swing circle

Question
Hi Ken. Maybe you can help me out here. I liked your response to the question from bobby about being clubhead conscious or handle conscious. Here is my dilemma, if the swing is supposed to be a circle, why do all the tips I here say take the club straight back? There are no straight lines in the golf swing right? When I do try going straight back it leads me to guide the club into "positions" and causes tension. When I take it back like a circle would , there is no tension and I have been hitting phenomenal shots by not steering the club straight back. Can you just give me some input on this dilemma. Thanks Ken,

Tim

Answer
Hi Tim,

The advice about taking the club straight back is to counter what many golfers do: they pick the club up too quickly in their backswing and take the club back either outside or inside the target line. Another purpose is to promote a wide arc.

There are no straight lines in the golf swing. The club travels along a curve very close to a circle; it's actually slightly elliptical.

The club should start back along the target line as a result of the body beginning to rotate. Within about a foot, the club will start moving inside the target line and begin to rise. This will naturally occur as long as the movement of the club is due to body rotation as opposed to the arms and hands moving the club back, almost independently (as many golfers do).

Hope this helps.
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http://probablegolfinstruction.com

Best regards,
Ken Tannar