Instruction

'Tie' Your Knee To Your Arm

By Jim Flick Photos by J.D. Cuban
April 13, 2009
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Rope Trick: On the backswing, think of the arms pulling your knee into position. On the downswing, the knee leads your arms.

Over the course of my teaching, I've often used swing images to make a point, especially when the student responds well to visual cues. One such image is a rope tied from your left knee to your left arm.

As you take the club back with your hands and arms, think of the rope as pulling your left knee back and inward. Then as the forward swing starts with the lower body--your left foot, knee and thigh moving toward the target--think of your knee pulling your left arm down. The parts of your swing will work in unison for consistent shots.

My colleague Bob Toski would often ask students if they were trying to create a golf swing or a golf turn. To swing the club, you must use the parts of your body that can move freely--your legs and arms. But they must swing in sync. The rope image encourages that.

FLICK, a longtime Golf Digest Teaching Professional and PGA Golf Professional Hall of Famer, worked with hundreds of amateurs and tour players including Jack Nicklaus.