Achieving correct alignment is something to which all left handed players should aspire.
As well as the toes, knees, hips and shoulders, there are other parts of the body which should also be correctly aligned. One such area often overlooked is the arms. Normally, as the arms fall down from the shoulders at address they should sit side by side facing each other. However, sometimes the arms become misaligned and one becomes more dominant than the other.
If the left arm becomes too dominant and lifts out of alignment, the shoulders could begin to rotate open causing an out-to-in swing path through the ball. If the right arm becomes too dominant the shoulders could begin to close causing an in-to-out swing path.
As the arms fall into the place they should be both extended with a slight softness in the elbows. Left handed golfers don’t want to feel as though they are forcing the arms straight but rather allowing them to extend. The left arm will be easier to extend as the left hand sits lower on the grip, the right arm could be slightly more flexed but nothing which could be considered ‘bent’.
The arms should also form an upside down triangle shape with the point being formed by the hands on the grip. The elbows should point down at their corresponding hips; the left elbow at the left hip and the right elbow at the right hip. It is important to ensure this alignment is correct at address because the arms need to return to a similar position at impact.
After the full shoulder turn has been completed in the back swing and the hips begin to rotate through the ball, the arms will follow dragging the hands and club along. As the hands rotate into impact, the arms should fall into a similar position as they were at address. This means they should be extended to form the triangle shape, aligned correctly with elbows pointing at their corresponding hips. Ensuring this alignment at address and impact will give the left handed golfer the best chance to hit the straightest shots.
Although the toes, knees, hips and shoulders are important during the set up and swing, other parts of the body should not be overlooked. Left handed golfers should ensure their arms are also correctly aligned.
