Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

[GPF]

Various books I've read as well as pros I have seen either say it's the left arm dominates or it's the right. What are your thoughts on this?

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

GPF,

I think you have just started a great debate that will have loads of opinions that will differ from each other for different reasons.

For example people who come into golf from say tennis will say right arm dominant, people from cricket may say left( iwill let other continue....)

Me personally I think none, the arms play very little part in my swing, they are purely an extention of the club and remain relativley passive through out my swing. That said they do have to remain on plane and high in the backswing, but from there it's just gravity and speed produced by the turning of the torso.


Great thread.


Ian.

[pnearn]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

I agree with Ian. In the past when Ive tried to think left arm or right side or anything like that my swing goes missing. Your arms should form a triangle which should keep intact as long as possible on the backswing and reform as quickly as possible on the downswing and through impact. Your body turns the triangle along the swing plane

You may think about rotating your forearms through release but I would really guard against advice that says pull down with a straight left arm or hit with the right side as I think its very counter-productive .. trust me I've been there !

[Mr_Change]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

I myself find that in different parts of the swing each arm plays it's roll.

on my takeaway everything moves away together, from takeaway to top of swing my right arm bends to an l shape (rigth arm dominating) To start my down swing I use my whole left side to generate clubhead speed and my left arm whips it down as fast as I can (left arm dominating) just before impact my right side releashes all the store power and I drive through the impact area using my right arm (right arm dominating).

But this is my personal way of swinging the club it helps my to stay on plane and to get the most distance out of my shots.

[LowPost42]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

OK... I admit it... I'm a hitter... **sob, choke**

If I try to hit using my right side, I come from the outside and slice. My only hope is to pull with the left, making sure I start with the hips so that they're clear as I pull down from the top with my left arm.

[kiwi]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

As a right handed golfer I am definately left arm dominate.

[dlaville]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

Various books I've read as well as pros I have seen either say it's the left arm dominates or it's the right. What are your thoughts on this?

Either can dominate depending if you're a hitter or swinger. Hitters push the shaft and since you can only push from behind they are right side dominant. Swingers pull the shaft and since you can only pull from the front they are left side dominant.


Imagine the swing as a big bicycle wheel and you’re standing in the middle of it. Hitters will push against the spoke with a lateral force to turn the wheel. Swingers will pull the rim with a longitudinal force to turn the wheel.

[Mr_Change]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

hehehe, I must be a swinging hitter. I pull my club down with my left arm to generate my club head speed and push through impact with my right arm. but to tell the truth my left arm has more to do with generating swing speed and keep me on plane.

[mister hand]

Re: Left vs right *arm* dominates swing?

Hmm, well, I'm a lefty and after having played several days in a row or going to the range several days in a row, my left arm does get fatigued, which I guess would mean that I'm a hitter.

It might also explain the consistent pull I have managed to create, the only solution I've found being to slow down my backswing to the point where I feel like I'm watching myself on Minolta Swing-Vision™.