by Joe Groch-PGA
Have you ever noticed how people come in different shapes
and sizes? Ever notice that everyone doesn't wear size 9C shoes?
If we agree that everyone is not built the same, we should be able to understand why everyone's golf swing should not look exactly alike.
Many golfers have read that the backswing should swing around until it reaches a point parallel to the ground. This is a benchmark for the average body build with an average amount of flexibility.
This may not be the place you should be swinging to, however. Your body simply may not be made for that backswing.
Stand up straight and hold your left arm out pointing straight ahead. Now move your extended left arm to the right until it is stopped by your chest.
Some of you flatter-chested individuals can move your arm quite far before it meets your chest, but women and men with large chests will run into a roadblock very soon. Their left arms have a much shorter range of motion because of their chests. This is the point that Ben Wright, the golf announcer, was trying to make when he said that women with large breasts have a tougher time playing golf. Wright was criticized for his remarks, but what he said was not altogether untrue.
Nevertheless, there are some things you "obstructed" golfers can do to free up your arms for the swing.
First of all, instead of letting your arms hang down alongside your chest, try putting your upper arms more on top of your chest at address. Secondly, to encourage the body to turn freely in the backswing, we should do two things: Turn the right toe out about 30 degrees, and draw the right heel away from the target line a few inches.
What we're doing is making it easier for the body to stay out of the way of the arms as they go about their job of swinging the club up and down the swing plane.
These are things flat-chested, flexible golfers don't have to concern themselves with. But if you body type doesn't match that of the local club champion, don't think that your swing should look the same someday.
Maybe, to be the best you can be, it shouldn't.
If we agree that everyone is not built the same, we should be able to understand why everyone's golf swing should not look exactly alike.
Many golfers have read that the backswing should swing around until it reaches a point parallel to the ground. This is a benchmark for the average body build with an average amount of flexibility.
This may not be the place you should be swinging to, however. Your body simply may not be made for that backswing.
Stand up straight and hold your left arm out pointing straight ahead. Now move your extended left arm to the right until it is stopped by your chest.
Some of you flatter-chested individuals can move your arm quite far before it meets your chest, but women and men with large chests will run into a roadblock very soon. Their left arms have a much shorter range of motion because of their chests. This is the point that Ben Wright, the golf announcer, was trying to make when he said that women with large breasts have a tougher time playing golf. Wright was criticized for his remarks, but what he said was not altogether untrue.
Nevertheless, there are some things you "obstructed" golfers can do to free up your arms for the swing.
First of all, instead of letting your arms hang down alongside your chest, try putting your upper arms more on top of your chest at address. Secondly, to encourage the body to turn freely in the backswing, we should do two things: Turn the right toe out about 30 degrees, and draw the right heel away from the target line a few inches.
What we're doing is making it easier for the body to stay out of the way of the arms as they go about their job of swinging the club up and down the swing plane.
These are things flat-chested, flexible golfers don't have to concern themselves with. But if you body type doesn't match that of the local club champion, don't think that your swing should look the same someday.
Maybe, to be the best you can be, it shouldn't.
