It’s something you have heard since the day you started to learn how to play a round of golf. “you gotta keep your left arm straight during the golf swing”.
Problem is, how can you keep your left arm straight while using the right hand?
Golfers often think that they can keep their left hand straight when swinging. But, they’re shocked when the video shows them swinging on the camera. Their left elbow is usually broken during the backswing or downswing.
Golfers who are too focused on their left arm during the swing can become stiff and rigid.
How can you keep your left arm straight while golfing?
Let’s start with a lesson in the mechanics of golf swing…
The following is a list of experts on golf’s physics. “Magic Triangle”Oder “Eternal Triangle”This is the ideal golf swing. The triangle is formed by the left arm of the golfer, the golf ball, and an imaginary line running from the left shoulder to center of the club head. This triangle must be kept in place from the beginning of your backswing until just before you let go of the clubhead. Joe Dante’s top-selling golf instruction book, “Golf Instructional Book” explains how this will create a fast impact with the ball. “Four Magic Moves to Winning Golf”.
Focusing on the magic triangle during a golf swing will allow you to take advantage of a strong physical force…the conservation angular momentum…the principle that the angular momentum remains constant regardless of external forces or moments.
It speeds up if the object (clubhead) is moved closer to the axis, which is formed by the stable spine of the golfer. The club head will slow down if it is moved farther out. As the golfer swings, his hands are closer to the body, or the axis, and the speed of the club head slows down. This decrease in momentum leads to a lighter club that increases the speed of a stroke. It also causes whiplash, which is a type of force increase on the ball.
If your left arm doesn’t stay straight while you golf, then your swing radius is shorter and your centrifugal force is lower. Your left arm is like a spoke on a wheel, and your swing radius as the circle of that wheel.
The reason you should not keep your left arm straight is that it will reduce the spoke’s circumference and thereby make it shorter. Also, you are reversing the beneficial effects of conservation angular momentum. This will reduce the speed of impact between ball and club.
Now you know the mechanics behind why your left arm should be straight when golfing swings
How do you learn to do so?
You can just become conscious of the triangle if your basic golf swing principles like grip, stance and alignment are good. This triangle is not something you should force…just notice it the next time your go to the range.
Finally, you can release any stored energy in your head by cracking a whip just before impact!
You will be amazed at how well you are able to hit the ball after a while.
By shining your light onto this triangle, you’ll be amazed at how straight your left hand becomes when golfing.
This will give you the power to be a tiger at your tail.
Strike ’em Straight and Long!
John Lynch