Newsletter May 2012
johnhayesgolf.com
As always, the Ladies Clinics are a lot of fun for me. Many of the golfers are newer golfers and it always amazes me that so many of them are still told, by well-meaning spouses and friends, to “keep the left arm straight during the swing.” THIS IS BAD ADVICE!!! DON’T DO IT!!!
Did I make myself clear on how I feel about that common piece of golf advice? If you really keep your left arm straight then you will likely experience a shorter, more strained backswing than is ideal. If you keep it very straight on the forward swing then you will likely slice the ball to the right. You can look at swings of the top Pros such as, Hale Irwin, Lorena Ochoa or J.B. Holmes and see how their left arms are at the end of the backswing.
The left arm does get extended during the backswing but you should not try to keep it straight. The left arm must be allowed to bend in response to the forward swing. Just hold a baseball bat as if you are getting ready to hit a pitched ball but before you swing the bat make your left arm straight. Would you like to hit a baseball that way? No, and you shouldn’t hit a golf ball that way either.
Now if a golfer is just picking the club up in the backswing (an error) and their hands end up very close to their head at the end of the backswing then tell them to swing the clubhead back and feel that the hands stay away from their head at the end of the backswing but do not have any tension or strain in the muscles in accomplishing this action. Then swing the whole club forward to the other side and remain flexible so the muscles and joints can respond to the motion that is produced. Muscles and joints should not be kept straight and tight.
I hope to see you soon at the Chi Chi Golf Range & Family Sports Complex for a golf lesson.
Thanks, John Hayes
johnhayesgolf.com special: ONE FREE 30 MINUTE GOLF LESSON to the first person to walk up to me at Chi Chi’s and says, “I am not trying to keep my left arm straight.”