Bent left arm at impact

[Kenjr1969]

I have seen many great ball strikers whose left elbow is bent coming into impact. What is this the result of and is it anything that can be practiced? I have tried softening up my elbow to help generate more speed. Usually at impact my elbow is ram rod straight.

[iacas]

Some are. Most aren't.

 

I don't know that it's something I'd "try" to do.

 

(Lee Westwood played cricket as a kid, which I think encouraged his position.)

 

 

[MPStrat]

I’ll add this too. This was the week Viktor won at Jacks place.

[dap]

On 6/23/2023 at 5:39 AM, Kenjr1969 said:

I have seen many great ball strikers whose left elbow is bent coming into impact. What is this the result of and is it anything that can be practiced? I have tried softening up my elbow to help generate more speed. Usually at impact my elbow is ram rod straight.

A lot of pros add flex in their lead arm on the downswing and coming into impact. A few even keep the flex past impact like Hovland, Westwood and Koepka. I think it helps hit ball before turf which average players struggle with. 
 

Keeping the lead arm straight with the elbow locked out throughout the swing is a misconception in my opinion. It should be allowed to flex especially on the downswing.

[phizzy30]

Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, and Lee Westwood are great examples of tour players that have the left arm bent at impact.  I tried it once a long time ago and let's just say I had one hell of a time making good contact again, lol.  I think it needs to be something that's naturally ingrained, not something you purposely incorporate into your swing. 

[nsxguy]

9 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

I think it needs to be something that's naturally ingrained, not something you purposely incorporate into your swing. 

 

Agreed.

 

I have a slightly bent left (lead) arm. I occasionally try experimenting with straightening it a bit and while it feels "better" when I do it correctly, it often results in a fat shot.

 

Which makes some sense. Straightening it makes the radius a tiny bit longer so all else being the "same",,,,, equals hitting the ground first.

 

There are sooooooo many things that have to go right to make a good golf swing I find it impossible to think of, or ingrain, all of them. Some things just have to work "naturally". 

[naval2006]

Isn’t this a natural motion?  I guess I must be quite a mess to consciously try to bend your left elbow through the ball every time. 

[SNIPERBBB]

Is this more of an artifact of a a trail arn dominated swing rather something done intentionally? 

[MPStrat]

45 minutes ago, SNIPERBBB said:

Is this more of an artifact of a a trail arn dominated swing rather something done intentionally? 

A lot of it is just a softer, less hyperextended lead arm combined with a huge turn of the shoulders with a short arm swing in the backswing carried into the downswing. Some people see big time 2d illusions when trying to make sense of it

 

 

[Nels55]

The hands move up and in through impact in good swings and bending the arm is one way to do this:
https://www.adamyounggolf.com/low-point-and-parametric-acceleration/

Edited June 25, 2023 by Nels55

[dap]

Tommy Fleetwood is a good example of adding flex on the downswing. His lead arm is almost hyperextended at the top of the backswing but is significantly bent near impact. Is he doing it consciously? I doubt it but I suppose good players do this instinctively perhaps to get crisper ball then turf strikes.