Leading down with the right elbow?

claycribbs

Fear the Dolphin Swag!
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At the beginning of the downswing I was told that leading down with your right elbow before you release the club helps you to create lag and add distance. I also heard it encourages an in-to-out swing path resulting in a straighter shot. Pro, have you heard this? Do you encourage it? Any drills? Thanks!!!
 
I am struggling to follow this a bit. The right elbow does come into the rib cage at the start of the down swing. Keeping the right elbow in your ribs as you come into impact will help with the lag. The key to making it work it the club needs to come down on plane and the body needs to continue to rotate through impact. Slow motion drills from the top help tons here.

Realize that 3 things happen at the start of the downswing. You have a hip bump, the hands drop, and the right shoulder starts to drive to the left knee. You need to make sure this all happens to have any chance of having lag as you get into impact. I hope this helps and let me know if there is more that I can do to help.
 
Thanks! I know I didn't make it really clear. :banghead: but you answered by question. Thanks so much. Its that hand drop/shoulder drive that I was asking about!
 
Keep me in the loop and let me know how things are going for you. I should be able to get you some more drills as you work through this part of your swing. Good luck and keep me posted.
 
Pro I seem to be having the problem of dropping the club at the beginning of the downswing. I continue to have the problem of fading the ball more then I would like. I really need to learn how to hit a draw and hit it straight. When I try to hit a draw as you described it in the video it seems to work at first and then it turns over to the right instead of the left and I hit a fade. Any tips???? Thanks.
 
claycribbs we need to get you swing more in to out. It has been a while since I have written about the baseball diamond drill. Next time you are on the range I want you to try this. Picture a baseball diamond...your ball is sitting on home plate. You want a shot that goes back over the pitchers head and falls into left field. To do this you need to swing out towards first base. You really need to feel like you are driving the ball out to right field to hit a draw. You may want to stick a tee in the ground about 6 inches infront of your ball and 2 inches to the right of it to give you a visual target to swing the club out to.

Know this...this drill comes in 3 stages.
Stage 1 you will top this ball at first. it will take a couple of swings to get back down to the ball.
Stage 2 you will start to hit the the ball solid but it will be a push out to the right. As your body becomes more comfortable with this new downswing it will take a little bit to sync up the arms and hands.
Stage 3 you will hit it solid with a nice little draw.
I hope this makes sense. Good luck and let me know how it works for you.
 
I tried this in my yard hitting into a net yesterday and I got to go to the range today and on my first shot I hit a perfect draw! Thanks so much. Kept hitting beautiful little draws.
 
CC that is awesome. I am so happy to hear that it worked for you. Please let me know if there is anything more that I can help you with.
 
Thanks Again

Thanks Again

Just thanks again for all you do. I have a school golf tournament on Monday and I really needed to hit a draw. THANKS AGAIN!
 
Hey Pro,
I have still having problems with my occasional slice. I can hit my draw now but when I try to hit it "normal", which is my fade, sometimes I hit it perfect, and sometimes I lose it way right.
I was wondering if hitting the ball off the toe of the driver has anything to do with it. I think I am hitting the ball slightly off the heel and I don't know if its causing my slice. THANKS! CC
 
I also went to see a great pro in a nearby city. He told me that I had my feet aimed well right and my shoulders aimed well left. It seemed to help..... I am still working on it though and still leaving by drives and fairway woods right sometimes. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.... :banana:
 
Hey Pro,
I have still having problems with my occasional slice. I can hit my draw now but when I try to hit it "normal", which is my fade, sometimes I hit it perfect, and sometimes I lose it way right.
I was wondering if hitting the ball off the toe of the driver has anything to do with it. I think I am hitting the ball slightly off the heel and I don't know if its causing my slice. THANKS! CC

I meant toe!!!!!!!!
 
CC that is something that will take some time. Delivering the club from a new plane will take some adjustment. An in to out swing plane is going to have the occasional miss of a high right shot or a push. As you get more comfortable you will see this less and less. As for hitting it out on the toe I would make sure to get into a setup routine to help with this. As long as you are swinging in to out and you feel the club traveling out and down the target line post impact the center hits will come. Just make sure that you set up the same every time. Good luck and let me know how this goes for you.
 
Yeah I went out today and I played 18. Didn't slice any.... Hooked a couple but I think I'm just getting used to the new plane like you said.... Hitting them a lot better. Thanks!!!!
 
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