Ross Jul 05, 2021
In a way it is similar to how I teach, in that the arms hang under the shoulders so you can just “rock” your shoulders and (if done correctly without anything changing) the path will straight back and return the same path through. Now, it is critical that the body lines are perfectly parallel to each other and the face of the putter is exactly 90° to the path. Ball position is important (more forward). Also, he leads the top of the shaft ahead of the putter head which is also very important to achieve the correct roll after impact with the ball. You want to make contact with the ball after the bottom of the swing arc, so you’re making contact on the upswing. Nothing but the shoulders can move during the stroke.Ross Jan 03
I do not have a specific drill to “correct” an over the top swing. That term is not something I use since it does not say what the issue is and it means different things to different golfers. One example is: If the arms/hands continue lifting higher on their own once the shoulders have finished the backswing, and the hands allow the wrists to hinge or the club drops at the top of the swing, then arms/club are kind of wrapped around the back of the neck creating the need for the hands to grab the club and take over moving first on the downswing… trying to get back down to impact. Another example: The hips start the backswing (instead of the shoulders), and over rotate the body bringing the club way inside creating the need at the top to get the arms/club back down in front. All these problems disappear when you use only the Large Muscles to control the arms/club. Use the Shoulders only on the backswing (not allowing the arms/wrists to lift and hinge)… that way they’re totally controlled by large muscles… then the body can unwind all the way to the finish. I would suggest… The Finish Drill. The Stop Rotate Drill. The Large Muscles Drill. To teach your body how to let the Large Muscles do the work.