If you don’t do it
When the arm straightens too soon, the butt end of the grip starts to move backwards, away from the target. As a result, the clubhead bottoms out way behind the ball, often causing dropkicks or thin contact low on the clubface. Also, the body stops turning forward, so the hips and shoulders are facing the ball at impact ( right ) instead of rotating towards the target. When the body stalls like this, another major power source is cut off. If you feel like you’re swinging fast but not hitting it anywhere, it’s a good bet you’re straightening the trail arm too soon.
Drill: The Towel Turn
Grab your golf-bag towel, and hold one end in your trail hand at the top-of- backswing position. Wrap the towel behind your trail biceps and pull it against your sternum with your lead hand ( far left ). Now, mimic your forward swing, turning your trail shoulder down to its impact position ( left ). The elbow still should be bent 90 degrees, so this is an exaggeration. In a real swing, the arm would be straightening, but still bent! Work on this drill, but intersperse normal driver swings trying to replicate the feel of the trail arm staying bent into the impact zone.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 89
MAY 2024
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online