Kip's Golf Myths - Keeping Your Left Arm Straight

[Gyro911]

Keep your grip firm on the back and down swing to get a straight left arm.

A bent left lead arm is the kiss of death to the casuall golfer unless you like shanking the ball every once in a while. A bent arm requires a precise tempo that only very experienced golfers are able to get away with.

[fradaja]

if your teaching a beginner, comfortably straight is good advice, a bent left arm promotes poor rotation which most high handicappers suffer with,the worlds straightest consistent hitters tend to have a straight left arm at the top,kite, moe norman, faldo, it's the key to achieving exactly the same position every swing, bent? how bent? can you achieve a consistent position a the top?

[rw5791]

curtis strange won back to back us opens and he bent his arm.It makes for a smoother swing,not so mechanical but I use a straight arm technique just because it's one less thing to worry about.

[cockywatchman1976]

For most average amateurs this is bad advice....think straight left arm, it limits over swing. Most mid handicappers swing WAY too far. If you have poor range of motion and arent flexible, well you are never gonna be any good anyway, so just play for fun with old men and ladies

[cjcollas]

The truth is that you can swing with a left arm straight ( see ernie els, tiger, rory, sergio, etc) or you can swing with the left arm bent ( see lee westwood or goosen). Having the left arm bent imo creates problems in the swing so i like to have it straight. But kip is right that it should not be so straight that it is creating a stiff arm full of tension. Anyway this video is win because he says ram rod... TEAM RAMROD

[pgccpro]

I agree......shot 6 under last week for the 10th time. Don't keep my left arm straight. There are a million different swings that work in golf. The only thing that matters is where you are at impact. NOT how you get there. 100 teachers would say keep it straight 100 different teachers would say not to.....

[boardhead888]

I disagree. Shot 2 under yesterday for the first time using a left arm that was ram rod straight and very little wrist hinge.