Note that the pictures of Bertholy demonstrating the "claw" position of the trail hand/wrist/arm show him with his trail elbow at his trail side, his trail arm bent at the elbow apx 45 deg, his trail wrist bent back (in extension) apx 90 deg and his trail fingers bent into a hook shape.
Now let us deal with Position #41/2, the critical impact position. The fine golfer may violate separately all of the other basic positions and movements of the golf swing and still execute a golf shot, but he cannot violate #41/2. Some golfers have a slightly wobbly platform during the backswing. Some fine players allow their head to drift forward slightly as does one great international player, others allow the left arm to become bent slightly at impact or at the top of the backswing, some have a most abrupt take-away, others loop the club during the backswing in a most pronounced manner, a few even lock the left leg in the downstroke, some lock the right leg at the top of the backstroke; both a recent PGA winner and a recent Master's champion came into the ball at impact in a most awkward looking position. Other definite faults, or style deviations, such as a wierd assortment of grips and abbreviated backswings are often apparent in many of the fine players' golf swings. But----!!! The one place where there can be no departure from the basic positions and movements is in regard to the inviolate "claw" in the impact position. Here at this most critical of positions and movements there must be purity of technique. Not only must you have the "claw" formed by the right arm, but it is imperative that you have the "rod" formed by the left arm as well. The right arm cannot and must not extend at impact. The right arm is definitely bent at the elbow and the right arm hitting action is achieved with a bent arm position. The "claw" will be maintained except for a strong hitting action in the right hand only. The right hand hits very strongly as all of the pent-up energy is unleashed at the ball but still the bent position of the right elbow is maintained. However this strong right arm hit is strictly involuntary except on the rare use of specialty trouble shots.
