Trevor Ng
Keeping your elbows straight while playing golf is a challenging but important technique to master. Arguably the greatest golfer of all time, Jack Nicklaus, was known for keeping the club between his elbows during his swing, resulting in a more level downswing and a cleaner, more accurate and powerful hit. In this way, keeping your elbows straight can improve your game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Have a more level downswing, cleaner hit, more distance and accuracy |
| How to | Keep the club between your elbows, shoulders |
| Who Follows | Jack Nicklaus |
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What You'll Learn
Keep the club between your elbows
Keeping the club between your elbows is a key technique for improving your golf swing. It is a method employed by the greatest golfer of all time, Jack Nicklaus, who won 117 professional tournaments in his career. By keeping the club between your elbows, you can achieve a more level downswing, allowing for a cleaner hit with increased distance and accuracy. This technique also reduces the chance of chunking or slicing your shot.
To keep the club between your elbows, it is important to start with your address. Stretch your arms out and push your palms into the ground, feeling the stretch as you take the club back into your backswing. Maintain this push throughout your swing, keeping your arms pushing outwards. As you reach the top of your backswing, check that your lead arm is straight and that your elbows are not separated, but remain close to your body. This will help you to maintain a straight lead arm and avoid excessive elbow flex.
When the shaft is parallel to the ground, check again that your lead arm is straight. Many golfers struggle with excessive elbow flex at this point, which can cause the club to dig into the ground at impact. Keeping your arms pushing outwards and maintaining a straight lead arm will help you to avoid this problem.
It is also important to maintain a consistent distance between your elbows and your body throughout the swing. This helps to prevent any unnecessary bending or collapsing of the elbow, which can result in a loss of power and control. Additionally, avoid overextending or locking out your trail elbow (right elbow for right-handed golfers) at the top of your backswing. This can create tension and restrict your range of motion, making it difficult to maintain proper elbow alignment during the downswing.
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Keep your hands close to your body
Keeping your hands close to your body in the downswing is a key part of a successful golf swing. Your hands and arms play a major role in your swing, helping you to generate power and control your direction.
One common issue that golfers face is their hands pushing out at the ball in the downswing, which can cause a shank or a pull hook. This can happen when your hands flip over to try and save the swing. It is important to focus on keeping your torso steady, allowing your hands and arms to deliver the club with maximum speed and accuracy.
To prevent your hands from pushing out, you can try a drill where you hold a towel or glove under your right armpit when you swing and don't let it drop. You can also try visualising pointing the butt of the club down the target line during your backswing, which will help you achieve a better position to unleash your power.
Another tip is to focus on timing the turn with your arms down in the downswing. This can help you achieve a more consistent swing and improve your accuracy.
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Avoid whipping the club on the backswing
While a whipping action is desirable in golf, it is important to avoid whipping the club on the backswing. The backswing should essentially be a fluid 'loading' motion. The club can be loaded early, gradually, or late, as long as it is fully loaded at the top of the backswing or no later than the transition move into the downswing.
To avoid whipping the club on the backswing, try moving your left shoulder down more, with less forearm roll. This will prevent the 'loop' from coming back over the top and cutting or slicing the golf shot.
Another way to avoid whipping the club on the backswing is to develop the opposite loop. This involves making the shaft a little steeper going back, with the club head higher earlier, and the shaft shallower coming down, with the club head lower.
Additionally, it is important to note that the backswing should be a windup to whip the club into the ball. This pause happens naturally and can help you achieve a powerful whip action.
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Avoid laying the club off at the top of the swing
Keeping your elbow straight in golf is an important part of mastering your swing. Laying the club off at the top of the swing can cause the club shaft to become almost parallel to the ground, which will negatively impact your swing. Here are some tips to avoid doing this:
Firstly, it is important to understand what laying off the club means. It happens when the lead arm rotates on the backswing, causing the clubhead to get too far on the inside. This can result in the club shaft becoming parallel to the ground, which will impact the downswing.
To avoid this, practice taking the club back slowly. You want to get to the point where you can take your regular backswing speed without touching a wall. This will help you get a sense of the correct sensation. You can also try breaking the backswing into two different pieces, which will help you get comfortable with the correct motion.
Another tip is to focus on your forearm and palm positioning. Practice supinating your forearm, which is when your palms face up to the sky. This will help to get the club from being laid off to being more over your shoulders. You can also try to ensure that your right elbow is at a 90-degree angle, square and perpendicular to the ground.
Finally, when addressing the ball, ensure that the shaft of the club is pointing parallel to the target line. This will help ensure that your swing is on plane and that you are not laying the club off at the top.
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Minimise elbow movement
Keeping your elbows straight during a golf swing can be challenging, even for experienced golfers. Minimising elbow movement is a key aspect of improving your game and achieving a more level downswing. By reducing the movement of your elbows, you can ensure that the clubface remains between your elbows throughout the swing, leading to a cleaner hit with increased distance and accuracy.
To minimise elbow movement, it is essential to focus on the placement of your hands and the positioning of the club during the backswing. Ensure that your hands are not too far forward at the address, as this can cause the club to slip out of the ideal position between your elbows. Maintaining proper hand placement will help keep the clubface between your elbows during the entire swing.
Another crucial factor in minimising elbow movement is avoiding excessive whipping of the club during the backswing. Excessive club whipping can easily lead to the club escaping from between your elbows, disrupting the smoothness and accuracy of your swing. Instead, focus on controlled and deliberate movements to keep the club in the correct position.
Additionally, pay attention to the transition at the top of your swing. Many golfers tend to lay the club off too much during this phase, which can cause the club to move out of alignment with your elbows. While laying the club off is considered trendy, prioritising minimal elbow movement will help you achieve more consistent and accurate shots.
By following these guidelines and keeping the clubface between your elbows, you can significantly minimise elbow movement during your golf swing. This technique, popularised by the legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, will help you strike the ball more cleanly and accurately, leading to noticeable improvements in your game.
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Frequently asked questions
Keeping your elbows straight in your golf swing helps you achieve a more level downswing, which will improve contact with the ball, leading to increased distance and accuracy.
One tip is to focus on keeping the club between your elbows, like Jack Nicklaus, who is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time.
According to Top 100 Teacher Brian Manzella, one mistake is placing your hands too far forward at the address. Another mistake is whipping the club around during the backswing, which causes the club to fall outside of your elbows.
While keeping your elbows straight is important, it's also crucial to focus on other fundamentals of a good golf swing, such as maintaining a steady rhythm and tempo, and pivoting with your body rather than just your arms.
