I feel one of the most overlooked hinges during the golf swing is the right elbow and how it should function. If you look at The Impact Method and watch one of the videos on this site, you will notice the distance the right elbow is from the torso at set up remains fairly constant throughout the backswing.

Many golfers make efforts to lift the club to the top of the backswing. You should never make any move to ‘lift’ the arms because this will add a great deal of separation between the body and arms requiring another compensation to take place on the forward swing. So, what elevates the golf club to the top of the backswing? You guessed it..the folding of the right elbow. If you hold the golf club in your right hand only and lift the club to the top, you will feel the incorrect method of finishing the backswing. What I want you to try now is pay close attention to how far the right elbow is from you right side at address when taking your golf stance. Now make a very slow backswing keeping that distance as constant as possible and simply folding the right elbow as you turn. Your folding motion will take place when your hands are approximately waist high.

Eliminating any lift you may have in the backswing will make it much easier to keep the golf club on plane, which then will allow your arms and pivot to work together during your golf swing. Correct Impact alignments are produced much easier when your arms are ‘packed in’ to the torso throughout the backswing.  Remember, there are no straight lines in the golf swing and if you are lifting the golf club to the top you are creating a straight line, not swinging the club on a tilted circle.