Picture this: You’re standing on the tee box, the ball teed up, feeling the familiar frustration as another slice sends your drive veering sharply right. This all-too-common misfire is the bane of many high-handicap golfers, but Lee Westwood has zeroed in on the precise swing flaw causing it—the arms breaking away from the body at the top of the backswing. His step-by-step fix targets this disconnect, offering a way to regain control and hit straighter shots.
Quick Tip: What to Focus on Before You Swing
- At the top of your backswing, keep your trail elbow below your lead elbow to maintain connection.
- Pause briefly at the top, letting your arms drop naturally before your body starts rotating down.
- Use a visual target on the ground to check your alignment before every shot.
The Mistake: Arms Separating from the Body at the Top
Most slices stem from a classic issue: during the backswing, the arms drift away from the body, creating a gap. This causes timing problems on the downswing and leaves the clubface open through impact. Westwood explains, "Most people get to the top and then go with their body, which leaves their arms way behind and means the club never squares up. The result is a shot that starts right and goes right."
Why This Happens
Amateurs often don’t get behind the ball enough on the backswing and then try to force the club through the ball with their body rotation. This rushing causes the arms to lag, failing to square the clubface at impact. The clubface stays open because the arms and body are out of sync, and the slice follows.
The Fix: Step-by-Step Synchronization
Westwood’s simple solution is to synchronize your arms and body on the downswing by controlling the sequencing. Here’s how:
- At the top of the backswing: Check your arm and elbow position. Your trail elbow should be lower than your lead elbow, keeping your arms connected to your torso.
- Pause briefly: When you reach the top, hold for a moment. This pause ensures your arms don’t get ahead of your body.
- Start the downswing with your arms: Let your arms drop naturally toward the ball before your body begins to rotate. This reconnection helps square the clubface.
- Follow with body rotation: After your arms start down, rotate your torso to complete the downswing and impact.
This sequencing, where the arms lead and the body follows, encourages a square clubface and a straighter ball flight. Westwood notes, "The hardest thing in the golf swing is that your arms separate from your body on the way up, so at some point you have to reconnect on the way down. The easiest time to do that is in the first part of the downswing."
Alignment and Setup Adjustments
Westwood also stresses that alignment plays a crucial role in shot direction. Many high handicappers don’t hit on grass ranges and miss the feedback from divots that show swing path and alignment errors. He advises picking a spot on the ground about three to four feet in front of you—a blade of grass or an old divot—to focus your alignment. Standing behind the ball and walking in to your setup with this target in mind helps train consistency.
Getting your setup right avoids compensations later in the swing. Westwood says, "If you make a mistake in the first part, to do with your posture, setup or alignment, you have to make compensations somewhere else in the golf swing—then you've got two mistakes rather than one." This foundational step is vital for high handicappers aiming to improve.
The Drill: Synchronize Your Arms and Body
To practice this timing, try this drill at the range:
- Take your normal setup and swing to the top.
- Pause for a count of one second, focusing on keeping your trail elbow below your lead elbow.
- Begin the downswing by dropping your arms straight down toward the ball without initiating body rotation.
- Once your arms have dropped, start rotating your torso to complete the swing.
- Repeat this slowly, gradually building speed as the sequence feels natural.
This drill helps ingrain the correct sequencing, improving clubface control and reducing slices.
Lee Westwood’s advice cuts through the noise with clear, actionable steps that any high handicapper can apply immediately. By mastering this timing and alignment, you not only tame the slice but build a foundation for more consistent ball striking.
What this means is that serious amateurs now have a simple, precise method to address one of golf’s most stubborn problems. Why it matters is clear: straight drives lead to better scoring opportunities and more enjoyment on the course. How it works is through controlling the connection between arms and body at the downswing's start—a detail often overlooked but critical.
Next up, watch how this fix plays out under pressure at your next round, or test your progress in the upcoming handicap revision. Consistent practice of Westwood’s method can be the difference between slicing your drives and hitting fairways with confidence. Greg Normans 3 Power adds context worth exploring for readers following this topic closely. For a broader view, explore our coverage of golf tips and game improvement guides.
Source: according to All The Golf
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