Pushing with the lead arm in the golf swing is one of the most common problems we encounter when teaching golfers proper rotation in the golf swing.
Pushing with the left arm in the golf swing
In other words, many golfers take the club back primarily by pushing their lead arm across the center line — the sternum — during the golf backswing.
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When you push from the lead side, by the time the lead arm gets across the chest, it feels fully loaded.
It is not going to travel any further, so you feel like your golf swing is complete.
The photo at right shows what that looks like. There is obviously no rotation in this backswing.
The swing feels wound up and ready to deliver power, but in reality the large muscles will not be engaged at all in this swing.
You need to learn to rotate properly, pulling your trail shoulder back instead of pushing your lead arm across.
Lead Arm Push Goes Deep
Viewed from down the line, if you take your lead arm and push it across your body, where does the club end up?
Pushing with the left arm in the golf swing causes the right arm to fold
The photo to the left shows a common position: the club is buried very deep and inside.
The trail arm is folded and the golfer is up out of the box.
We know that for every two degrees your trail elbow moves behind neutral, your shoulder blade moves up one degree.
When that starts to happen, you are out of the box — disconnected from your trail lat — and lead arm push is a very common culprit in that situation.
Now the club is buried. Amateurs generally try to correct for this in one of two ways.
They either lift up and come , or they slide and come dramatically from the inside. Neither result is very desirable, obviously.
So What Should You Do?
Instead, you need to understand this about the lead arm in the golf swing:
The role of the lead arm in the backswing is essentially passive. Your lead arm stays right in front of your chest.
The left arm stays in front of the chest in the backswing
You will pull your trail shoulder blade back, and the lead arm will elevate slightly. That is it.
Think back to Move 2 — we discussed a small amount of shoulder elevation. You get a small amount of elevation, the trail arm folds, and that is what pulls the lead arm across the center line.
Imagine that both of your hands are right in front of your chest, on the center line. They are connected by the club.
Fold your trail elbow, maintaining neutral joint alignment with your shoulder.
If you add a small amount of rotation, that will allow the lead arm to swing across your chest and put the club on plane at the top.
It is not the lead arm that is doing the work. The trail arm folding is what positions the lead arm where we want it to be.
The lead arm may contribute a small amount, but most golfers are not going to feel that it is playing any active role whatsoever. It is the trail side that takes the club back and puts it into position. To see how your backswing positions and arm mechanics compare to an elite benchmark, try a free AI swing analysis.
Let Your Trail Arm Do It All
Letting the right arm perform the backswing
Go ahead and try it. Hold the club in your trail arm only. Fold your arm, get it into neutral joint alignment, rotate slightly, and turn to the top.
As you can see in the photo, you are pretty much exactly where you want to be at the top.
Originally when we introduced the rotary drill, it focused primarily on the lead side.
The assumption was that the body would still be turning, still driven by the trail side.
We found over time, however, that many golfers only performed the lead side of the movement and did not turn at all. We had to find a different way of explaining the same concept.
Both arms are still going to be in essentially the same positions as before, but the lead arm is going to play a much more passive role going back, to reinforce the message and get golfers to stop trying to push the lead arm across their chest.
Neutralize the lead arm in the golf swing. Relax it. Keep it in the box at address.
Let the trail side do the majority of the work going back, and you will keep the club in front of you much more easily.
As a result, you will be able to bring the club down much more efficiently, and your ball striking is going to improve immediately. For real-time coaching on your backswing mechanics, try a free AI golf lesson.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the common mistake golfers make with their lead arm during the backswing?
Many golfers tend to push with their lead arm across the center line of their body during the backswing. This action leads to a lack of proper rotation and can result in the trail arm folding improperly, causing disconnection from the body's larger muscles. Instead, golfers should focus on passive lead arm positioning while allowing the trail arm to do the work.
How should the lead arm be positioned during the golf backswing?
The lead arm should remain passive and stay in front of the chest during the backswing. As you pull your trail shoulder back and fold your trail elbow, the lead arm will naturally elevate slightly. This positioning allows for proper rotation and helps maintain the correct swing plane without overextending the lead arm.
Why is the trail arm more important than the lead arm in the backswing?
The trail arm plays a crucial role in positioning the lead arm during the backswing. By folding the trail elbow and maintaining neutral joint alignment, the trail arm effectively pulls the lead arm into position. This allows for a more connected and powerful swing, as the lead arm's contribution is minimal compared to the trail side's actions.
What should golfers focus on to improve their backswing mechanics?
Golfers should concentrate on allowing their trail arm to dictate the movement during the backswing. Instead of pushing with the lead arm, they should practice folding the trail elbow and maintaining proper rotation. This approach will help ensure that the lead arm remains in the correct position, promoting a more effective and efficient swing.
Watch part 2 now to see how you're moving your body in the opposite direction of the pros!
