96 GOLF.COM / S e p t ember 2019
(^5 6)
YOUR BEST
DOWNSWING
Finding your perfect
top position will
help eliminate many
common downswing
errors, including
casting, flipping
and swinging out-
to-in. Better yet,
it will set you up to
deliver the club to the
ball efficiently and
effectively with barely
any thought. There’s
one last step: training
your right elbow to
lead your hands. Start
by repeating the test
from the previous
page, but this time
while holding one
of your clubs. Once
you’ve reached your
ideal top position,
remove your left hand
from the handle and
hook it under your
right elbow (photo,
above left), applying
slight pressure.
While resisting this
pressure, use your
left hand to pull your
right elbow down
and in front of you
(photo, above right).
It should mimic the
feel of skipping a
rock on a lake, with
your right elbow
“driving” forward and
dictating the action.
(Some less flexible
golfers may have
difficulty achieving
this position. If so, use
a shorter arm swing
when you perform the
backswing test.)
Notice how getting
the right elbow into
the correct delivery
position “shallows”
the shaft and creates
powerful lag. Perfect!
Continue to work
toward impact, keeping
your right elbow in
front of you (photo,
right). Now you can
strike the ball with
your hands ahead of
the clubhead—just like
a Tour pro! The more
you perform these
drills, the better you’ll
re-create the same
feels on the course—
and crush shots like
never before.
- After settling
into your ideal
top position,
hook your left
hand around
your right elbow,
applying slight
pressure.
6. Using pressure
from your left
hand, “drive”
your right elbow
down and in
front of you and
get the club to
“shallow” out.
The goal:
Hands ahead
of the clubhead
at impact.