back elbow swing question.

[halifax_golfer]

How close does your back elbow have to stay to your body?.. I'm going to try to base my swing on Hogans 5 lessons... But is there a general distance that your back elbow should stay from your body? I think Nicklaus had a flying right elbow...

Chris.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

I don't think there's a single answer to this, although in general I would say the closer it remains without it being glued or stuck to your ribcage, in general the better. I'm saying that though approaching it from the most frequent cause of trouble for the average golfer, arms that get away from the body and lose connection.

But try to look at this way from Hogan's 5 Lessons, if you work on the basics as he describes them, it should do a lot that you won't even have to think about where your right elbow is, it'll find the position it should be in.

That's no guarantee though. I have some physical issues along with probably too much time of getting some bad habits that it's often important for me to have the following thought whenever I swing: drive the right elbow back into the body on the downswing. Maybe some day I won't have to think that anymore.

I'd also say I think it's helpful if you are going to think about your right elbow any, thinking of it in terms of a motion. By that I mean the way you have asked your question it's like you're asking for a static position, when a golf swing is anything but static.

So when you think of your backswing, think of it in the way of a motion. Start from stance, elbows turned slightly back towards your hips, forward press, then make your move to rotate your shoulders around your spine. See, if you do that, you won't even have to think about what your right elbow is doing.

Then, for me at least, upon reaching top, start the left hip and drive the right elbow back into the body.

It's going to take time and practice, and any time that you make a good shot, hold your finish, watch the ball, and try to record the feelings your body had on the swing, the backswing, the downswing, impact and follow through.

[halifax_golfer]

Cool. Thanks for the reply. .

[warbirdlover]

I think the "Golf Digests" and other golf magazine articles get you worried too much about your "right elbow" and you "left big toe" so much you totally forget about just swinging at the ball. I got stuck into that about 15 years ago (I've played for over 40) and finally just said "enough" and worked on my own swing just getting the basics right. By building my swing I've found all the little things (grip position etc) that make me hook or slice and now feel like I know my swing well enough to fix all the little problems. I still need to get a good pro to help once in awhile but don't get too caught up in the "right elbow" position. My $0.02 worth.

[Davebud]

Vijay just sticks a head cover under his armpit and as long as it stays put he considers that good.

[token_hottie]

My elbow stays in pretty close, but I've never really concentrated on it when I swing. I'm usually thinking about my hip rotation so much that there's no room to think about anything else.

[halifax_golfer]

experimented a bit with it on the course and range... havn't got to golf much lately... But it seems if I keep it closer, I cant hit a real nice draw.. if I let it get away a bit, I can hit anything from a fade to a decent slice. I love being able to shape the ball.

Chris.

[golfman2760]

I just worry about keeping my on the ball while drawing back and swinging the club