When asked if golfers must rotate the arms on the backswing the answer is yes. Arm rotation is one of the most common recommendations given to golfers. There are even devices now available that teach you to rotate the arms as you take the backswing. Although these recommendations are accurate they fail to bring out that you cannot take a full backswing without rotating the arms.
Golfers must rotate the arms on the backswing In order to take a full backswing. If you did not rotate the arms on the backswing, you’d only be able to raise the arms to about chest level. It would feel very uncomfortable and put you in a more or less cramped position. You can easily verify this by trying to take a backswing holding your arms and club in exactly the same position as they are in the stance.
You’ll find out very quickly that golfers must rotate the arms in order to execute a full backswing. Instead of rotating the arms you may find it said that you should rotate the forearms on the backswing. However, in order to have full forearm rotation you’ll need to have strongly bent elbows. This is not desirable.
If you’re arms are straight as in the stance and at the beginning of the backswing, arm rotation always occurs in the shoulder joint. You will however, get forearm rotation in the right arm as you go into the full backswing when you bend the right arm in order to get to the top position.
Without rotating the arms you’ll find that it is also impossible to cock the wrists in the lateral plane. Thus the arm rotation plays a very important role and is one of the first things that most golfers learn to do automatically when they take their backswing.
Just as arm rotation is important on the backswing, it is equally important on the downswing. Not only is it necessary to bring the club face back to the square position but in so doing it also creates additional force that is applied to the ball. In addition, if you didn’t bring the book the clubface back to the square position you would most likely have a slice. This is a very common fault that creates a slice.
To not only develop a better feel for the arm rotation in both the backswing and downswing you should do specialized strength exercises such as medial and lateral rotation of the arm with the Strength Bar. This is one of the best exercises to learn and these motions and to develop the strength and power needed in the golf swing.
For more information on the role of the arms and arm rotation in particular, see Explosive Golf. Also contained in the book are many specialized strength exercises that can make the arm action even more effective. To see these exercises being demonstrated, see the Explosive Golf DVD.