Today’s video will help you hit the golf ball farther! I’ve got an important concept to teach you and a great drill you can try at home.
But before we get started I need to introduce the term “lead arm adduction.” Sounds complicated but it’s really just a fancy way of saying the angle formed between your lead arm and your shoulders.
As you bring your club to the top of your backswing, your arm comes up across your chest and this angle will naturally reduce. But if you compare the swings of great ballstrikers with those of amateurs, you will see an important difference that happens in transition.
First let’s take a look at the swing of one of my students, a 16-handicap:
The image on the left shows the top of backswing position with a lead arm abduction angle of 28 degrees.
The middle image was taken early in the downswing, and as you can see, this players lead arm is already beginning to separate from the shoulders and is now at a 32 degree angle.
Now take a look at the graphic below showing the lead arm abduction of Tom Purtzer, one of the greatest drivers of the ball on tour during his heyday.
As you can see in the image on the left, his lead arm forms a 29 degree angle with his shoulders at the top of backswing position. But what I want you to focus on is the middle image, which is the beginning of his downswing. You will notice that unlike my student above, Tom’s “lead arm adduction” angle actually decreases as he starts his move down to the ball.
This is pretty typical of what we see with better players, and what you want to work towards in your swing! Think of it like they are leaving their arms in position at the top even as they start the downswing with the rest of their body… their arms get closer into their chest. This motion stores energy in your arms, giving you a boost in club head speed as they eventually spring through impact.
Check out the video below where I explain this concept and give you a great drill to work on it at home!
Thanks for watching!
If you enjoyed today’s video and want to take it to the next level, go ahead and take a look at my Ballstriking Blueprint training program. It’s jam-packed full of my best drills and lessons to help you become a better ballstriker!