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How to fix the right Elbow in Golf Swing

You might have practiced a lot to improve your golf swing, but you have missed the key element behind it until now. It may come as a surprise, but your Right Elbow in Golf Swing plays a pivotal role in determining the success of your shot. In fact, the power, accuracy, and consistency of your swing entirely depend on the position of your right elbow.

In this article, I will discuss the importance of the right elbow in Golf swing, along with different techniques and drills to improve it. If you are a left-handed player, apply similar tactics on your left elbow.

Right Elbow in Golf Swing- What you need to Know

When discussing the right elbow, we need to first break down the swing parts in the following sections.

  1. Address Position
  2. Backswing
  3. Downswing
  4. Follow through

Address position

This is the setup position you take before making the shot. You must correct your alignment with the tee and develop a neutral to strong grip during this.

After you have taken your position, it’s time to work on your arms. First of all, you need to extend your left and right arms fully at the address but have a slight bend in the right arm. This way, your right arm will rest underneath the left arm. After this, make sure that your arms are rotated in a way that the forearms are pointing toward the sky. This will broaden your chest and prevent a hunched back.

Now that your arms are positioned correctly, we will move on to the elbows, specifically the right elbow. This will be discussed later in the article.

Finally, it’s important that your body is actively relaxed because if you are tense your shot will be ruined even if you are doing everything else stated above.

position to fix right elbow

Backswing

Once you are done with the address position, it’s time to work on your backswing. Your right arm is going to play a vital role here.

During Backswing, you should continue to fold your right arm as your body turns but at the same time, keep it close to your body. Now, the trail arm begins to bend and tuck. So, keep it tucked, otherwise, it will create a flared back elbow on the backswing.

Downswing

After taking your position and working on the backswing, it’s time to find out what happens on the way down.

Here is where a lot of players make mistakes because they do not use the upper half of their body correctly. Many golfers hit the downswing using their upper body instead of the lower one. Therefore, you need to sequence up and make use of your lower body to generate speed.

golfer learning downswing

Right Elbow in Golf Swing

This is the most important part of your swing. During the backswing, your right elbow should move freely to generate power. Meanwhile, during the downswing, you should tuck in your right elbow and hit directly at your target.

Drills to perfect the Right Elbow in Golf swing

One-arm swings:

For one-arm drills, you need to take off your right hand from the club and then swing using your left arm only. This will give you an idea of how your left arm should move during the swing and why you should keep your right elbow close.

Swing in slow motion:

As the name suggests, practice your swing in slow motion while keeping the right elbow close to your body.

Wall drill to fix right elbow in Golf swing:

For this drill, you need to stand close to a wall with your right side facing it. Then, practice your swing but make sure that your right elbow does not touch it.

Use a towel:

Place a towel under your right armpit and then make the swing. The idea is to not let the towel fall and this way you will keep your right elbow close to your body.

Swing with a tee:

Now, instead of a towel you can also use a tee under your armpit and practice your swing. This will also ensure that your right elbow is close to your body.

Play with a professional:

If you are unable to improve your swing position on your own, then consider playing with a professional. They will provide you with some better tips and tricks to improve your shot.

professional golfer teaching how to fix right elbow

Tennis ball drill:

Place a tennis ball between your right elbow and your body and do not let it fall. This will give you an understanding of how close your right elbow needs to be in the correct position.

Use a mirror:

Place a mirror in front of yourself and then practice while looking at yourself. This will help you pay attention to any incorrect positions or postures during your swing.

FAQs

Flying right elbow refers to the trailing elbow which leaves the trailing side during a backswing.

Considering that you are a right-handed player, your left arm should be dominant during the swing. While it may sound backward, it’s actually true. The case is the opposite if you are a left-handed player.

Yes, the right arm is tucked in during the downswing so that you can shallow the golf club. Meanwhile, during the backswing, the right arm and the right elbow should stay relatively close to your body.

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