Golf Tip

Presented by Jeff Ritter, Nike Golf Camp National Director

Keep Your Arms Connected for a Consistent Swing

A lot of factors going into hitting a good golf shot, but one of the most important to do is to keep your arms connected. One of the most common mistakes I see daily has to do with arms swing, arm separation, and sequencing between the arms and the body. Keeping your arms connected is a common phrase heard in golf but what does it mean?

When golfers swing back often their arms fold up. This lacks the extension you need for a clean shot. When you strike the ball many golfers commonly fold their arms, leading to inconsistent shots. Even in the follow through the arms are close to the body. This will add loft to the golf club.

To fix this you want to focus on keeping your arms extended throughout your swing. One way to imagine your good form would be to try string around your body and arms, keeping them in a locked position. You can practice this by placing a ball between your arms and squeezing it together to keep your arms locked.

As you swing back, if you can keep that ball between your arms, you will have that extension to eliminate loft. You can work on this is segments, focusing on your back swing, contact, and follow through keeping that ball tightly squeezed. This extension will help will ever type of golf shot.

You can also use this drill for practice. Take a golf glove, towel or piece of paper between in your arm pit while you swing. As you practice your back swing, don't allow the item to fall and focus on having your arms return to the same place they started. Practicing this drill with your back swing will give you the muscle memory and improve your cadence on your swing.