To avoid a collapse at the top with the arms and club, stop your arm swing when your shoulders stop turning. At the top of the backswing, your hands and arms should create the proper extension producing a wide and powerful swing arc. Look for the following elements in a powerful delivery to the golf ball. Keep in mind the pros build acceleration gradually as they start the downswing with maximum speed occurring at the golf ball. This will allow you time to smoothly change directions by dropping your arms down as your body begins to unwind to the target, instead of spinning toward the target with the upper body.
Many amateurs pour on speed at the start of the downswing to try to create power.
This slash at the ball destroys the power angle created by the hands, arms and club in the backswing and results in a casting of the clubhead at the ball. Greg Norman has said that when he needs to hit a tee shot extra long, he makes sure that his swing feels just a little slower as he starts down to the ball, allowing speed to progressively increase with the maximum speed occurring when the club meets the golf ball. Just prior to impact, the right elbow is bent and the left forearm is above the right. After impact, the right forearm rotates over the left, the left elbow bends, and the arms are extended down the target line. A characteristic of long hitters is a straight right arm after impact, while short hitters try to scoop under the ball hoping to launch the shot into the air.