Harvey's Magic Move

The legendary instructor, Harvey Penick, had an adage: "Weight left, Elbow in right pocket." Simply put: As you start your downswing, your lower-body shifts to the left, while your right elbow works down toward your right hip. Both moves happen at the same time. According to Harvey, if there were ever a common, "magical" position in the golf swing that was shared by great players, this was it.

All great players make this move. Their first move down is a slight lateral bump to the left with the lower body, and a downward move of the right elbow onto their right hipbone. This right-elbow-to-hip connection forms a gap between the forearms when the club reaches waist level. Once this gap is formed, they are in a good position to hit the ball hard.

So there are two elements--lower-body weight shift and right-elbow motion--that you need to concern yourself with to get the club into the proper delivery position.
The biggest problem with high handicappers is the lack of the first part of the move: a good lower-body weight shift to start the downswing. Instead of bumping the hips laterally, then clearing them out of the way, they instead spin the hips excessively. This spin-out motion will usually move the club over the top.

If players can focus on the hips bumping laterally, this will give room for the right elbow to work down to the hip. Consequently, the second part of the magic move will take care of itself.

Summary
Some players like to feel the elbow work down from the top. This is also fine. This would, in effect, cause the hips to move laterally properly. So whatever feels comfortable to you, and accomplishes Harvey’s Move, is what you should focus on.

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