Thankyou John Pettitt

Thankyou John Pettitt.

Over my last few rounds I havent been happy with my ball striking reflected in the fact that my scores had risen from the mid 80s to the mid 90s. This wasnt due to winter conditions, but rather was due to me not being happy with my transition at the top of my backswing. I was about to book a lesson with my golf pro when I read John`s tip about imagining putting your right elbow in your right pocket in order to start the downswing. I then tried this on the driving range - problem solved. Onto the course - Sunday I shot 84, today I shot 82 - problem solved.

So once again - THANKYOU JOHN PETTITT.

Well done Ian, I too decided to take my own advice and shot 81 yesterday, my iron play was spot on. Need to work on the woods though.

Any chance of a golfshake video explaining this technique. I want some of this action, sounds like its working for many of the forum members.

Also have you got any other pearls of wisdom like this one in your vaults John.

Keep up the good work

Col

It is not a special technique at all, Colin, just an easy way to describe the correct movement of the arms in the downswing. By keeping the right elbow close to the body on the downswing it will be impossible to hit from the outside in, by keeping the plane of the swing very much on the inside, which, after all, is the key to good striking.

I will give it a try, presumably this generates a draw or straight shot ?

It can produce either, depending on  clubface position at impact. It is also possible to produce a push, but pretty rare for me. I prefer a slight draw myself.

I would also like to thank John for this tip. As John knows I've been flighting a pull with all my irons. Tried this tip yesterday and even through my ball striking was poor the pull shot only came into play a few times.

The best result was with my driver, using the elbow right pocket saw me hitting big straight drives all day.

Thanks John

Mark, pleased that you are still playing well and that the driver is especially behaving itself.

If your driving is sound and your irons are still tending to pull, it tells me that on occasion you are not clearing the left side quick enough, causing the hands to come through too soon pulling the ball to the left.

John

I thought I'd give the technique a go today, it's similar to the technique I use for little 7 iron bump and runs onto the green, I lock my elbow to my hip.  Interesting results and only found it comfortable on short irons (so I'll persist) but it had some remarkable effects.  On a course with 5 par 3's I overshot the green on the first three and on the last, a 135 yarder I resorted to using my pitching wedge instead of the 8 I would normally have used and got perfect length - albeit 15 yds to the left.  It may have been a one off (I hope not!), but I was closing in on Danny's altitude record for a bit...

May have to get a 64° wedge for those pesky 70 yarders at this rate! 

Anything else you want to offload?

Cheers John, I'll keep that thought in mind for my next round. Think sometimes a get a little lazy with my shoulder turn so it ends up being a more arms swing.

Tell you what I did notice John regarding keeping the elbow close to the right pocket was that it helped promote a slight draw on my shots

It is the slight draw that gives the accuracy, Mark, completely cuts out the right side of the hole.