No joke I've been struggling with a nasty, filthy, good for nothing snap hook for a long long long time. On top of that if I did by some miracle happen to make decent contact the ball would go super low and kill every worm it came across. I was half way through a bucket of balls and was doing the same ol same ol until I remembered this video along with another video you posted where you took the driver and just sort of swung back and forth real easy and I thought I'd give it a try. Immediately I made contact and it was a high beautiful cutting fade no joke this is the first time I've been able to implement something I saw in an instructional video and actually fix a major issue. BIG TIME THANKS GUYS!!! YOU HAVE A SUBSCRIBER FOR LIFE!
Started doing both this past winter in the simulator. Went from a 104 mph club head speed to 112 mph, once I got comfortable with it. Also added an extra 20 yards or better with ball speed now around 160 mph. Best change I've made to my game.
almost want to cry watching this.Finally! i am 5'2 and pound for pound hit as well or longer against taller and bigger players, just by lifting that leading foot. This is what palmer, snead and nickalus did. Thanks for the vid
Being a bigger man and not to flexible, the folding of the arm helped me a lot because I’m more natural and less stressed to keep that arm straight. So everyone know that the less you think during the swing the better the results are
I just got off the range trying the bent arm (I already lift the heel) and not only helps the ball go higher and further (sometimes too high), it seems to give me a much straighter swing path as well. It's such a freeing feeling. Thanks guys!
Heel off the ground and driving it back down is a wonderful "KEY" after rotating on the backswing to starting the separation sequence to transferring weight forward and clearing the path for the clubhead to return to the ball on the target line. Ive always Pulled the Churchbell on my downswing I've always been blocked on the inside leaving the club open. Now I can get clear and hit it straight. Where were you guys 50 years ago wheh I started and needed this priceless tip. Thank you so much!!!
Im 6'2" 200 really fit and limber, Ive always bent my left arm, it feels much more relaxed for me and I can get the club back. All my club distances are longer than avg. Lw 100, sw 115, pw 125, 9i 145, 7i 170, 4i 200. It works for me, but I guess it all depends on the individual.
Hi Graham. Thanks for the comment. We are not saying the everyone needs to go and do this, these are just options for some people if they are looking to create more distance. They won't work for everyone but they will for some. Molinari for instance has started to lift his lead heel in. the back swing which is a factor in increasing his distance off the tee. We want golfers to understand that there is more than one way to swing. Hope that makes sense?
I think it was a great video. I have had 5 back surgeries and I started about 10 years ago bending my left arm just a little has helped me keep most of my distance. I am going to work on raising my left heel and hey I might be back to pre-2008 days ... Thanks for the video.
I already do both of these things, I thought I was doing it all wrong, but I always outdrive my buddies! They never compliment me on my swing though. HAHAHA.
Makes sense, I am built quite strong around my chest, with short arms. I don't get any leverage with ordinary teachings. I bend my left arm but have felt shame for doing that. From now not so much. 🙏 ❤️ ☀️
As a golf instructor, I have always liked what Piers and Andy talk about. But bringing in Guru Dave Phillips is brilliant and I really enjoyed the video. Will certainly try some on this on me before using on my students.
Tried this today at a launch pad (Canada’s new version of top golf) of all places and wow. Thanks so much for the video guys. I hit one great drive after another. I might finally have a real driver swing for the first time in my life at the age of 43
So nice to have this arm-bending officially form you guys :) When in my beginnings I bent my arm by almost 90 degrees, as I was pretty immobile on the shoulders, my problem was to get it straight on impact again and I topped the balls very often. When I leave the left arm dead-straight I don't get as much speed as I want. So nowadays I bend it by approx. 20 degrees and gained nearly 20 meters on the short irons while keeping the club head square at inpact. Haven't tried to lift my left heel tho, will try on my next training session.
Now 73, with a 16 index that relies heavily on my short game, I have always been a short hitter with the driver and three months ago after watching a Joe Miller video suggesting (change 1) heel lift, I tried it and also added more rotation (change 2)....seeking to get the shaft up high near my head, making a big weight transfer to the right foot (change 3). Exactly as the long drive pros hit it. These three changes eventually became coordinated and all of sudden, bang! I was hitting them longer than all of my playing partners and they were nearly dead straight as well. I am now back playing from the whites thanks to 30-yards extra distance on tee shots. I will try adding the softer lead arm drill to see how that works. To be completely honest, what really helped me most was using my hips and legs to power the forward swing and the other tips added increasing distance. Get that lower body working to post up through the ball and the rest is a lot easier to make happen.
I LOVE THIS VIDEO. I been struggling in getting my left arm straight and being able to get my driver on a full rotation. I am 6’ 300lbs Heavy gym lifter and my back and chest get on the way of my swing when keeping left arm straight. I can’t wait to get out and try this. I appreciate you.
I've never been able to stop my arm bending on the driver, I can keep the arm straight with the irons. I feel with a driver I like to hit it as hard and fast as I can because I always get a better hit, so my arm bends, I'm always being told "you bent your arm on the back swing". How happy am I now :)
I agree with everything said here. The one thing I would add is loosen the grip. A tight grip slows the club down. Tee the ball up high. Maybe move it back a bit toward the center. Also, the back swing is very important. Because it sets you up properly for the downswing. To get into the right position for the downswing, the back swing has to be around and up. The downswing is just the opposite of that: down and around. Or rather down, out and up. That will keep you from coming over the top and slicing.
Your swing should be just what's comfortable to you and what your swing is naturally, then build on that. That's what I do and I scored my lowest round the other week. great content guys :) btw when i first started playing about 18 months ago, this channel was the first i watched. got my first hc at 31, now play off 16. Thanks guys for all your hard work :)
Omg bending the arm. I’ve been swinging like this for years for extra power and feeling guilty I’m swinging wrong and trying to keep my arm straight, being barrel chested and not flexible I struggle with keeping my left arm straight. Thank you for this video I’m going to relax and just play the game and have fun Edit: I have a spinal fusion which limits my flexibility
I recently switched to the classic style swing. CHS jumped from 100 to 105-107 (on trackman) immediately. Less stress on my back too. If you think it will make you that much more inconsistent, you’re undervaluing your mind’s ability to coordinate. My accuracy is about the same, and often better.
Agreed. I used to have all sorts of "faults" in my swing, but I was pretty consistent because I practiced with those faults and my body learned how to time everything. I decided to put in work to "fix" those things and I am way less consistent than I was. Ulimately do what works for you and if you find that bending your lead arm in the backswing or lifting your lead heel in the backswing work than have at it. There is no harm in at least trying it out on the range.
I have always bent my lead arm, but need to focus on straightening it at the most opportune time. Trying the lead heel thing too - this is a Brian Sparks key.
As an ex rugby player I've big shoulders, arms and chest with not much flexibility. Concentrating on the arm fold and extension through the ball is all I think about during the swing. It looks a bit armsy but it's amazing how fast you can swing a club with very little body movement, in fact I'd say the majority of people concentrate on the wrong body parts and forget to simply swing your arms fast
@@golf4life357 youre so wrong with the consistency statement and what generates the majority of speed in a swing, but I'm not going to argue with you. Our golf range has a trackman type system and I've seen the figures many times, it's surprising and goes against modern PGA teaching methods but the figures are black and white on the screen. Turn your body as fast as you can, and swing your arms as fast as you can then come back and report which of the 2 generates most of the club speed.
@@golf4life357 none of your assumptions about my swing are true. I'm not a pro golfer, I know about sequencing and I do sequence properly, as I stated in my original comment I can't generate full body rotation and there for generate further club distance by doing what was shown in the video. Including more of focus on arm speed than rotation. If I relied on body rotation to generate distance I would get no where near the distance I get now. And by the way I don't just stand rock solid and swing my arms lol, I do have a fair bit of body rotation, just can't get anywhere near is considered the norm
Heh.....ShaamoneHeehee check our Jason Barger's channel. He has several videos probably of himself on the range hitting balls. So, you can see for yourself what he's talking about. He just needs to lose a lot of weight! Just sayin...
Look at the new world #1 BK, he's a buff dude and he has a slight lead arm bend. I've never felt like I can get my shoulders back enough without bending or shortening my back swing. Excited to give this a shot.
I am a 48” chest so I have always bent my leading arm a bit and I can drive about 280. I am intrigued about the foot lift, the mechanics make sense, but I think my accuracy will be too far off...but hey I will give it a go!
I can vouch for the raised heel increase in distance. It added 20+ yards to my drive. The only thing I had to be careful of initially was coming out of the swing because I didn't plant my foot back down properly in the swing sequence (led to fans and pushes).
If you’re like me, if you keep your left arm straight and try to maintain at least a 90 degree angle in the trail arm (another supposed thing to do), when you get to the top you feel like the first thing you want to move for power is your shoulders or torso and that moves the club outward and over the top. When you soften the lead arm and let it bend, you feel the club head more and your instinct is to swing the club head in the right sequence, the one you would use if you were trying to throw the club down the fairway. Bending the lead arm for all but the most flexible players is a very good thing.
Very interesting....coming from an experienced martial arts background and taking up golf, keeping everything straight has never made any sense to me (you need flex in the joints and to be relaxed to create true speed and power). So on my golf journey, I do allow my joints to flex and heel to lift and I get good distance by using the same mechanics as karate - hit through the target! The key (in both disciplines) is being stable in the core, loading the hips and then delivering the punch or the club head ‘through’ the target/ball. Trust me this works and will alleviate stress in your joints and back, particularly as you get older.
today's equipment is so much longer and straighter than the day jack played. this keeping the lower body stable is not very "old" less than 20yrs. i was taught to do this move from day one. but i didn't have the lower body of a guy like jack. i was longer and leaner like bubba. even today at 63 and a very short backswing i have to roll my left foot to the inside going back. it's a gr8 way to keep the core engaged
Suffered a shoulder injury a few years back and have a problem getting long enough in the backswing. Compensated by shortening my backswing (and distance). This is a must try for me.
Great video, not because it's what everyone should do but because it shows some options. I struggle with good rotation, I took the heal lift to the range tonight and it worked great, and using the heal plant as the trigger for the downswing was even better. Definitely looking forward to taking it to the course for a try. The bent arm isn't my thing but might be the ticket for someone else.
When you say he is supposedly bending his arm, he is actually barely bending it compared to his normal swing. He's just keeping it slightly softer, like most guys are actually already doing on the tour. I would have liked to see you actually examine different degrees of bend and show some measured stats as a result.
This is exactly how I swing, just started golfing. And I’ve been told numerous times to straighten the lead arm, and I have boobs and big lats lol. So it’s so nice to hear that I’m doing it just right. I thought I needed the straight lead arm in order to get longer drives. Thank you!!
@@tiger05rtc yeh because most of us are built like those guys right? Ultra flexible and in the gym everyday. This will help senior golfers and prevent back/hip injurys. I'd rather bend my arm and not have a f@#ked back thanks.
@@tiger05rtc yes you do have a great point you don't see many or if any pros bending their elbow I do feel like that would create more of a huge slice.
I like both of the moves, when I started golf and didn't know all the correct techniques I hit it a long way, now it looks a more conventional swing but can't achieve anywhere near the club head speed????
the mechanics used for hammer throwing can help us in this discussion of straight or bent arms, as well as other discussions about the movement of the body and arms in the golf swing technique
Hi lads, I used to always swing the head of the club back behind my head on the backswing, and bend my knees till people started pointing this out to me when ever I hit a bad shot😏 I can't wait to go to the range and try it again to see can i add more distance with accuracy....... love your videos 👍
Great tips! I already let my arm bend slightly, because keeping it straight restricts my turn and adds too much tension. I'll have to try lifting my heel, though I think then having to plant the heel will mess up my timing. It's defo worth a try, though!
Watch Jimmy Ballard/Rocco Mediate videos. They keep both arms bent at the top and at the finish forming a triangle. They only straightens them just after impact. Much easier to swing like this as the club face is guaranteed to be square throughout the swing.
I actually started experimenting with the lifting of the front foot because I'd been watching Francesco Molinari do it recently. I've always fired my hips too early and wind up cutting the ball. To correct that, I've been getting my weight onto my back heel, which prevents me from being able to get my hips turned through too quickly. When I started lifting my lead foot in addition to the weight loading onto my back foot, I started carrying the ball further and getting more consistently straight drives. It gives me a trigger to start the downswing where I can get my weight shifting forward without firing my hips too soon and now I can hit that high draw I've desperately wanted for years. As for the bending of my arm??? Well... we'll see - probably not going to every try that, but I've gotten my club head speed up to 109 now from 102 last year, so I'm pretty happy and I've been hitting fairways WITH the added distance where I used to struggle to do that!
@Meandmygolf Today I got my first lesson by a club pro and immediately he wanted to stop my lead heal lifting up. Power isnt my problem. I asked for help on my accuracy so the question is do I stay planted like he wants me to do or just keep swinging my natural swing with the heal slightly lifting up on the back swing? Also I lift my heal with my irons as well which wasnt talked about. Love all your videos! Keep it up guys!
loved this ... as this is what i did automatically as a beginner. Tried to fix this and be more stable. But may be I get back to what feels a little more comfortble.
I believe in lateral shift lower body towards target already in the backswing. Creates better and more natural seperation between upper and lower body.
I’ve been trying so hard to keep lead arm straight at top of backswing. Old hockey injury and 50+ yrs old was making that unlikely. I’ll relax now and not worry so much about it. Range opens here (in Winterpeg) next week. Hibernation almost over.
I actually implemented the arm about two weeks ago before I went for a fitting and got fitted for a m6. Well needless to say I have seen a huge improvement, and I was someone that hit huge cuts and dreaded a driver a couple of months ago
Locked arms is locked grip. Too many people tense up trying to keep the arms straight. Relaxed swings produce better results. I’ve discovered a slight arm bend helps me lag the swing and drop the club into a shallow position.
The more I bend the left arm, the better I hit the ball. This is because bending the arm allows me to have a better feel on the lift. I tend to get flat if I don't bend the arm. But it also gives me more arch, a bigger swing, better tempo and more speed because there is no tension. I replicate this after impact and this prevents me from resisting with my left arm. It also helps me release properly. In other words, bending my left arm was the best thing I ever did for my golf swing.
Funny. I'm one of those amateurs with a high handicap and I've been doing both these things. This winter drill was all about me straightening my left arm and shortening my swing haha
I gained 2 clubs in distance and got a lot straighter. I’d keep my left heel down and lock my left elbow which pulled me out of shape. With soft left elbow and left heel up I get a much bigger turn and my head can stay perfectly still through the swing. A lot less stress on my joints 👍👍
Do you know what? I'm a complete novice I started a couple of days ago but prior to this I have been involved in soorts requiring alot more lean mass. I am really struggling to get my arm straight. I keep getting henpecked every time I play about it but my natural motor program was exactly this movement and since changing its really screwed me up and im so wooden and although I was occasionally getting a 220yard drive and a 185yard iron my drive is just ridiculously inconsistant and the pain um getting in my shoulders and triceps from forcing this movement is hard. Being told I can do it like this makes me feel so much relief. I just need to get the consistent connection but hopefully doing this and being less wooden will make me get that connection easier.
Taking up the game after 10+ years away. I am now old and stiff and having trouble getting speed and I’m getting an open face. I’m going to see how this helps. Sure can’t hurt.
I'm bigger through the chest and have always bent my left arm a little in the backswing. I've found with the lifting the front foot issue that I tend to sway when I do it which impacts strike, so I try not to. But if I could lift and not sway, that would be ideal because it is what my front foot naturally wants to do. I think I'll ask my coach about it next lesson, thanks guys.
Love the video as always .... already used that myself for years to hit it long for my old age.... what i "dislike" is how close AND in front of the hitter u guys stand... i have seen first hand when a head of a club comes off at impact... and it goes forward left.. and hard!!! NOT something u wanna show younger more daring generations .... im sure :)
I've always bent my arm in my backswing and I've been playing golf for 40 years. I've straightening it to be more "conventional" but it just feels uncomfortable. I started experimenting last year with lifting my lead foot but it's not a part of my regular swing. I think I'll try and incorporate it into my driver swing this year as I am getting up in age and can't afford to lose any yardage!
No. 1: ALLOW some bend in the lead arm - don't collapse it like it was limp. So long as you are extended somewhat. No. 2: ALLOW your heel to get pulled up near the end of your backswing, as you lose flexibility it really helps. Don't just lift it intentionally. You young guys will see the need to do this when you get into middle age, trust me.
I'm going to do both the arm and the foot lift. LOL I think I already do the arm because I am big in the chest and I don't have the flexibility like you skinny dudes! Great video!
Thanks Dave for the tip. I´d guess there is a trade off btw power and accuracy in this kind of swing. Might take the average golfer another 3000 Balls to hit for feeling comfortable with this unorthodox motion (bending CONCIOUSLY left arm in back swing). Maybe only advisable from the Tee with the driver but not so much for the irons.
I've heard so many times that the golf swing is just like a baseball swing but just on a different plane. This is incorporating all of the baseball swing into the golf swing. Guys that are good at the baseball swing can put the ball where they want to; just as I imagine would happen with this alternative golf swing.
Levers and moment arms. It's hard to time up, but it does create some serious distance when you need it. I have trouble doing this with the driver, but with my 3w it's pretty solid. I tend to get a big miss left though so I compensate by always trying to play a cut for a feel. I like the idea of experimenting though, just find something you can repeat. Interesting video. Hey, you should do a breaking 100 mph series like your breaking 100 score. An incremental journey.
I just took videos of myself at the range before seeing this video. Lead arm was bent and my front foot was lifting. I felt freaking awful about it. Saw this video, feeling much better. And my driver swing speed was like 105 doing it this way so maybe I’m not wrong after all. As a chubby guy it’s hard to keep that arm straight.
Meandmygolf loft heel? For sure. Bend arm? Not even. This guys just looking for something else to teach as click bait. Why don’t we go watch some me and my golf videos teaching against bend trail arms?
PCPofficial say whatever you want and quote whomever you like. What are the top 50 golfers in the world Doing right now? Working on bending their trail arm?
Don't try and train your brain for that.. It's misinformation. They needed to clarify the difference in consistency better, the reason we all hear to keep your left arm straight is because it is so much harder to end at the same spot when you hinge too much "a little flex is okay" . Moving your left foot up on the backswing is a great way to get your legs firing on the downswing though.. Good luck out there either way!
I was doing this for years with the left leg and slightly bent arm. It's a lot more comfortable for me and I could hit 300+ yards but also sliced a bit more. But it maybe worth trying it this way again and see if I can straighten things out.
It's all about your chest to arm length ratio. The guys on this RUclips channel have a small ratio, in other words, the arms are long relative to chest size, so they can keep their left arms straight without feeling restricted in their backswing. For those with a larger ratio, meaning their arm length is short relative to their chest size, they need to bend their left arm to create a fuller turn for more distance. My two cents...
I'm 5'5" on a good day. Lol I am broader chested as well as I lift heavier weights at a gym, and I'm also 50. That said, my flexibility isn't quite up to par as it was 20 odd years ago. I will work on the bent arm to experiment, just a little bit at a time to see how it goes. But I'm curious, would the bent arm be a recommendation for the irons as well?
Guys, would you say that this could also be implemented for iron shots as well? I've always lifted my lead food on my backswing, is it something to just keep with the driver swing or do you think it doesn't hurt to do it with irons as well?
If I Happy Gilmore the ball there is a good chance Ill hit it further too.. but the chance of me getting the club face square at impact is pretty minimal.
This is great, I don't need to hide my natural swing anymore and can just enjoy what is a great pastime. Thanks a million.
No joke I've been struggling with a nasty, filthy, good for nothing snap hook for a long long long time. On top of that if I did by some miracle happen to make decent contact the ball would go super low and kill every worm it came across. I was half way through a bucket of balls and was doing the same ol same ol until I remembered this video along with another video you posted where you took the driver and just sort of swung back and forth real easy and I thought I'd give it a try. Immediately I made contact and it was a high beautiful cutting fade no joke this is the first time I've been able to implement something I saw in an instructional video and actually fix a major issue. BIG TIME THANKS GUYS!!! YOU HAVE A SUBSCRIBER FOR LIFE!
Started doing both this past winter in the simulator. Went from a 104 mph club head speed to 112 mph, once I got comfortable with it. Also added an extra 20 yards or better with ball speed now around 160 mph. Best change I've made to my game.
This will completely mess up my swing. I will definitely try this.
Just gain weight in the chest and gut like I have, happens naturally!
Those are the 2 best tips for increasing speed I have seen from any golf internet instructors. Well done!!!!!
almost want to cry watching this.Finally! i am 5'2 and pound for pound hit as well or longer against taller and bigger players, just by lifting that leading foot. This is what palmer, snead and nickalus did. Thanks for the vid
I started bending my arm by mistake was hitting it more consistent with a bent arm. I'm glad that I found this video. I feel justified. Thank you...
Being a bigger man and not to flexible, the folding of the arm helped me a lot because I’m more natural and less stressed to keep that arm straight. So everyone know that the less you think during the swing the better the results are
I just got off the range trying the bent arm (I already lift the heel) and not only helps the ball go higher and further (sometimes too high), it seems to give me a much straighter swing path as well.
It's such a freeing feeling.
Thanks guys!
Heel off the ground and driving it back down is a wonderful "KEY" after rotating on the backswing to starting the separation sequence to transferring weight forward and clearing the path for the clubhead to return to the ball on the target line. Ive always Pulled the Churchbell on my downswing I've always been blocked on the inside leaving the club open. Now I can get clear and hit it straight. Where were you guys 50 years ago wheh I started and needed this priceless tip. Thank you so much!!!
It really is key Robert. The down swing should start with the lower body so this will certainly help that.
Im 6'2" 200 really fit and limber, Ive always bent my left arm, it feels much more relaxed for me and I can get the club back. All my club distances are longer than avg. Lw 100, sw 115, pw 125, 9i 145, 7i 170, 4i 200. It works for me, but I guess it all depends on the individual.
Everything me and my golf have been teaching for the last 10 years gone straight out the window.
😂 that was funny!
Im following them for about 1 year and I already see this
Me, My golf and Dave Phillips
As a big guy (not fat by the way) i do find it hard to get a full turn in. I reckon it’s worth me giving this a go😁
Hi Graham. Thanks for the comment. We are not saying the everyone needs to go and do this, these are just options for some people if they are looking to create more distance. They won't work for everyone but they will for some. Molinari for instance has started to lift his lead heel in. the back swing which is a factor in increasing his distance off the tee. We want golfers to understand that there is more than one way to swing. Hope that makes sense?
I think it was a great video. I have had 5 back surgeries and I started about 10 years ago bending my left arm just a little has helped me keep most of my distance. I am going to work on raising my left heel and hey I might be back to pre-2008 days ... Thanks for the video.
I already do both of these things, I thought I was doing it all wrong, but I always outdrive my buddies! They never compliment me on my swing though. HAHAHA.
Makes sense, I am built quite strong around my chest, with short arms. I don't get any leverage with ordinary teachings. I bend my left arm but have felt shame for doing that. From now not so much.
🙏 ❤️ ☀️
As a golf instructor, I have always liked what Piers and Andy talk about. But bringing in Guru Dave Phillips is brilliant and I really enjoyed the video. Will certainly try some on this on me before using on my students.
Thank you for this... seriously, thank you!!! Finally some sane and prudent advice for the big and/or bulky people.
Tried this today at a launch pad (Canada’s new version of top golf) of all places and wow. Thanks so much for the video guys. I hit one great drive after another. I might finally have a real driver swing for the first time in my life at the age of 43
That's so brilliant to hear! Glad we've been able to help! 🙌
So nice to have this arm-bending officially form you guys :) When in my beginnings I bent my arm by almost 90 degrees, as I was pretty immobile on the shoulders, my problem was to get it straight on impact again and I topped the balls very often. When I leave the left arm dead-straight I don't get as much speed as I want. So nowadays I bend it by approx. 20 degrees and gained nearly 20 meters on the short irons while keeping the club head square at inpact. Haven't tried to lift my left heel tho, will try on my next training session.
Now 73, with a 16 index that relies heavily on my short game, I have always been a short hitter with the driver and three months ago after watching a Joe Miller video suggesting (change 1) heel lift, I tried it and also added more rotation (change 2)....seeking to get the shaft up high near my head, making a big weight transfer to the right foot (change 3). Exactly as the long drive pros hit it. These three changes eventually became coordinated and all of sudden, bang! I was hitting them longer than all of my playing partners and they were nearly dead straight as well. I am now back playing from the whites thanks to 30-yards extra distance on tee shots. I will try adding the softer lead arm drill to see how that works. To be completely honest, what really helped me most was using my hips and legs to power the forward swing and the other tips added increasing distance. Get that lower body working to post up through the ball and the rest is a lot easier to make happen.
I LOVE THIS VIDEO. I been struggling in getting my left arm straight and being able to get my driver on a full rotation. I am 6’ 300lbs Heavy gym lifter and my back and chest get on the way of my swing when keeping left arm straight. I can’t wait to get out and try this. I appreciate you.
I've never been able to stop my arm bending on the driver, I can keep the arm straight with the irons. I feel with a driver I like to hit it as hard and fast as I can because I always get a better hit, so my arm bends, I'm always being told "you bent your arm on the back swing". How happy am I now :)
I agree with everything said here. The one thing I would add is loosen the grip. A tight grip slows the club down. Tee the ball up high. Maybe move it back a bit toward the center. Also, the back swing is very important. Because it sets you up properly for the downswing. To get into the right position for the downswing, the back swing has to be around and up. The downswing is just the opposite of that: down and around. Or rather down, out and up. That will keep you from coming over the top and slicing.
Your swing should be just what's comfortable to you and what your swing is naturally, then build on that. That's what I do and I scored my lowest round the other week. great content guys :) btw when i first started playing about 18 months ago, this channel was the first i watched. got my first hc at 31, now play off 16. Thanks guys for all your hard work :)
Harry Vardon did both these. Plus a super steady head, he was unworldly straight. Never lost his swing either. Thanks guys!
Omg bending the arm. I’ve been swinging like this for years for extra power and feeling guilty I’m swinging wrong and trying to keep my arm straight, being barrel chested and not flexible I struggle with keeping my left arm straight. Thank you for this video I’m going to relax and just play the game and have fun
Edit: I have a spinal fusion which limits my flexibility
I recently switched to the classic style swing. CHS jumped from 100 to 105-107 (on trackman) immediately. Less stress on my back too. If you think it will make you that much more inconsistent, you’re undervaluing your mind’s ability to coordinate. My accuracy is about the same, and often better.
Agreed. I used to have all sorts of "faults" in my swing, but I was pretty consistent because I practiced with those faults and my body learned how to time everything. I decided to put in work to "fix" those things and I am way less consistent than I was. Ulimately do what works for you and if you find that bending your lead arm in the backswing or lifting your lead heel in the backswing work than have at it. There is no harm in at least trying it out on the range.
This video is everything I needed to find. Thanks and (finally) subscribed! ❤
I have always bent my lead arm, but need to focus on straightening it at the most opportune time. Trying the lead heel thing too - this is a Brian Sparks key.
As an ex rugby player I've big shoulders, arms and chest with not much flexibility. Concentrating on the arm fold and extension through the ball is all I think about during the swing. It looks a bit armsy but it's amazing how fast you can swing a club with very little body movement, in fact I'd say the majority of people concentrate on the wrong body parts and forget to simply swing your arms fast
@@golf4life357 youre so wrong with the consistency statement and what generates the majority of speed in a swing, but I'm not going to argue with you. Our golf range has a trackman type system and I've seen the figures many times, it's surprising and goes against modern PGA teaching methods but the figures are black and white on the screen. Turn your body as fast as you can, and swing your arms as fast as you can then come back and report which of the 2 generates most of the club speed.
@@golf4life357 none of your assumptions about my swing are true. I'm not a pro golfer, I know about sequencing and I do sequence properly, as I stated in my original comment I can't generate full body rotation and there for generate further club distance by doing what was shown in the video. Including more of focus on arm speed than rotation. If I relied on body rotation to generate distance I would get no where near the distance I get now. And by the way I don't just stand rock solid and swing my arms lol, I do have a fair bit of body rotation, just can't get anywhere near is considered the norm
Heh.....ShaamoneHeehee check our Jason Barger's channel. He has several videos probably of himself on the range hitting balls. So, you can see for yourself what he's talking about. He just needs to lose a lot of weight! Just sayin...
Look at the new world #1 BK, he's a buff dude and he has a slight lead arm bend. I've never felt like I can get my shoulders back enough without bending or shortening my back swing. Excited to give this a shot.
I am a 48” chest so I have always bent my leading arm a bit and I can drive about 280. I am intrigued about the foot lift, the mechanics make sense, but I think my accuracy will be too far off...but hey I will give it a go!
I can vouch for the raised heel increase in distance. It added 20+ yards to my drive. The only thing I had to be careful of initially was coming out of the swing because I didn't plant my foot back down properly in the swing sequence (led to fans and pushes).
If you already shoot 100 and want to shoot 120 listen to this man.
If you’re like me, if you keep your left arm straight and try to maintain at least a 90 degree angle in the trail arm (another supposed thing to do), when you get to the top you feel like the first thing you want to move for power is your shoulders or torso and that moves the club outward and over the top. When you soften the lead arm and let it bend, you feel the club head more and your instinct is to swing the club head in the right sequence, the one you would use if you were trying to throw the club down the fairway. Bending the lead arm for all but the most flexible players is a very good thing.
I'm older and the bent left arm definitely works for me. I could care less what it looks like.
Been doing this all my life. Keeping it straight reduces my power by 25%.
Very interesting....coming from an experienced martial arts background and taking up golf, keeping everything straight has never made any sense to me (you need flex in the joints and to be relaxed to create true speed and power). So on my golf journey, I do allow my joints to flex and heel to lift and I get good distance by using the same mechanics as karate - hit through the target! The key (in both disciplines) is being stable in the core, loading the hips and then delivering the punch or the club head ‘through’ the target/ball. Trust me this works and will alleviate stress in your joints and back, particularly as you get older.
Love it! I’m inflexible n already lift my left foot. A golf video I can relate to. Thanks
today's equipment is so much longer and straighter than the day jack played. this keeping the lower body stable is not very "old" less than 20yrs. i was taught to do this move from day one. but i didn't have the lower body of a guy like jack. i was longer and leaner like bubba. even today at 63 and a very short backswing i have to roll my left foot to the inside going back. it's a gr8 way to keep the core engaged
Suffered a shoulder injury a few years back and have a problem getting long enough in the backswing. Compensated by shortening my backswing (and distance). This is a must try for me.
Hope it helps Bob. Let us know how it goes.
Thank you. I feel that as well, agreed.
Great tip guys I’ve had a shoulder injury I swing so much better, bending my elbow
Great video, not because it's what everyone should do but because it shows some options. I struggle with good rotation, I took the heal lift to the range tonight and it worked great, and using the heal plant as the trigger for the downswing was even better. Definitely looking forward to taking it to the course for a try. The bent arm isn't my thing but might be the ticket for someone else.
That’s right it won’t be for everyone. Great options though for someone looking t lo gain a little rotation and power.
When you say he is supposedly bending his arm, he is actually barely bending it compared to his normal swing. He's just keeping it slightly softer, like most guys are actually already doing on the tour. I would have liked to see you actually examine different degrees of bend and show some measured stats as a result.
I’m a fat guy and I have a set swing with bent arm. Works really well for me. Just lacking consistency due to lack of practice so I’m working on it.
This is exactly how I swing, just started golfing. And I’ve been told numerous times to straighten the lead arm, and I have boobs and big lats lol. So it’s so nice to hear that I’m doing it just right. I thought I needed the straight lead arm in order to get longer drives. Thank you!!
Great advice I definitely will have to try this out on the range looking to get extra distance out of my drives!👊
Bryant Proxmin don’t it’s bad advise watch Rory tiger Dustin they lock their left elbow for all shots
@@tiger05rtc yeh because most of us are built like those guys right? Ultra flexible and in the gym everyday. This will help senior golfers and prevent back/hip injurys. I'd rather bend my arm and not have a f@#ked back thanks.
Motty 147 doesn’t matter, u don’t need to bring the club a long way back, it’s about angles and width. Wrong
@@tiger05rtc yes you do have a great point you don't see many or if any pros bending their elbow I do feel like that would create more of a huge slice.
Those guys are super flexible @@tiger05rtc . For some people it will work and for some it won't. There are no "exacts" in the swing.
I like both of the moves, when I started golf and didn't know all the correct techniques I hit it a long way, now it looks a more conventional swing but can't achieve anywhere near the club head speed????
the mechanics used for hammer throwing can help us in this discussion of straight or bent arms, as well as other discussions about the movement of the body and arms in the golf swing technique
Hi lads, I used to always swing the head of the club back behind my head on the backswing, and bend my knees till people started pointing this out to me when ever I hit a bad shot😏 I can't wait to go to the range and try it again to see can i add more distance with accuracy....... love your videos 👍
Great tips! I already let my arm bend slightly, because keeping it straight restricts my turn and adds too much tension. I'll have to try lifting my heel, though I think then having to plant the heel will mess up my timing. It's defo worth a try, though!
Love the biomechanic discussions
I've done this since I started playing and hit 'em long and straight 👍
Thank you! Great lesson
Watch Jimmy Ballard/Rocco Mediate videos. They keep both arms bent at the top and at the finish forming a triangle. They only straightens them just after impact. Much easier to swing like this as the club face is guaranteed to be square throughout the swing.
I actually started experimenting with the lifting of the front foot because I'd been watching Francesco Molinari do it recently. I've always fired my hips too early and wind up cutting the ball. To correct that, I've been getting my weight onto my back heel, which prevents me from being able to get my hips turned through too quickly.
When I started lifting my lead foot in addition to the weight loading onto my back foot, I started carrying the ball further and getting more consistently straight drives. It gives me a trigger to start the downswing where I can get my weight shifting forward without firing my hips too soon and now I can hit that high draw I've desperately wanted for years.
As for the bending of my arm??? Well... we'll see - probably not going to every try that, but I've gotten my club head speed up to 109 now from 102 last year, so I'm pretty happy and I've been hitting fairways WITH the added distance where I used to struggle to do that!
@Meandmygolf Today I got my first lesson by a club pro and immediately he wanted to stop my lead heal lifting up. Power isnt my problem. I asked for help on my accuracy so the question is do I stay planted like he wants me to do or just keep swinging my natural swing with the heal slightly lifting up on the back swing? Also I lift my heal with my irons as well which wasnt talked about. Love all your videos! Keep it up guys!
loved this ... as this is what i did automatically as a beginner. Tried to fix this and be more stable. But may be I get back to what feels a little more comfortble.
I believe in lateral shift lower body towards target already in the backswing. Creates better and more natural seperation between upper and lower body.
Love it great swing advice!!
I’ve been trying so hard to keep lead arm straight at top of backswing. Old hockey injury and 50+ yrs old was making that unlikely. I’ll relax now and not worry so much about it. Range opens here (in Winterpeg) next week. Hibernation almost over.
Let us know how it goes.
Great vid chaps! Watching this just made me think of Joe Millers swing 💪🏌🏻♂️
I actually implemented the arm about two weeks ago before I went for a fitting and got fitted for a m6. Well needless to say I have seen a huge improvement, and I was someone that hit huge cuts and dreaded a driver a couple of months ago
Locked arms is locked grip. Too many people tense up trying to keep the arms straight. Relaxed swings produce better results. I’ve discovered a slight arm bend helps me lag the swing and drop the club into a shallow position.
nice vid guys, think i need both .thanks!
The more I bend the left arm, the better I hit the ball. This is because bending the arm allows me to have a better feel on the lift. I tend to get flat if I don't bend the arm. But it also gives me more arch, a bigger swing, better tempo and more speed because there is no tension. I replicate this after impact and this prevents me from resisting with my left arm. It also helps me release properly. In other words, bending my left arm was the best thing I ever did for my golf swing.
Funny. I'm one of those amateurs with a high handicap and I've been doing both these things. This winter drill was all about me straightening my left arm and shortening my swing haha
That is fine if you are looking to be more consistent too. 👍
I gained 2 clubs in distance and got a lot straighter. I’d keep my left heel down and lock my left elbow which pulled me out of shape. With soft left elbow and left heel up I get a much bigger turn and my head can stay perfectly still through the swing. A lot less stress on my joints 👍👍
Do you know what? I'm a complete novice I started a couple of days ago but prior to this I have been involved in soorts requiring alot more lean mass. I am really struggling to get my arm straight. I keep getting henpecked every time I play about it but my natural motor program was exactly this movement and since changing its really screwed me up and im so wooden and although I was occasionally getting a 220yard drive and a 185yard iron my drive is just ridiculously inconsistant and the pain um getting in my shoulders and triceps from forcing this movement is hard. Being told I can do it like this makes me feel so much relief. I just need to get the consistent connection but hopefully doing this and being less wooden will make me get that connection easier.
Yesterday I tested bending my arm and, with a little fade, I increased yards on my driver and hybrids. I’m planning to practice this full on range
Taking up the game after 10+ years away. I am now old and stiff and having trouble getting speed and I’m getting an open face. I’m going to see how this helps. Sure can’t hurt.
I'm bigger through the chest and have always bent my left arm a little in the backswing. I've found with the lifting the front foot issue that I tend to sway when I do it which impacts strike, so I try not to. But if I could lift and not sway, that would be ideal because it is what my front foot naturally wants to do. I think I'll ask my coach about it next lesson, thanks guys.
gonna have to give these a try at the range
Hope they help. Please let us know
@@meandmygolf. i've noticed that koepka has a slight bend in his lead arm as well.
I just started doing this with my driver and it adds power but also helps with timing.
I do like keeping more stable with my irons though.
Great way to switch between the two . 👍
Love the video as always .... already used that myself for years to hit it long for my old age.... what i "dislike" is how close AND in front of the hitter u guys stand... i have seen first hand when a head of a club comes off at impact... and it goes forward left.. and hard!!! NOT something u wanna show younger more daring generations .... im sure :)
I've always bent my arm in my backswing and I've been playing golf for 40 years. I've straightening it to be more "conventional" but it just feels uncomfortable. I started experimenting last year with lifting my lead foot but it's not a part of my regular swing. I think I'll try and incorporate it into my driver swing this year as I am getting up in age and can't afford to lose any yardage!
No. 1: ALLOW some bend in the lead arm - don't collapse it like it was limp. So long as you are extended somewhat. No. 2: ALLOW your heel to get pulled up near the end of your backswing, as you lose flexibility it really helps. Don't just lift it intentionally. You young guys will see the need to do this when you get into middle age, trust me.
I'm going to do both the arm and the foot lift. LOL I think I already do the arm because I am big in the chest and I don't have the flexibility like you skinny dudes! Great video!
I already bend the arm. I already use the knee in. I could add the lifted heel easily.
Thanks Dave for the tip. I´d guess there is a trade off btw power and accuracy in this kind of swing. Might take the average golfer another 3000 Balls to hit for feeling comfortable with this unorthodox motion (bending CONCIOUSLY left arm in back swing). Maybe only advisable from the Tee with the driver but not so much for the irons.
I've heard so many times that the golf swing is just like a baseball swing but just on a different plane. This is incorporating all of the baseball swing into the golf swing. Guys that are good at the baseball swing can put the ball where they want to; just as I imagine would happen with this alternative golf swing.
Levers and moment arms. It's hard to time up, but it does create some serious distance when you need it. I have trouble doing this with the driver, but with my 3w it's pretty solid. I tend to get a big miss left though so I compensate by always trying to play a cut for a feel. I like the idea of experimenting though, just find something you can repeat. Interesting video.
Hey, you should do a breaking 100 mph series like your breaking 100 score. An incremental journey.
I have been trying the foot just for timing. Not sure if it helps distance but timing it helps.
I just took videos of myself at the range before seeing this video. Lead arm was bent and my front foot was lifting. I felt freaking awful about it. Saw this video, feeling much better. And my driver swing speed was like 105 doing it this way so maybe I’m not wrong after all. As a chubby guy it’s hard to keep that arm straight.
Great work again guys keep it up ❤️🏌️♂️👌
Thanks Chris. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Love you guys, love your channel, never ever going to do this. ....ever
I think you’d be surprised. Maybe on the heel lift. Maybe something to try when it’s the longest drive.
Meandmygolf loft heel? For sure. Bend arm?
Not even. This guys just looking for something else to teach as click bait.
Why don’t we go watch some me and my golf videos teaching against bend trail arms?
PCPofficial say whatever you want and quote whomever you like. What are the top 50 golfers in the world
Doing right now? Working on bending their trail arm?
How much to bend or when to bend the left arm?
Can you please explain
Thank you for these tips! I look forward to trying them this weekend.
Would you use these techniques with irons aswell?
Let us know how you get on. These may not be the best for irons as it’s more about controlling distance.
@@meandmygolf. unfortunately for me it caused me to over swing.
Arm bend will be one for me to try next
Definitely going to try the foot lift. Not sure if I can train my brain to bend the arm as well.
Don't try and train your brain for that.. It's misinformation. They needed to clarify the difference in consistency better, the reason we all hear to keep your left arm straight is because it is so much harder to end at the same spot when you hinge too much "a little flex is okay" . Moving your left foot up on the backswing is a great way to get your legs firing on the downswing though.. Good luck out there either way!
Let us know how you get on.👍🏻
Jake Petersen Understood, thank you 🙏🏼
I was doing this for years with the left leg and slightly bent arm. It's a lot more comfortable for me and I could hit 300+ yards but also sliced a bit more. But it maybe worth trying it this way again and see if I can straighten things out.
You just have to make sure you rotate well enough and keep the ball forward inn the stance.
Will try
Like the bending of the lead arm
Piers and Andy with the bending of the elbow it's just the driver or it's for the irons as well????
It's all about your chest to arm length ratio. The guys on this RUclips channel have a small ratio, in other words, the arms are long relative to chest size, so they can keep their left arms straight without feeling restricted in their backswing. For those with a larger ratio, meaning their arm length is short relative to their chest size, they need to bend their left arm to create a fuller turn for more distance. My two cents...
I'm 5'5" on a good day. Lol I am broader chested as well as I lift heavier weights at a gym, and I'm also 50. That said, my flexibility isn't quite up to par as it was 20 odd years ago. I will work on the bent arm to experiment, just a little bit at a time to see how it goes. But I'm curious, would the bent arm be a recommendation for the irons as well?
Guys, would you say that this could also be implemented for iron shots as well? I've always lifted my lead food on my backswing, is it something to just keep with the driver swing or do you think it doesn't hurt to do it with irons as well?
If I Happy Gilmore the ball there is a good chance Ill hit it further too.. but the chance of me getting the club face square at impact is pretty minimal.
Next lesson: how to be more consistent
That depends, I'm consistently in the trees! 😊
@@Somerled_1 Lol I m consistently OB