On The Tee with Hank Johnson

POWER!

Second segment in a series. The role of the arms and hands in the wind-up

The arms and hands must be prepared (loaded) to transfer the power of the pivot into the club which ultimately delivers it to the ball.

The hands are a pair of adjustable clamps that attach the club to the arms. Their original placement on the club dictates how efficiently they can allow the club to swing and the clubface to strike the ball squarely.

The wrists are a pair of hinges that must also be properly aligned at address to maximize the potential for an accurate and powerful acceleration of the club through the ball.

Note: The address positioning of these elements is so individual that it is best handled in a lesson from a qualified instructor.

The arms along with the club represent a “lever system” with the lead arm (left arm for a right handed player) acting as The Primary Lever. The rotation of the body (the pivot) swings the lead arm to the top of the swing. The trailing arm functions like a piston that supports the extended but relaxed condition of the lead arm. It also raises the lead arm to the appropriate position at the top of the swing.

To get maximum potential benefit from the wind-up of the body the arms must stay connected or “matched up” to the pivot. This simply means keeping the arms and hands together and in front of the chest (where they started) all the way to the end of the backswing.

Next segment: A properly sequenced forward swing.

Hank Johnson, PGA
July 28, 2008