Position #8

Position: Both Arms Straight

 There is only one time in the golf swing where both arms are straight and that occurs just after impact when the shaft is parallel to the target line. As you pose in the mirror this is what you should see: The right shoulder is under the chin, the spine reaches its maximum tilt away from the target and the left shoulder is even with the left ear. Almost all the weight is on the front leg with your head rotated so you look over the ball as it leaves.  The back heel is off the ground and beginning to turn up onto the toe, but is still on its inner rim.

 

Sans excess rotation of his forearms, Lee Westwood has the toe toward the sky 

Nick Watney demonstrates full extension of arms caused by momentum [MO] and non-manipulation. He’s not trying to ‘do anything’ during impact so MO will be his friend.

The guiding theme here is to allow momentum to straighten both arms; by doing so you minimize the destructive force of manipulation. This position is instructive even though the ball is gone because it testifies to either excellence or malfeasance at impact – get the swing right here and excellence reverberates back through impact.

Studies show that the average rate of rotation of a PGA Tour players lead forearm/wrist at impact is 2000 degrees/second a rate that allows the toe of the club to point toward the sky when both arms are straight. [see photo] This position is a signal that the correct amount of forearm rotation has occurred -- if the toe of the club points other than this something is wrong.