How the Right Arm Works in the Golf Swing - Tips

Right Hand and Arm Swing Golf Club into Plane and Release Club Head

Jul 2, 2009 John Hoskison

The right hand and arm work in crucial ways during the golf swing. The right arm helps work the club into plane, the right hand guides and releases the club into impact.

The right hand and arm in the golf swing are the guiding tools. Rather like the retro rockets on a space ship, the right hand and arm make small fast necessary movements that help get the club into the correct position. The better a golfer grips the club and stands to the ball, the easier it is for the right hand and arm to work effectively during the swing.

The Golf Grip and the Right Hand

The right hand must be placed on the club in the correct way, in particular the right thumb and index finger. These two digits are responsible for the very accurate adjustments that are constantly necessary during the swing. If the right index finger is positioned correctly, coming down into the impact area it is able to accurately square up the clubface.

If the right thumb is positioned correctly it help stabilise the top of the backswing and coming into impact it provides the necessary down force that drives the club down onto the ball. Look at the photo at the bottom and try to put the fingers of your right hand in a similar position.

Right Arm Address Position

With the correct grip the right arm should be relaxed and hang naturally in the stance of a golfer.
As the club is swung back it continues to remain passive, but once the one-piece takeaway has been completed, the right arm and hand are responsible for initiating the wrist cock that swings the club onto the correct plane
Whilst this should happen naturally, under the influence of centrifugal force in a perfect swing, most golfers have to help the club up with their right arm and fine-tune the accuracy of this movement.
In an ideal situation the butt of the club should point at the ball to have the club in plane.

Top of the Backswing

The main difference between an amateur golfer and a pro is club head control and awareness; a pro instinctively knows where the club is pointing at the top. But all golfers can get better with their aim.

The ability to aim the club at the target is mainly done with the right hand.
Even with a poor backswing a golfer can save the swing by making sure the club is lined up at the target.
Get a friend to take a picture of you at the top of the backswing and see where the club is aiming.
Try to change the aim by concentrating on your right hand.
Within a few swings you should be able to change the aim at will.
The better your grip was at address the better you will be able to adjust the aim at will.

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