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As I understand it, Tommy Armour's Start Down was all about getting the right knee in toward the ball. He taught that the feet and knees -- "footwork" as he called it -- moved the body out of the way (in both directions) so that the hands and arms could swing freely and then whip the club through the ball.

As for Harry Vardon, well...

He taught Armour.

This is a quote from an article about one of the power sources of Vardon's swing...interesting reading...can't verify its accuracy.


"......So how could he be a long hitter and suffer from tuberculosis at the same time? The answer is in his bent left elbow.

Yes, I know your Pro has told you many times to keep a straight left elbow. And that is the classic thinking even today.

But is a difference between the problem the Pros are trying to prevent and what Vardon did. Many amateurs will over-swing at the top and let their left elbow bend.

On the start down, they will again straighten out the elbow causing extra movement and swing plane variations. What Vardon did was something else. He HELD the bent left elbow until just before impact with the ball.

John Jacobs, in his book - The 50 Greatest Golf Lessons of the Century (HarperAcademic), described Vardon’s swing LIKE THROWING A FRISBEE!!

Theodore Jorgensen in his book - The Physics of Golf - devotes 1 separate chapter to Vardon’s swing and comes to the conclusion that by using his left elbow as an additional hinge a power increase of up to 50% is theoretically possible.

Another description of Vardon’s bent left elbow is that he made his left arm into a whip with an additional bending point in it. And then threw his left arm down the target line similar to an athlete throwing a discus but in a more vertical plane. How can you try this out?

Think - throw the Frisbee down the target line.

Keep your left elbow bent on the way down to the ball and unfurl it, like throwing a discus, down thru the ball."