The Magic Gap

The idea when evaluating any professional, whether it be a golfer or a carpenter, is to look at what they have in common. Chances are that this is what you also need to do.

In the swings of the top players on tour, there are differences in body movement, tempo, and length of swing, to name a few. But one thing they do do the same is create a gap between their forearms halfway down during the downswing. It is what I have termed "The Magic Gap."

So what does this 'gap' signify?
When you see this gap formed, it means that the player has connected his right elbow to his right hip, and has swung the club down from the inside. The more gap you see, the more from the inside the club is coming. Fred Couples has a huge gap. On the other hand, the less gap you see means that the player has swung down the line more, usually by straightening his right arm from the top of his swing. Tiger Woods is a perfect example of this.

What is important to note, with Fred, Tiger or any good player, is that there is some gap there. Many amateurs, especially over-the-top slicers, do not form this gap. They will cast their right arm or throw some other part of their right side over the plane. Thus, they do not come from the inside, which you must do if you want to see "the gap".

Here is a a drill for you to get the gap:

Stand in front of a mirror. Take the triangle you form between your arms at the top of your swing and pump it up and down to waist level. Get the feeling that your right elbow grazes against your right hip. Don't jam it into your hip. Just make sure it connects in some way. When your right elbow grazes your right hip, you should see some space (daylight) between your forearms. If you see this, you are coming from the inside and on your way to playing good golf.