Soft Arms

[irhyper2]

How important are soft, relaxed, arms in the golf swing. and is there a drill, or swing thought, that would help maintain soft arms through the swing?

[msklar92]

Re: Soft Arms

If I had to rate it 10/10 being the most tense, arm tenseness about a 2-3 with grip strength about the same. Maybe a little more tension between the inside of the upper arm and the lateral part of the left side of the chest wall to maintain the arm-chest connection through the swing - this should be firm enough to hold a towel in place under your left armpit. More tension than this on the arms prevents you from feeling the clubhead and being able to respond to the movement of the chest turning away and to the target.

[irhyper2]

Re: Soft Arms

[quote=msklar92]If I had to rate it 10/10 being the most tense, arm tenseness about a 2-3 with grip strength about the same. quote]

Sorry, I was not referring to HOW MUCH tension one should apply. I am curious as to how too much tension affects your swing. I.E., using your example, if I applied a tension of say 8 or 10 (On a scale of 1-10), what effect would that have as opposed to a 2 or 3. Does it reduce distance drastically, cause an off line flight, inhibit a full finish etc.

[shootin4par]

Re: Soft Arms

[quote=irhyper2]

if I applied a tension of say 8 or 10 (On a scale of 1-10), what effect would that have as opposed to a 2 or 3. Does it reduce distance drastically, cause an off line flight, inhibit a full finish etc.

pretty much all of the above or more. How to help relieve tension in the swing, take a deep breath between each shot on the range, inhale through nose with your stomach expanding, exhale through the mouth slowly. there really are not any drills that relieve tension, that I am aware of

[msklar92]

Re: Soft Arms

too much tension, the right cannot fold on the backswing and the left arm cannot fold on the follow through leading to all sorts of problems.