Follow these 2 straightforward steps to find out your natural swing path

matthew wolff swings

Everyone has their own unique swing.

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GOLF Hall of Fame Teacher Mike Adams has been a pioneering voice in instruction for four decades. One of his most helpful lessons is rooted in an oft-asked question: How does arm length affect swing plane?

Based on years of research, Adams found that golfers whose forearms are shorter than their upper arms need to swing more around their body, getting the club shaft to a “flatter” position at the top of the backswing. Players with longer forearms should elevate the club in a more upright position. What’s your natural swing? Take the following test.

1.

Hinge your right arm at the elbow, with your thumb in a hitchhiker’s position.

2.

Look at your thumb relative to the top of your right shoulder. If it’s even or below your delt (1), you’re a candidate for a flatter backswing. If it’s hovering above (2), start experimenting with a steeper swing.

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Luke Kerr-Dineen

Golf.com Contributor

Luke Kerr-Dineen is the Game Improvement Editor at GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. In his role he oversees the brand’s game improvement content spanning instruction, equipment, health and fitness, across all of GOLF’s multimedia platforms.

An alumni of the International Junior Golf Academy and the University of South Carolina–Beaufort golf team, where he helped them to No. 1 in the national NAIA rankings, Luke moved to New York in 2012 to pursue his Masters degree in Journalism from Columbia University. His work has also appeared in USA Today, Golf Digest, Newsweek and The Daily Beast.