Straight Left Arm

[ole gray]

How many of you folks really focus on maintaining a straight left arm on your take away?  There are some good players who actually bend their elbow slightly and still maintain plenty of power.  J B Holmes comes to mind as a tour player and I'm sure lot's of senior golfers have to bend it to get any length in their swing.

[Flipper554]

How many of you folks really focus on maintaining a straight left arm on your take away?  There are some good players who actually bend their elbow slightly and still maintain plenty of power.  J B Holmes comes to mind as a tour player and I'm sure lot's of senior golfers have to bend it to get any length in their swing.

Don't focus on it just happens that way. When I was younger I had the full John Daly going, but now that age has kicked in I'm about parallel and have gained better accuracy and haven't lost much distance. A lot of the guys I play with have varying degrees of bend and play well. Think it's more how you learned and how flexible you were at that point. For the most part the guys with the most bend are the ones started playing later in life.

[ole gray]

You guys remember Calvin Peete?  He  couldn't straighten his elbow and was known as one of the straightest players ever off the tee. They say he never hit one OB.

[STUDque]

I used to focus super hard on the straight left elbow because why would you want yet another moving part in the swing? Since then, I have relaxed that restriction for two reasons:

 

1. I started to get pain on the outside of my left elbow because I was locking it out so hard

 

2. There's plenty of other pieces of the swing that allow/disallow the straight arm.

 

 

The eye opener for me was when I played with a scratch golfer. He didn't even come close to keeping his straight and still striped it all day long.

 

 

 

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[Shankster]

I don't even pay attention. But as I've said I'm as flexible as an oak tree. In the videos I've taken I have a slight bow on a full swing, and probably the rest of theme. I don't focus on this as much as I used to from high school days.

 

 

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[Flipper554]

You guys remember Calvin Peete?  He  couldn't straighten his elbow and was known as one of the straightest players ever off the tee. They say he never hit one OB.

I remember Calvin Peete and Jerry Pate winning with an orange ball.

[Rickp]

I used to focus super hard on the straight left elbow because why would you want yet another moving part in the swing? Since then, I have relaxed that restriction for two reasons:

 

1. I started to get pain on the outside of my left elbow because I was locking it out so hard

 

2. There's plenty of other pieces of the swing that allow/disallow the straight arm.

 

 

The eye opener for me was when I played with a scratch golfer. He didn't even come close to keeping his straight and still striped it all day long.

 

 

 

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I tried to force keeping my right arm straight (I'm LH) and it did add some distance. It also added a case of "golfer elbow" which I didn't appreciate. I'll take less distance thank you.

 

 

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[DiscipleofPenick]

Straight left arm at impact is what's important. You can't force it through the swing. And setting up with it can lead to slices.

 

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[Canucklehead]

I've never focused on keeping it straight. Have enough joint pain as it is!

 

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[cksurfdude]

Don't focus on it, but for me if it's straighter it usually means I'm in a better posture and am making a better turn away from the ball.. ie. it's just one piece of the whole. And, for me .. if those things are happening then I have a much better chance of making a better turn towards the ball and making better contact.

[dang3rtown]

If anything, I actually focus more on keeping my right arm straight. If my right arm stays extended (as much as possible), my left arm will stay straight and more importantly, I will get more trunk rotation/less "arms" only swing.

[10shot]

Straight left arm at impact is what's important. You can't force it through the swing. And setting up with it can lead to slices.

 

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Would agree, my ball will sure tell me if my left arm wasn't straight for sure. Nice crisp sound when that left arm snaps down at impact

 

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[Kenny B]

Straight left arm at impact is what's important. You can't force it through the swing. And setting up with it can lead to slices.

 

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I agree that it has to be straight at impact with hands leading.  However, with my single plane swing I always set up with my arm straight, in line with the club.  I hit a straight ball.

 

It doesn't matter if it bends a little in the backswing, as long as it doesn't collapse in towards the body.

[Lime Shark]

Discussions about keeping the arm straight always seem to go off base, because people have different images of what straight and bent mean. Some people assume that only ram-rod, hyper-flexed is straight. Some allow a little bend, but consider it straight.

 

The image below has a 10 degree bend in it.

 

 

I would consider an arm that is anywhere between this and ram-rod straight to be "straight" for golf purposes. Any arm bent more than this I would not consider to be straight for golf purposes.

 

I believe a straight arm at the top of the backswing is a golf fundamental. 

 

I also believe that actively focusing on keeping your arm straight in the downswing is an error. The same forces that are pulling your club head out during the downswing are also pulling on your arm. If you keep your arm relaxed in the downswing it will maintain its straight posture.

 

Be careful to set your arm straight at the top of the backswing, then forget about it. 

[djahubes]

If anything, I actually focus more on keeping my right arm straight. If my right arm stays extended (as much as possible), my left arm will stay straight and more importantly, I will get more trunk rotation/less "arms" only swing.

I also focus more on the right arm trying to keep straight as long as possible. Encourages a better turn and helps eliminate casting.

 

 

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[EthanSterlingPrice]

I'm gonna echo a few other fellas here when I say I started out with that as a focus but now it takes care of itself.

 

 

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[Bags]

How many of you folks really focus on maintaining a straight left arm on your take away? There are some good players who actually bend their elbow slightly and still maintain plenty of power. J B Holmes comes to mind as a tour player and I'm sure lot's of senior golfers have to bend it to get any length in their swing.

I keep it straight as possible but not ridged

 

 

Bags

[mooremikea]

I personally don't think keeping your left arm perfectly straight really helps.  There are plenty of good players that have a slight bend in the lead arm.  This is totally different than having the lead arm collapse at the top of the backswing.  If there is a collapse then that must be fixed.  I doubt this is what the OP is having an issue with but it seems to be the original source of "keep your left arm straight".  

[ole gray]

I personally don't think keeping your left arm perfectly straight really helps.  There are plenty of good players that have a slight bend in the lead arm.  This is totally different than having the lead arm collapse at the top of the backswing.  If there is a collapse then that must be fixed.  I doubt this is what the OP is having an issue with but it seems to be the original source of "keep your left arm straight".  

 

Exactly and there is no way this old golfer could keep a rigid left arm and turn.  My flexibility would not allow for much of a turn.. 

[Rickp]

Exactly and there is no way this old golfer could keep a rigid left arm and turn. My flexibility would not allow for much of a turn..

Exactly, my flexibility has been systematically removed from my body over the last 20 years! Never to return.

 

 

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[ole gray]

Exactly, my flexibility has been systematically removed from my body over the last 20 years! Never to return.

 

 

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The thing is us old guys have got to give up on our pride and ride the bicycle we have now. As good old Arnie said, "swing your swing" and make it work. Heck at some point in life you have to realize we're not gonna win a Green Jacket  .  Go out and have fun and do it with what ya got.   

[Rickp]

The thing is us old guys have got to give up on our pride and ride the bicycle we have now. As good old Arnie said, "swing your swing" and make it work. Heck at some point in life you have to realize we're not gonna win a Green Jacket . Go out and have fun and do it with what ya got.

Unfortunately I think my bike needs training wheels!

 

 

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[cksurfdude]

The thing is us old guys have got to give up on our pride and ride the bicycle we have now. As good old Arnie said, "swing your swing" and make it work. Heck at some point in life you have to realize we're not gonna win a Green Jacket . Go out and have fun and do it with what ya got.

That is sooooo spot on! We're *not* gonna be perfect .. but we can work to (try to...) perfect what we do have.....

[Eseay32]

When my left elbow “feels” like it's about to bend, that's when my backswing is finished. I've seen plenty of video and it's bending on the way back but when it feels like it's bending that's when I start my downswing. At that points it feels like the club is pointing at 12oclock but I get pretty parallel on the back swing

 

 

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[cksurfdude]

Just an fyi....

Here's a short vid of Colt Knost discussing what works for him with Steve Elkington (who's putting together an instructional site called "SecretGolf" with the help of some playing pros)..

https://twitter.com/SecretGolf/status/943481122721120256?s=09

[Kenny B]

Just an fyi....

Here's a short vid of Colt Knost discussing what works for him with Steve Elkington (who's putting together an instructional site called "SecretGolf" with the help of some playing pros)..

https://twitter.com/SecretGolf/status/943481122721120256?s=09

Did you sign up?

[TWar]

I have been consciously trying to keep my elbow straight.  Seems that I can keep a shorter swing and not lose distance but gain control.   The below hasn't started hurting yet so will continue until then... 

[ole gray]

Just an fyi....

Here's a short vid of Colt Knost discussing what works for him with Steve Elkington (who's putting together an instructional site called "SecretGolf" with the help of some playing pros)..

https://twitter.com/SecretGolf/status/943481122721120256?s=09

I saw that this morning! He's a big old boy and I bet his move would benefit some seniors too.

 

 

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[cksurfdude]

Did you sign up?

No .. just follow them on Twitter (so far, may give it a trial in the future) and click into the ones that appear of interest to me.

 

Have noticed, tho, that they're increasing the number of Tour pros who contribute - including a few of the ladies like Stacy Lewis and Gerina Pillar (and she can smack the ball .. hit like a girl? .. I wish!!!).

[cksurfdude]

I saw that this morning! He's a big old boy and I bet his move would benefit some seniors too.

 

 

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Exactly!