Your arms swing back and up, then, down and through. You never want to do anything to inhibit a free arm swing. It’s vital to consistent shot making. You don’t have to, ‘keep your left arm straight,’ tuck your right elbow,’ or ‘rotate your wrists.’ They simply swing.
The method is a swing.
Anytime you introduce tension in your arms you immobilize your swinging motion and limit your power and accuracy. Tension destroys the flow of your swing. Typically, golfers think they have to maneuver their arms into a position during the takeaway, at the top of the swing, and through the ball. They are obsessed with positions. Moving from position to position is only going to put pressure on your swing and create tension. The key is to forget about positional swing technique. There’s no tension when you focus on a free arm swing.
Your arms transmit power from your body.
Your major power source comes from the turning of your body. Relative to your arms, hands, and club, it’s the slowest to move. However, it’s your foundation for power. The key for utilizing this power source is your arms. You cannot translate power generated from the body turning without the proper use of the arms. They play a major role converting power into the clubhead.
Take the pressure off your hands and swing your arms.
Using the hands during the swing is a common technique by amateurs. They guide the club with their hands instead of using the bigger muscles of the body to perform the swing. They don’t realize this a potential for disaster. Consistency and efficiency are never achieved when they dominate the swinging motion with their hands. My advice is to properly use the swinging motion of the arms and take pressure off the hands. You never have to think about the hands during the swing if your arms swing correctly. Everything happens naturally with a free arm swing.
There’s been little attention awarded to the swinging of the arms in magazines and books. Professional golfers typically focus on the hips, shoulders, and hands. The role of the arms is very simple and effective. Their role should never be underestimated. You maximize your potential for power and accuracy when you learn to take advantage of a free arm swing.
Long and Straight,
Adam
