Left arm cutting across right shoulder

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Simon

Youre probably gripping the club a little tight. Distance comes from the width and coil you can get on the backswing, maybe try and feel a really wide takeaway and a big turn before pulling the hands down. 2 other things to try and work on. Maitain the angle between your left arm and club to build lag and also (obvious but one we all struggle with) try and ensure you keep you head and upper body behind the ball as you start down

The pump drill is great for ingraining this


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[Simon Woo]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Thanks pnearn. But for some reason, I am unable to see the video.

My 7 iron ball flight is really high. I've tried putting the ball further back but it still goes very high. Does that say something?

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Thanks pnearn. But for some reason, I am unable to see the video.

My 7 iron ball flight is really high. I've tried putting the ball further back but it still goes very high. Does that say something?

What distance do you get with your 7i Simon. Nothing wrong with a high ball flight, its easier to control and stops quicker. Guys like Tiger and Jack hit the ball very high with short irons

[Simon Woo]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

This is embarassing. I am only getting about 110yds with my 7i. I'm sure I'm not swinging as fast as I can, but I'm also trying to make sure I have all the swing techniques right... I can get good contact with the ball - that helps it to get to 110yds, but I'm sure in addition to swinger faster to make it go further, there must be something to do with technique.

Standing at about 5'6" and weighing about 136lbs, I am targeting to get about 140yds with my 7i. And I am hoping a faster swing speed plus correct swing technique will help add that extra 40yds that I need to get there

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Difficult to say without seeing your swing Simon but my initial guess is you may be casting a little and not hitting down on the back of the ball

Try and feel in the first part of your downswing that you hold the wrist angle you created at the top of your backswing. Then halfway down fully release it down the target line. Hold and relase, hold and release. This shoud make sure you club hits down on the ball at a higer speed and your trajectory and distance should improve

let us know how you get on

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Simon

I spoke to my head pro about this yesterday and his view is your swing may be too steep. Stand closer to the ball so the gap between the butt and your top of the thighs is about 6 inches, your hands should be under your chin and your arms hanging straight down

Now turn the shoulders to the top and make sure you left wrist is flat at the top of your backswing. Then swing down and through from there in a wider U shape

[Simon Woo]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Thanks pnearn. I have not taken a video of my iron shots before. Will try to do so soon and post it up.

Been making a couple of changes to my swing lately. Looked at the mirror at the range and realised I might be overswinging at the backswing. It sure looks more than how it feels. So I've cut my backswing short just slightly, and realised I get much more feel and control and solid contact at impact. I've also tried to keep my right elbow closer to my body, pointing it more down than my current chicken swing. Guess I was trying to get as wide a swing arc as I could right from time beginning, and I think that also contributed to me having less control and less speed on the downswing. But I am not sure how close I should keep my right elbow to my body. I know I've been keeping it way too far all this while, but neither do I want to over-compensate now. So question : say with the 7 iron and 4 wood, should my right elbow be more or less in the same position?

I'm still not sure how to do the first move "down" to get on plane and to keep the wrists cupped as long as possible. Seems like one of the least intuitive thing for me in the whole golf swing

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Simon

Believe me I have been where you are!. I got overcooked with the theory of width in the backswing a while back and the whole straight left arm concept. I ended up focusing so much on this that my left elbow 'locked' and my wrists wouldnt naturally rotate meaning i had to 'put' them in position at the top. I found out the hard way this is bad, bad bad !

By just turning your shoulders and trying to keep your hips still ( i.e. your belt buckle facing the target) at halfway back the club should be parallel to the ground and the club face at the same angle as your spine tilt. At this point your clubhead should be EXACTLY level with your hands which should be EXACTLY pointed along the line of your feet to the target

Golf is a game of straight lines

From there the wrists should hinge naturally so 3/4 back the club should be pointed skyward. If this isnt happening you are trying to force width and this isnt good. From 3/4 you just complete the turn so you arm is in a line up through your left shoulder, there is a slight kink in the elbow (it shoudlnt be locked so your left arm is gun barrel straight) and your wrists have fully hinged. Check your left wirst is flat, your clubface is square and pointing down the line and you have maintained flex in your right knee

If like me youve been focused on extension rather than coil this will feel much much shorter. But its right !

Do nothing else until you can get into this position again and again and again. Then and only then can you transition and hit the ball. There are different ways to transition and you will learn that too but I learnt you MUST master the right backswing move to have any chance to hit the ball good coming down

[Simon Woo]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Thanks pnearn. I'm curious. How far is your right elbow from your body at the top of your backswing? I think I tend to move it too far away, and also my right palm is not facing up and hence my left wrist is a bit cupped (all at the top of my backswing). Are you supposed to be literally able to hold a tray if you opened your right fingers, ie. the right palm should be facing the sky on a horizontal plane?

I think keeping my right elbow closer to the body will help prevent me from taking too wide an arc, and what would the waiter right hand and straight left wrist help to correct?

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

The classic position is to have a flat left wrist and a right elbow pointing to the ground. However if you make a level shoulder turn with a good grip this should happen automatically

If it isnt you 'may' be fanning the club open on the takeaway with excessive rotation of the left forearm

Try and think of the backswing in two parts. Takeaway and Pivot. Practice the takeaway over and over until its right before you even start the pivot

Takeaway. Here simply use your shoulders to turn the triangle until the club is parallel to the ground. Try and feel as though as though you take the club back low and slow and keep your left wrist looking at the ball, your forearm shouldnt rotate with hand motion, only by the turning shoulder motion. This builds extension and power. When the club is parallel the triangle should still be intact (maybe a little bit of right elbow fold), the wrists may have just started to hinge but not a great deal but MOST IMPORTANTLY (a) the club shaft should point along the target line with the club head level or slightly outside of your hands andb (b) the angle of the club face should be the same as your spine. It shouldnt be facing the ground or the sky

The second move from here is the pivot. This is simply turning your shoulders further so that the arms lift, the wrists hinge, the right elbow folds, the right shoulder moves behind your head and your back turns to the target. Dont force this move by trying to lift your arms or cock your wrists. These are death moves. After this (at the top) your left arm should be straight (but not locked) your left wrist flat, your right elbow pointing to the ground and your right palm facing upward (like the waiter) but dont worry if its not 90 degrees, you'll have more problems if you try and force it there

A good visual drill is to put yourself in the right takeaway position and then do the pivot. You will then feel and see all these things at the top. Once you can master both of these motions seperately start blending them together

[Simon Woo]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Thanks pnearn you might have a point there. I have stopped pulling the club back low, so perhaps I was fanning as you said. With the woods, I bear in mind to keep the club going back low and slow, and therefore am getting much better results with my woods now than my irons.

I'm curious though, people don't really talk much about how far around the club goes. Or maybe more accurately it should refer to how much of a shoulder rotation. I know with the woods, I practically turn my body so that my back is facing the target. What about the irons? I think in doing that for the woods, it kinds screwed up my irons position...

[pnearn]

Re: Left arm cutting across right shoulder

Thanks pnearn you might have a point there. I have stopped pulling the club back low, so perhaps I was fanning as you said. With the woods, I bear in mind to keep the club going back low and slow, and therefore am getting much better results with my woods now than my irons.

I'm curious though, people don't really talk much about how far around the club goes. Or maybe more accurately it should refer to how much of a shoulder rotation. I know with the woods, I practically turn my body so that my back is facing the target. What about the irons? I think in doing that for the woods, it kinds screwed up my irons position...

Simon, IMHO you should turn your shoulders just the same on all swings. However as you stand closer to the ball with short irons and are more bent over from the hips this turn will lead to a steeper swing plane. Provided you keep your spine angle constant turning your shoulders will take the club where it should go. This may also explain why youre having trouble with the short irons on the other thread

Try simply taking half swings where you turn your shoulders halfway back and then swing through. Try and take the hands and tight grip out of the swing