How Should Your Right Elbow In The Golf Swing Work?

How the right elbow in the golf swing works might not be something many people have considered, so it might surprise you to learn it can play a pivotal role in determining success. In the video and article below, PGA pro and Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Ben Emerson discusses the different ways in which it can help you play better golf...

How should your right elbow in the golf swing work?

To clarify, this is based on a right-handed golfer, so would apply to the trail arm - for left-handers, that would be your left arm. And we’re concentrating on the takeaway in the golf swing up to the top, as well as what it does on the way down. 

First of all, it’s important to check how much range of motion you have in your trail arm. To do this, stand nice and tall, with your arm forming a right angle parallel to the ground. From there, rotate your forearm backwards (like the picture below) around the elbow and see how far it stretches. Some people will find that it moves 90° or more, while others will struggle to achieve this position. 

If you can get to around 90°, where your elbow is pointing straight down to the ground, you’ve got a solid foundation because your body is physically able to support the club using the elbow at the top of the swing. It should look like the picture (left) above.

Those who can achieve this 90˚ position should aim for a top of backswing position that looks something like the image below. Your upper body is nicely coiled and ready to drive through the downswing. Crucially, to deliver as much clubhead swing speed as possible through impact, you should try to retain this angle in your elbow as your body starts to unwind in the first part of the downswing.

In fact, your right elbow should drop slightly as your weight distribution moves back towards the target. This will create lag in the golf swing - one of the key elements to power that doesn't cost control. 

Then as you continue to unwind towards the ball you should release the angles in your wrists and elbow to inject that little bit of extra speed when you need it most. 

Why A 'Flying Right Elbow' Isn't Always A Bad Thing 

If you’re someone that lacks golf mobility and can only move your right elbow to say, 45°, it’s important not to force it any further - letting the elbow ‘fly’ is still an effective method. A certain Jack Nicklaus had what is termed ‘the flying elbow’ and won 18 majors, so there are ways of using it to your advantage.

One of the faults I see from people who try and force it is that they early extend in the backswing and come out of posture in a desire to achieve a more 'orthodox' action. The almost start to stand upright at the top of the backswing to create the illusion that the right elbow is in a more orthodox position. But this can do more harm to your strikes than good!

While it has become popular in recent years to keep the elbow more tucked, try to see the positives of the flying elbow. At the top, the club will likely be pointing across the line, so feel like the elbow works straight back towards the ball, and you'll be able to shallow the club effectively and get your golf swing on plane. You'll then be in a great position to his crisper and cleaner shots. 

If it's good enough for greats of the game like Nicklaus, Fred Couples and Jim Furyk, it's good enough for the rest of us. So, check your range of motion and see which category you fit into. Then, work on using this to your advantage rather that seeing it as a negative. Good luck!