Is it derisable to bend the left elbow thro impact?

[wulsy]

Is it desirable to bend the left elbow thro impact?

What are the pluses and minuses about bending the left elbow through impact?

Have we assumed, like the famous FLW, that a locked left elbow (LLE) is a given in the golf swing only to discover that there is no advantage and perhaps some disadvantage to keeping it straight?

 

[OLIVER1]

What are the pluses and minuses about bending the left elbow through impact?

Have we assumed, like the famous FLW, that a locked left elbow (LLE) is a given in the golf swing only to discover that there is no advantage and perhaps some disadvantage to keeping it straight?

Do you mean like Lee Westwood?
I would think it depends on how the left elbow is oriented and what flows before it; in short, pattern and subject dependent

 

[wulsy]

Yes Olsi, like Westwood. But I was talking more generally, like for example the idea of the left wrist extension through impact now being regarded as a universal "law" for 90%+ of good ball strikers.

 

[birly-shirly]

Wulsy - "through impact" as in "at impact" or "post impact"?

Lots of people have emphasised the need to fold the left arm away post impact - Faldo, big Jack, Curtis Strange, anyone seeking "connection" and I'm pretty sure anyone looking to "swing left" (although I know you're a sceptic yourself )

I'll bet lots of those folk needed to feel the left arm bending earlier than could have felt right to begin with - maybe even feeling that they had a bent arm at impact (though it might not have shown up on video).

S'all intent, innit?

 

[drewyallop]

What are the pluses and minuses about bending the left elbow through impact?

Have we assumed, like the famous FLW, that a locked left elbow (LLE) is a given in the golf swing only to discover that there is no advantage and perhaps some disadvantage to keeping it straight?

No. But it could be risible.

 

[wulsy]

drew, I think I've developed some kind of dyslexia! Not kidding. Maybe it's like a type 2 diabetes affliction, hits you in later life...

birly, I was referring to a bending a la Westwood and Goosen where the elbow bends before the club face squares to the target.

 

[wulsy]

Here's Ricky!

 

[wulsy]

Da Serge:

 

[Frans@France]

is that bend intentional or the result of something else......like a specifiek body movement and that only the left upper arm is capable to follow as it has already slowed down more then the left forearm. Or the other way around? The forearm is following a different path due to some forces and the rest can just not follow...

 

[drewyallop]

is that bend intentional or the result of something else......like a specifiek body movement and that only the left upper arm is capable to follow as it has already slowed down more then the left forearm. Or the other way around? The forearm is following a different path due to some forces and the rest can just not follow...

I think you make a valuable observation Frans. Confusing cause with effect is one of the main problems with analyzing pictures of the golf swing, in my view. Pictures do not show the complex interaction of forces in the golf swing.

 

[birly-shirly]

drew, I think I've developed some kind of dyslexia! Not kidding. Maybe it's like a type 2 diabetes affliction, hits you in later life...

birly, I was referring to a bending a la Westwood and Goosen where the elbow bends before the club face squares to the target.

Fair enough. I'd be surprised to hear someone teach that sort of bend as an end in itself. Then again, I can think of only one place where that sort of "flip" would be considered a fault.

 

[Kevin Shields]

You know, birly, that "place" has become so bad and the info so silly it isn't even fun to follow anymore. Used to be sort of a hobby.

 

[wulsy]

Fair enough. I'd be surprised to hear someone teach that sort of bend as an end in itself...

Yes birly, this is the question. Are all the brainwashed, cloned, full of shyte, seminar attending, point collecting, CV writing dumb Fs teaching a straight left arm to the sheep when it's not optimal? Why do so many good players bend like this?

 

[cwdlaw223]

Does the bent left arm have to do with the radius of the club and therefore controlling the AoA somehow? I don't know. Just a guess.

 

[Kevin Shields]

Might be a micro move, nobody's sure. I saw something about it in a totally unreadable article

 

[cwdlaw223]

Kevin -

The beauty of 1,000 micro moves and a release style that keeps changing (drive hold now doesn't mean driving your right hand against the shaft and holding the right wrist bend) is that everything is covered so they can't be wrong. At least one thing will always be right. Sort of like filling in A,B,C and D in a multiple choice exam.

 

[magicmarker]

I think the ideally perfect handpath would (probably, jmo) trace out a section of the golden spiral.

I think if the left shoulder can't, won't or just doesn't want to go up 'enough' (to get the handpath to spiral inward rather than outward), then some bend in the left elbow may help.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Bill Melhorn hated the straight left arm. He thought it was a bad, bad flaw.

In the 30 years I have taught this game, I have NEVER told someone to do it. I went through a comparatively brief phase teaching the right arm stretching—but not straightening—the left.

If you are performing "Going Normal" to the max, your club HAS NO IDEA what is pulling it inward, your elbow is a good enough source for many swings.

But, if need help with negative alpha to and through impact (pulling the grip away from the target), you may use your once soft left arm to PULL INWARD toward the pivot as well. This will take a lot of bend out of it (maybe all of some golfers).

If you realize how the forces and torques work in the swing, you sure wouldn't ever try to do anything on purpose toward super-straight.

 

[cwdlaw223]

Kevin -

The beauty of 1,000 micro moves and a release style that keeps changing (drive hold now doesn't mean driving your right hand against the shaft and holding the right wrist bend) is that everything is covered so they can't be wrong. At least one thing will always be right. Sort of like filling in A,B,C and D in a multiple choice exam.

Kevin -

Slight correction. Those guys haven't even figured out yet what force to apply against the shaft to support their "release" style. It's all a look. Just get a "solid" left wrist, rotate with your body and everything will become "stable." They don't see forces and torques in video so it must not be there!!!

Standing on two feet with golf shoes on and a glove on your hand are also obvious micro moves.

 

[gmbtempe]

I had a teacher tell me once to keep the left arm as straight as possible to create the biggest arc, this was about mid 90's ish.