One of the biggest keys to having a great golf swing is how the club is initially taken back. Most amateurs unfortunately tend to overlook this part of the swing and thus can cause a multitude of issues through impact. The most important element overlooked in the initial takeaway is how the left arm is functioning. The left arm is vital in creating the ideal swing path and body turn.
Most amateurs do tend to push their left arm away from their body during the backswing. This inevitably causes disconnection between the arms and the body. This move is the biggest reason for 'heel' strikes or 'shanks' as the when the club moves away from the body, the club will tend to also be away from the body at impact. Having the arms push away can also have the effect of having the swing path quite upright causing 'slice' shots and 'pull' shots and loss of balance as the the arms and body become disjointed.
The correct way for the left arm to function is to feel as though the arm is sliding across and behind the chest. You want to feel, along with the left arm, that the hands are also moving across. As you do this, you want to ensure the radius between the body and the club maintains. One last element to this is that as you move the left arm across your chest, the club head should stay out in front. This will ensure that you create the correct path and connection with the body.
When you perform this move correctly, you will also find that the chest starts to rotate as well. This is the exact feeling you want as the arms will tend to stay in front of the chest. One last checkpoint as mentioned in previous posts, is that when the club reaches parallel to the ground, the clubhead and the hands should be in a straight line. The 'toe' of the club should also be pointed to the sky.
If you'd like any further help in how to effectively use your left arm, just contact myself at David Waters Golf.
Comments