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BackswingSwing and Swing Plane Irons Intermediate ⏱ 7 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Right Arm Too Tight During the Backswing: A Lesson from Min Woo Lee

In the middle of a round with a YouTuber from Good Good, Min Woo Lee notices that his right arm is too close to his body on the upswing. His correction: open up the stance a bit, keep the club in front of the body, and then let the clubhead come straight down instead of swinging underneath.

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Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

2 minSame problemJustin Rose's ball drill: rotating without liftingJustin Rose · Intermediate16 minSame problemJon Rahm's Short Driver Backswing ExplainedJon Rahm · Intermediate / Expert10 minFrom the same proMin Woo Lee's Course Recognition at the RBC HeritageMin Woo Lee · Expert

What the lesson shows

Min Woo Lee's assessment: on the rise, The player's right arm is too close to his body. The club then falls too far behind; the arms remain limp; there’s not much of a gap, and the player has to make up for it to catch up. He asks no gap between the right arm and the body, without, however, moving the arm outward: the arm can bend, and it should even remain almost tucked in, without opening up. The idea is to keep the whole thing in front of the body, with a sense of space. He offers an image: as you rise slowly, imagine someone standing behind you whom you must not touch.

From there, there's no need to “leave the club out of the plan” by turning: Go straight down instead of swinging around and under it. The body brings the club back; the arms do less. The player immediately achieves a more penetrating ball flight. Min Woo Lee adds that, regardless of build, a compact swing doesn’t have to be short if the player uses their body effectively, and that from this position, it’s much easier to hit a fade: aim left and swing down straight. Finally, he advises not to focus on it too much and to simply watch for the arm that drifts away.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Take a slow backswing and watch the distance between your right arm and your body.
  2. Widen your stance slightly, without pushing your arm outward.
  3. Imagine someone standing behind you whom your club must not hit as it goes up.
  4. At the top of the swing, make sure your hands and the club stay in front of your chest.
  5. Begin the downswing by letting the club fall straight down, guided by your body.
  6. Hit a few balls using only this reference point, then try a fade by aiming to the left.

Key Takeaways

Right arm too close to the body in the backswing: the club starts too far back and the arms aren't wide enough.
Correction: Create more space between your right arm and your body, without spreading your arm outward.
The arm can bend; the entire body should remain in front of you.
On the downswing, the club falls straight down—not around or underneath.
The body drives the club; the arms do less.
From this position, a fade becomes easier: aim to the left and swing straight down.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Keep your right arm close to your body in the backswing.
  • Correct this by opening your right arm outward.
  • Guide the club around and under the ball on the downswing.
  • Let your arms do the work instead of your body.
  • Focusing so intently that it makes your swing tense.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Slow backswing exercises in front of a mirror or filmed from the front
  2. Image of a person behind you who should not be touched
  3. “Straight down” downswing on a few balls
  4. A few fades aimed to the left from this position

Your Questions

Should you move your right arm away from your body?

Just a little, to create width, but without spreading it outward. Min Woo Lee points out that the arm can bend and should remain almost tucked in; what matters is that the whole body remains in front of the body.

What does “go straight down” mean?

From the top of the swing, the club falls directly toward the ball instead of rotating around the body and coming from underneath. It is the body that brings it back.

What effect does this have on the ball?

In the video, the player immediately achieves a more penetrating ball flight. Min Woo Lee adds that, from this stance, it's easier to hit a fade.

Should a shorter person lengthen their swing?

No. According to Min Woo Lee, a compact swing does not mean a short swing or a short shot, as long as you use your body correctly.

Learn More

All “Backswing” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Swing and Swing Plane” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Alignment Rod and Swing Plane: The Complete ExerciseAn alignment rod extending from the club shaft, pointing toward a line of clubs on the ground at the halfway point of the backswing and downswing: a reference point for the plane, the path, and the wrists. Clubface at the Start of the Backswing: Keep It Looking at the BallAt the start of the backswing, the clubface should still be looking at the ball when your hands pass your back thigh; otherwise the swing gets too flat. A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Backswing: Raphaël Jacquelin's MethodTwo-step backswing—body first, then club: left shoulder behind the ball, right hand flat against the right thigh, club shaft pointing toward the ball at the halfway point. Min Woo LeeAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Min Woo Lee). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

* Amateur competitions with guidance from the pros