If you want constant contact, the shaft must be pointing between your elbows at the top of the swing.
Stephen Denton
Jack Nicklaus the distinctive upper part of the backswing (above left) featured a “flying” right elbow with the club in the plane and ready to powerfully move through the strike. Notice how the butt of the mace points between his (well, mine) elbows? That’s where you want to be.
Jack tried to keep the shaft between his elbows from the address to the continuation. This allowed him to take advantage of his powerful body spin while staying neutral on impact. Unless you have the speed of a club head Jon Rahm Or Bubba Watson, you should also try to be neutral on impact.
The best way to do this is to copy the location of Jack’s shaft. When you put the stick on top like Dustin Johnson (above center) or over the target line like Matthew Wolff (above right), too much manipulation and timing has to happen for you to go back to neutral.
Stay on the plane like Jack and you’ll get a better, more consistent connection.
Brian Manzella is Top 100 Golf Teachers and owner of Studio in Heaven. He also teaches at the English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans, Louisiana.
