golf imperatives web pdf

Left arm
A piece of rope
Many golf lessons begin with the club being held firmly in the left hand and guided back and
forward using a stiff left arm. Right arm participation is barely discussed as it is regarded a
taboo subject. Combine this with an attempt to keep your head down and the result is
inconsistent contact between club and ball, mostly topped and fat shots.
The mystery of the left arm participation during
the golf swing disappears when you replace the
arm with a length of rope. Imagine a rope
approximately a meter long looped around the
left shoulder and hanging down vertically. Take
the rope in your right palm and fix it against the
grip as if the rope replaces the left thumb.
During the backswing you will feel the true
participation of the left arm, through the rope.
You will sense the importance of the right hand
and arm in the takeaway and not the left which is
of course inert and without muscles, as is the
rope. Try this several times without a ball, then replace the rope with your left arm and try
with a ball. Keep the same sensation as before when the rope replaced the left arm. You
should feel the right arm participation and instantly make better contact on the ball. During
all strokes from chip through to full swing you should keep this feeling of the right wrist and
arm controlling the left.
exercise - Try several pitch shot swings with the rope replacing the left arm, now
replace the rope with the left arm and add the ball.
The Golfing Machine - The "mystery" of the Mechanics of Golf fades away when right
arm participation is understood. Wether its participation is active or passive is difficult to
detect visually because in either case the Left Arm is ALWAYS SWINGING and the Right
Forearm is ALWAYS DRIVING. (2)
16 GOLF IMPERATIVES