Knowing the Market

One of the “absolutes” in golf - and what is taught - is a straight left arm. First let’s define WHAT a straight left arm is AND isn’t.

For the majority of people a left arm that hangs downward has an elbow joint. This joint has between 3 & 5 degrees of BEND in it. This is WHAT a straight left arm is.

Stretching - hyper extending - and LOCKING the elbow is NOT a straight left arm! All the golfer has done successfully is to INCREASE the radius from the left shoulder to the ground. This is a MAJOR cause of “fat shots!”

Harry Vardon WON the British Open six times playing with a “bent” left arm.

Calvin Peete won the Players Championship AND is the most accurate driver of the golf ball EVER! In 26 plus years of playing professional golf he hit ONE ball out of bounds! Calvin’s left arm was severly bent as a result of an accident as a young child which shattered his left elbow. Surgeons repaired the elbow, but it remained permanently fused so that Calvin could never fully straighten his arm.

Calvin won 11 times on Tour in a five year span - 12 events total -plus his Players Championship victory. He led the Tour in driving accuracy for 10 STRAIGHT years AND led the Tour in “greens in regulation” three times.

Another player that had huge success on the PGA Tour is Curtis Strange. Curtis won 17 times on Tour including winning the US Open back to back in 1988 and 1989.

Swing “Gurus” referred to Curtis’ left arm as “soft.”

Think of it this way, if you were to swing a piece of rope is it “locked” and taunt in the backstroke? Of course not! But what happens when you swing it to the ball…it BECOMES a straight line!

Now I’m not advocating that you intentionally bend your left arm BUT I am saying NOT to lock it thinking that is what straight is. The arms MUST feel like dangling ropes - loose. This will give you MORE power with LESS effort.

Remember, whatever angle your left arm hangs - loosely - just maintain it during the backstroke and let it come out by itself in the downstroke.

Chuck Evans is one of only 31 Teachers in the world to hold the designation of “Doctorate in Golf Stroke Engineering”, he is one of the most highly sought after instructors in the world not only by players but other teachers as well and is known as the Teacher of Teachers! Chuck has appeared on numerous golf talk shows, written and published instructional articles in local, regional, and national golf publications. His DVD, “60 Days To Game Improvement” has sold in excess of 10,000 copies and his new eBook, “How To Build YOUR Golf Swing” is in the library of amateurs and Teaching Professional alike. He has also appeared as the featured instructor for education classes regarding the golf swing at various PGA Sections and Chapters around the country and is recognized by Golf Magazine as one of America’s Top Teachers. In addition Chuck has held the positions of Director of Schools for the PGA Tour Golf Academy and is currently The Executive Director of Instruction for the Medicus Golf Institute. http://www.chuckevansgolf.com