When i started playing 3 years ago my lead arm was bent, after learning to keep it straight I've lost significant distance. I'm going back to bentedness.
Steve, a long time subscriber here. The reason I like your content is because it is no b/s. I took up golf 30 years ago with no coaching. I stopped 12 years ago with the birth of my son. When I came back during 2020 it was like the whole game had changed - computerised club / swing fitting, wedges that go as far as 8 irons (down to loft and shaft length) and the whole straight arm which I have been trying to copy every since which feels awkward and has lowered my swing speed. Nice to see someone saying - if it works for you do it. Thank you.
You nailed it when you said keeping the left arm straight can cause tension & woodenness. That’s always been my problem. Thank you for giving us an alternative.
I'm 65 years old I tried it a couple of years ago I could not believe how far I hit my 4 hybrid bending and totally relaxing both arms but it's hard to do having kept my left arm straight for year's it's a great tip you've shown I bet a lot of younger golfers have never tried it .
5 handicap here. Been trying to straighten my left arm for years, just can’t do it. When I record my swing it bends at the top and by the time I’m coming down I’ve already straightened it. Thank you for posting this giving me the confidence to swing my swing.
Darling Steve... I have had the worst 2 years trying to play with being told I MUST keep my left arm straight.. Thank you so much for this video I am now off to the range to find my old slightly bent golf swing... Today the penny dropped... Thanks again...
Congrats Steve, you're the first pro I've heard say go ahead and bend the left arm. Anything that you bend in the backswing and straighten through impact IS A POWER SOURCE. Whether it's legs or arms.
Thanks for posting this Steve. I am 49 years old and have always bent my left arm, and played to low single figures for almost 30 years. Got told last year to straighten my left arm as would improve my golf and have struggled since. Now on path last couple of weeks not worrying about it and strike coming back. All about impact not looks, score doesn't care what it looks like. Cheers.
Really bending the left arm but then throwing the clubhead with the right hand at the ball added 15 yards to my 8 iron on the practice mat. Out to the course soon to see how it works there. I'm excited!
John Daly has a very bent left arm, and hits the ball a country mile! But I get why coaches suggest keeping the left arm as straight as you can, because in general it will be more consistent. But there’s no doubt extra levers = extra power. As long as you can unwind those levers consistently at impact each time. But that’s not easy, which is why we can only name a handful of tour pros to ever play that way
It's a really good point I think it depends on your age and flexibility also I have to bend my left arm or it's super painful in the forearm and elbow area
My golf buddy bends his elbow, and when I asked him about it, he explained that it straightens it out as the swing comes down. He smashes it at 64. I am definitely going to play around with the technique and see how it feels, thanks to your discourse on the matter.
I play golf with two friends who both bend their left arm…both hit the ball incredibly well and very long, one of them is a single handicap golfer. So it does work, as long as you get the arm back to straight at impact. I watched a video with Bob Toski who actually promoted the bent left arm for older golfers who lack flexibility in their swing. Thanks Steve, sometimes the old ways are the best ways…nothing new in golf. Cheers from Nova Scotia..MikeR.
Keeping it straight will give you a bigger swing arc & more distance, but if you're a senior, there's no reason to force it because you're just not as flexible as you were & you can't expect to be able to swing as well as when you were in your prime but for some reason, we expect to & reject the idea that we can't. Some seniors even refuse to use the senior tees because their egos won't let them. You can keep your arm straight but not if you're swinging with your arms alone. Your arms are controlled by the rotation of your torso so if you want straighter arms, work on a bigger turn with your chest & not your shoulders. If you can't keep your arm straight, don't force it & accept your limitations.
That's an extremely good point you just made because I'm 60 now and if I try to keep my left arm straight it's real painful in the elbow and forearm area
I have a bent left arm which results in an overswing. My coach is trying to get me to shorten it. But I can still hit really good shots with it, just not every shot!
I quit golf because it was just too frustrating- mainly because I couldn’t keep my left arm straight- a month ago I was out of town and my wife wanted to go to the range so I joined her - I remember thinking ‘what would happen if I just let my arm bend? I started hitting the nicest shots I’ve ever hit in my life, one after the other - did it 4 more times at the range it was shocking - having some trouble now where I hit an amazing shot then miss the next one completely- but I’m going to stay with it and see where it goes 😂😉
Good tip but it would be great to see some data and numbers… for instance, 7 iron data with soft left arm versus straight left arm to prove out this theory.
The advantage for me in having a straight, or at least very firm, left arm is consistency. Bending your arm results in fat and thin shots. Another advantage of the firm arm is more distance.
The firm arm is not related to distance. Lag is related to distance. Some players can create more lag with a soft left elbow. Check Brooks's swing. It essentially puts the arc forward in the stance allowing the club to release much later, lower the loft, and creating more distance.
Steve, love the content, but I think the frisbee analogy is wrong. Because right handers don't throw the frisbee with the left arm. Your dominant hand/arm is the trail hand/arm. That's where the power and speed are going to come from. Think of a baseball swing or hockey shot. Or think of how you throw skipping stones. That's the idea.
Ryan Fox doesn't have a straight left arm and he hits it a mile. It's not something coached but it works for some people. Fox's swing is his own, not coached, just how he played from being a kid
I used to play baseball so when first played golf I naturally just bent my left arm and I was able to generate a lot of power then this guy came by and showed me the “proper way” by that I mean left straight arm. I still feel a bit uncomfortable having my left arm straight though
I hit it much better and further letting my left arm bend and having longer backswing.....give it a go what you got to lose you never keep your arm straight when swinging a hammer🤔 everything is released at impact
When i started playing 3 years ago my lead arm was bent, after learning to keep it straight I've lost significant distance. I'm going back to bentedness.
Steve, a long time subscriber here. The reason I like your content is because it is no b/s. I took up golf 30 years ago with no coaching. I stopped 12 years ago with the birth of my son. When I came back during 2020 it was like the whole game had changed - computerised club / swing fitting, wedges that go as far as 8 irons (down to loft and shaft length) and the whole straight arm which I have been trying to copy every since which feels awkward and has lowered my swing speed. Nice to see someone saying - if it works for you do it. Thank you.
Thanks Stuart. Welcome back to the greatest game ever
You nailed it when you said keeping the left arm straight can cause tension & woodenness. That’s always been my problem. Thank you for giving us an alternative.
You’re welcome
I'm 65 years old I tried it a couple of years ago I could not believe how far I hit my 4 hybrid bending and totally relaxing both arms but it's hard to do having kept my left arm straight for year's it's a great tip you've shown I bet a lot of younger golfers have never tried it .
5 handicap here. Been trying to straighten my left arm for years, just can’t do it. When I record my swing it bends at the top and by the time I’m coming down I’ve already straightened it. Thank you for posting this giving me the confidence to swing my swing.
Darling Steve... I have had the worst 2 years trying to play with being told I MUST keep my left arm straight.. Thank you so much for this video I am now off to the range to find my old slightly bent golf swing... Today the penny dropped... Thanks again...
You’re welcome….enjoy👍👍
Congrats Steve, you're the first pro I've heard say go ahead and bend the left arm. Anything that you bend in the backswing and straighten through impact IS A POWER SOURCE. Whether it's legs or arms.
Cool, thanks 😊
Music to my ears! I had become obsessed with trying to keep my left arm straight which was distracting from everything else in the swing!
Thanks for posting this Steve. I am 49 years old and have always bent my left arm, and played to low single figures for almost 30 years. Got told last year to straighten my left arm as would improve my golf and have struggled since. Now on path last couple of weeks not worrying about it and strike coming back. All about impact not looks, score doesn't care what it looks like. Cheers.
You deserve to reach 100K subscribers. Stay with with it.
Really bending the left arm but then throwing the clubhead with the right hand at the ball added 15 yards to my 8 iron on the practice mat. Out to the course soon to see how it works there. I'm excited!
Superb, let me know how you get on👍👍
John Daly has a very bent left arm, and hits the ball a country mile! But I get why coaches suggest keeping the left arm as straight as you can, because in general it will be more consistent. But there’s no doubt extra levers = extra power. As long as you can unwind those levers consistently at impact each time. But that’s not easy, which is why we can only name a handful of tour pros to ever play that way
The big issue here could be early unwinding in the downswing, promoting casting and so on...
It's a really good point I think it depends on your age and flexibility also I have to bend my left arm or it's super painful in the forearm and elbow area
My golf buddy bends his elbow, and when I asked him about it, he explained that it straightens it out as the swing comes down. He smashes it at 64. I am definitely going to play around with the technique and see how it feels, thanks to your discourse on the matter.
Good stuff
I play golf with two friends who both bend their left arm…both hit the ball incredibly well and very long, one of them is a single handicap golfer. So it does work, as long as you get the arm back to straight at impact. I watched a video with Bob Toski who actually promoted the bent left arm for older golfers who lack flexibility in their swing. Thanks Steve, sometimes the old ways are the best ways…nothing new in golf. Cheers from Nova Scotia..MikeR.
Thanks Steve! Always great content.
Best coach around 🥰👌
Wow, thanks 😮
That is going to be a great help!
Great video Steve. Very useful, thanks. I’ve been fighting the bent left arm ‘sin’ for years! Perhaps I’ll stop now
Keeping it straight will give you a bigger swing arc & more distance, but if you're a senior, there's no reason to force it because you're just not as flexible as you were & you can't expect to be able to swing as well as when you were in your prime but for some reason, we expect to & reject the idea that we can't. Some seniors even refuse to use the senior tees because their egos won't let them. You can keep your arm straight but not if you're swinging with your arms alone. Your arms are controlled by the rotation of your torso so if you want straighter arms, work on a bigger turn with your chest & not your shoulders. If you can't keep your arm straight, don't force it & accept your limitations.
That's an extremely good point you just made because I'm 60 now and if I try to keep my left arm straight it's real painful in the elbow and forearm area
Finally!!!!! Thank you....
You’re welcome👍👍
Love your tips steve
Glad you like them!👏🏻👏🏻
I have a bent left arm which results in an overswing. My coach is trying to get me to shorten it. But I can still hit really good shots with it, just not every shot!
Great video, I’ve had a shoulder injury being really struggling with straight arm swinging a lot better now. Thanks
I quit golf because it was just too frustrating- mainly because I couldn’t keep my left arm straight- a month ago I was out of town and my wife wanted to go to the range so I joined her - I remember thinking ‘what would happen if I just let my arm bend? I started hitting the nicest shots I’ve ever hit in my life, one after the other - did it 4 more times at the range it was shocking - having some trouble now where I hit an amazing shot then miss the next one completely- but I’m going to stay with it and see where it goes 😂😉
As a senior golfer bending my left arm is easier.
I agree 100% when I try to keep my left arm real straight it's super painful in my elbow and forearm area
Good tip but it would be great to see some data and numbers… for instance, 7 iron data with soft left arm versus straight left arm to prove out this theory.
srevejohstongolf STEVE,,,,,,Could you share what book you are referring to about Harry Vardon? thx much!!
Re-synchronisation is fundamental
Bobby Jones bent both arms at setup and had arguably the most fluid swing of all time.
The advantage for me in having a straight, or at least very firm, left arm is consistency. Bending your arm results in fat and thin shots. Another advantage of the firm arm is more distance.
The firm arm is not related to distance. Lag is related to distance. Some players can create more lag with a soft left elbow. Check Brooks's swing. It essentially puts the arc forward in the stance allowing the club to release much later, lower the loft, and creating more distance.
Steve, love the content, but I think the frisbee analogy is wrong. Because right handers don't throw the frisbee with the left arm. Your dominant hand/arm is the trail hand/arm. That's where the power and speed are going to come from. Think of a baseball swing or hockey shot. Or think of how you throw skipping stones. That's the idea.
Ryan Fox doesn't have a straight left arm and he hits it a mile. It's not something coached but it works for some people. Fox's swing is his own, not coached, just how he played from being a kid
I love it. Great person to highlight.👏🏻
I used to play baseball so when first played golf I naturally just bent my left arm and I was able to generate a lot of power then this guy came by and showed me the “proper way” by that I mean left straight arm. I still feel a bit uncomfortable having my left arm straight though
Unbow, or maybe extend?
I hit it much better and further letting my left arm bend and having longer backswing.....give it a go what you got to lose you never keep your arm straight when swinging a hammer🤔 everything is released at impact
I love that 👏🏻
I’m making some progress with this but I’ve run out of iPads. 😂
😂
Who was it you were reading from?
Koepka has a bent arm and seams to work for him.
Spieth, Westwood too. Great if you are playing daily and constantly repeating that action every day??
Good one Steve but sound not so good, but you probably already know that.
Engage the left tricep!
To get a good impact, it's just luck if you bend the left hand...😁