Evening star., 1931-04-05
Left Arm Is Guiding Factor
In Golf Stroke, Says Jones;
Controls "CrOOve'' of Swing
BY BOBBY JONES,

American Open, British Open, American
Amateur and British Amateur Champion.
~ VERY now and then some one
% comes along to quarrel with the
proponents of the idea that the
left hand, arm and side should
be the dominant factor in the golf
stroke. These who represent the other
kside of the question usually give as
one reason for saying that the right
hand is the main factor the fact that
a right-handed golfer. using only one
hand, cam hit much harder with the
right than with the left.
1t seems to me that this test means
absolutely nothing, for naturally a
right-handed person has a far better
use of that side and arm, even though
he might have more strength in the
left. But farther than that, l think
that it is impossible to get very far, II
we try to make of the golf stroke. which
is unalterably a two-handed affair, a
thing to be performed by either hand
alone.
Of course, I am not going to be fool
ish enough to argue that a man should
play golf with either hand passive upon
the club. The. game Is essentially a
tWo-handed business, and it is the pur-
pose of good form to make the ultimate
use of the power of both sides Of the
body. But there is a good deal to be
gained, it seems to me, in having a
clear conception of the proper means
of directing the stroke.
THE great trouble with the method
i which assigns this role to the
right hand is that the right arm
from the moment the swing begins un-
til after the bali Is struck, Is in bent
position, and 1t seems to me evident
that since the arm is bent, and there
fore more or less slack, there is little
chance to regulate the path of its travel
In other words, 1t has no anchor and no
track upon which to run. 1t is work.
ing in space and as the bend of the
elbow is increased and diminished there
Is nothing in the right arm or the right
side itself to control the degree to
which 1t is bent or extended.
Now, have always regarded my left
side and arm as the limiting and guild
ing factor in my swing, simply BECAUSE
from the time my swing gets under way
going back, my left arm is fully ex-
tended, with the elbow joint perfectly
straight In taking the club back, my
body turns practically on an axis down
the center, and as my left arm takes the
club back. my shoulders turn with tho
swing around this axis.
MY left shoulder therefore has def.
1V1 mite path, and so long as 1 keep
my left arm straight, my left hand
also has a definite path; therefore. my
left shoulder In its motion determines
the limit to which my left arm may be
extended. and the amount of its extern
sion determines the arc through which
my left hand will move. The right arm,
being always bent and relaxed, must fol-
low and accommodate its movement to
that of the left. 1t seems to me that
this is The only possible way of growing
swing.
I admit the possibility Of control
through the right hand and arm but
l think 1t is not hard to see that TO
confine the molten of the right hand
within a particular path involves the
regulation of set of motions far more
complicated than the simple backward
and forward motion of the left arm and
shoulder, which have described. Fol-
lowing upon this line, ! feel that in
taking the club back shove 1t back with