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From Duncan,
golfer: |
|
I played semi-pro baseball for several years and started
with a batter's grip (right hand under the club). My instructor finally
corrected this but cannot get me to keep my right elbow down in the back swing
which leads to a huge slice. We have tried head covers under the right arm and
some back swing turning drills but I always revert back to this flying right
elbow and it looks pretty ugly. I seem to dip my left shoulder going back,
also, and sway my hips. I am 6'2" and have gained a few pounds recently
to 275. Please help. Thanks. |
|
PGA/LPGA
TEACHING
PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSES: |
California
"Hi Duncan:
Moving your right hand more on top is a weaker position than you
had before. The weaker position equates to an open club face.
Although your new right hand position is not a weak grip, we need
to check your left hand. You should have the heel of your left
hand on top of the grip(12 o'clock) and be able to see two to 2.5
knuckles of your left hand at address. I'm also curious if you are
interlocking or overlapping your pinkie finger of your rt hand.
The bottom of the grip (6 o'clock) should not be too close to the
palm of your rt hand but just inside the first row of knuckles of
your right hand. There should be a good connection/puzzle piece
with the lifeline of your right hand and your left thumb. If you
maintain that connection on your back swing you will not fly your
right elbow.
Try
putting some grass or a twig on your left thumb and then cover it
with the lifeline of your rt hand, then make some swings without
the grass or a twig falling out. The head cover under the armpit
is not good as the rt elbow should be away from your body on the
back swing and drop or freefall close to your body on the
downswing. It's hard to diagnose w/out seeing your swing/setup. A
good impact position in golf is similar to baseball. An impact bag
would be a good learning aid. You could work on the back of your
left hand flattening at impact to square the clubface. Visualize
your two knuckles visual at address not being visible at impact
and your fingernails of your left hand being visible. This is
similar to the face of your watch facing the target at impact, the
face of your watch would face to the right at address.
Dipping
the left shoulder and swaying the right leg/hip are related. I
would question your posture. You need to bend from your hip
sockets(2"-3") below your hip bones. When you bend
correctly your legs will straighten, also maintain a fist distance
between your chin and your chest. You need to stick your butt up
and out to keep your back straighter. You could be dipping your
left shoulder to avoid your chin which will push your rt leg out.
You need to feel like your left shoulder stays taller and your rt
hip swivels behind you similar to a baseball pitchers wind up. The
lower body sway on the back swing produces a reverse weight shift
and leads to an outside in swing path. You can create a slight
lower body sway towards the target to start downswing when you
correct your reverse weight shift. When your left hip shifts
laterally to start the down swing the club will drop into the
"slot" producing a path approaching more from the
inside. This is similar to stepping into the pitch before the bat
comes forward. Another possibility to the reverse shift is trying
to lift the ball as opposed to hitting down on the ball. I hope
this give you some insight. Feel free to call me at Porter Valley
@818-360-1071x238 w ?s."
- Garry
Finneran, Teaching Professional
|
Florida
"Dear Duncan: First things first stretch out see a
physical fitness trainer (healthsouth) for some exercises that
maybe corrective to your flying right elbow (tight traps). After
that put your right leg up against a firm object and turn without
moving your right knee; you may even want to turn feeling your
left shoulder going higher. Good luck!" - Sean
Gorgone, Teaching Professional
|
Florida
"Make sure that your right elbow points in the general
direction of your right hip at address. Right hand dominant people
tend to have the right elbow pointing away from the target which
can inhibit the correct folding of the right elbow during the
back-swing." - David
Balbi, Teaching Professional
|
Florida
"Dear
Duncan: By the sound of things, your setup is not allowing you
to make the swing you desire.
If your right hip kicks out and the left shoulder works down too
much, it is virtually impossible for your right arm to work
correctly. While weakening your right hand so the "V"
point to your right collar bone
is a good change, it can cause your right side to get too
"high" at address. This means that the shoulders are
too level and the right arm is too extended and rigid. In order
to find the correct shoulder tilt at address, simply get into a
good posture without a club. Clap your hands together in front
of you so your fingertips are end to end. Now simply lower your
right hand about 3 inches. That will in turn lower your right
shoulder by 3 inches. This is the perfect shoulder tilt to start
with. There is one more problem to address. As the right
shoulder lowers weight is placed more on top of the right foot.
To counter act this, simply shift your hips a couple of inches
toward the target. It is this position, the
right shoulder lower than the left, and the hips pressed toward
the target that allows us to make the proper back swing. The
relaxed right arm and shoulder allows the right elbow to fold
naturally in the back swing. The forward press of the hips
allows are right leg to now act as a brace in the back swing so
our hips don't slide away from the target. I am confident these
few setup keys will make the back swing more of a reaction,
rather than a manipulation. If the right arm still won't fold
correctly, make sure that the right elbow point to the right hip
at address. If the right elbow points directly away from you it
will never work properly. Hopefully the new setup will take care
of everything, but if you have any further question, please
contact me at (305)591-6409, or (419)535-9756."
- Jason
Carbone, Teaching Professional
|
Minnesota
"Instead of focusing on the elbow, make sure that your
right palm stays connected to your left thumb during your back
swing." - Jim
Manthis, Master Professional |
Missouri
"Be careful with the head cover
under the arm. When doing this, notice that you take the
club more inside. This can get you into trouble on the downswing
& also to laid off. When you set up to the ball, turn
your right elbow in. Then when you take the club back,
focus on not bending the right elbow till about the 9 O'clock
position. When you get it to the top, look at your right
elbow, it should now be down."
- David
Mulso, Teaching Professional
|
| Oregon
|
South
Carolina
"Duncan: Here is the deal, the hands, wrists, nor the
arms start the back swing. The triceps are not active in the take
away. Try this. Take a basketball, or a basket that holds range
balls in both hands and allow it to dangle downward in front of
you. Now, let your instructor or a friend stand in forward of you,
wind up, and toss it over their head. As an athlete, you will just
have felt what the take away is all about. Guaranteed that, done
freely without thought, you will be on the road to recovery for
all that you must do is reproduce that feel. Check out my website
at doctorgolf.homestead.com and come see me if you really are
interested in rapid improvement. Best wishes."
- Michael
Lucas, Teaching Professional
|
Texas
"Although keeping
the right elbow closer to the chest on the back
swing is more desirable,
you can hit good shots with it "flying" (just watch Jim
Furyk). What is important is to have it drop close to your side
during the downswing. One of the best ways I know to have a
student to allow their arms to drop into the "slot" and
strike the ball with an inside to down-the-line motion is to place
an object such as a two-by-four parallel to the target line, then
tee the ball just outside the left end, leaving only enough space between
the the swing path and the board to allow the club to pass into
the ball. You must now swing the club in such a manner to strike
the ball without striking the board. You have all the room inside
the target line before you get to the ball and all the room in the
world past the ball. If you get outside before you get to
the ball, you hit the board. If you make what feels like an
inside-out swing you miss the board. If you do this correctly
and continue to slice, then clubface alignment is the next thing
to work on. Good luck."
- Ned
Goyne, Teaching Professional
|
Utah
"You have developed your current swing by playing
baseball professionally it sounds. You are going to have to work
hard not to fly the right elbow because of your batting technique!
I have seen players such as Dane Orge, Cory Snyder and Wally
Joyner hit balls and it seems that they all slice the ball. Most
all of them have that sliding left side and flying right elbow.
You have to build on a new technique. I would recommend swinging
in a barrel and get use to pivoting around your hip joints. Back
on the right to pivot
on the left hip joint and through. When you take your back swing
keep your right elbow in tighter. 21 days to break a habit!
Practice it all the time even without a golf club in your
office."
- Brent
Wootton, Teaching Professional
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