Alignment between shaft and left forearm at address

[atlanta golfer]

I was experimenting on the range today with three different address positions for the left forearm relative to club shaft. This applies for wedges through driver. Position one has left arm hanging pretty much straight down. Position two has left arm hanging naturally which is maybe an inch or so higher than straight down. Position three has lower forearm and wrist almost in a line with shaft plane. I was surprised that I had good success with Position three although I have always been taught to go with Position two. Comments on experiences by others, especially with driver?

[yoonie]

Two words: Moe Norman.

 

Ok, fine, I'll elaborate- apparently, TGM literature (though I havne't read/studied it personally, so I'm just parroting what I've heard) says that most great ball strikers come into impact with the clubshaft aligned with one of their arms from a down the line view- in most cases, the right arm, but in Moe's case, the left.

[atlanta golfer]

I'm with you on coming into impact with the arms roughly on plane with the clubshaft from a down the line view.

 

My question is at address. Looking at the wrist and forearm, especially the left, how low or high do the best ball strikers position this?

[KMeloney]

My question is at address. Looking at the wrist and forearm, especially the left, how low or high do the best ball strikers position this?

 

I know exactly what you're asking, 'cause I've been toying with this just recently, too. I found that I benefit from getting a little closer to the ball, and having less of an angle between by arms and the shaft (less bend in the wrists) at set up. I'm not sure if it's this WRIST position itself that helps, or more the fact that this wrist position straightens my POSTURE (which promotes better results)...

 

/< / /2 /<

[atlanta golfer]

I was watching the end of the LPGA tournament yesterday evening with Lorena Ochoa and Suzanne Pederson (spelling?) when they were coming down to the wire the last few holes. I can't remember now which one of them it was, but looking down the line at her striking a fairway wood, her wrists and forearms were almost in the same plane as the club, they were that much angled outward.

 

otoh if you look down the line at other pros, including the swing sequences that appear monthly in Golf Digest, you will see some pros with their arms almost vertical.

 

Perhaps this is not a right / wrong fundamental, but is more a matter of personal style - however it seems to me that whichever way it is done, it needs to be repeatable every time.