| Combine a full shoulder turn
with a compact arm swing.
You only have to look at this image of Tiger Woods to appreciate the
co-ordination of a solid swing. The full shoulder turn confirms the
dynamic rotation of the ‘core’, while a compact arm swing maintains
absolute control of the club. This is the compact and repeatable position
the world’s best players look for. Simply stated, the chances of repeating
a compact, co-ordinated swing are far greater when you combine a full
shoulder turn with a relatively short arm swing – just like Tiger. This
is something I learned initially from David Leadbetter, and working
towards a more compact backswing is something that has helped all of
my students over the years – both amateurs and pro’s alike. A decade
ago, Ernie Els’s swing was way past parallel with a driver. Now he is
compact, even with the longer clubs. Ben Hogan also worked towards creating
this box to shorten his swing –  and
no one struck more solid or accurate iron shots than he did. The key
is the position
of the right arm.
If the right elbow folds too much, (see next page) you lose the box
angle. Your swing
is too long and it is likely you will be out of sync coming back down.
Similarly, if the
right elbow travels too far (i.e. lifts too far from the body),
the swing will
also be too long and possibly out of control. Both of these faults make
it difficult to
get the elbows to lead the way on the downswing
– a key source
of ‘lag’, and – ultimately – speed. |
