Key to Vegas' swing: Moving his left arm and club shaft together

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Vegas won his first PGA TOUR event in just his fifth start as a rookie.

LISTEN: Fulton breaks down Vegas in the final round

How would you like to shoot 16-under in a tournament and finish tied for 42nd? That's what Matt Bettencourt did on Sunday after a final-round 67 at the Bob Hope Classic. Now granted the PGA West -- Palmer Course isn't exactly the most difficult on the PGA TOUR but man-alive these guys are good.

Another guy that fared well at the Bob Hope Classic was the young Venezuelan - Jhonattan Vegas. There is a lot to like about Vegas' game. He is another great example of a young player who displays so many of the great components present in the modern golf swing.

One of the things that I really like about Vegas' swing is how he rotates his left arm and club shaft together to the top of the swing. In today's game, you are seeing so many of these young players display this characteristic of the swing because it allows the club shaft to be on-plane at the top and the club face square to its arc.

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The best way to describe how the left arm and club shaft should work together is to sit in your desk at work and take your grip in your left hand (right handed golfer). Now be careful here, make sure your boss is ok with this first before you continue with this lesson. Next, position your entire left forearm on the desk while cocking the lead wrist so the club shaft forms a right angle between itself and the left forearm. Now, rotate your left forearm to the right so the club shaft moves with it until it comes to rest on the desk just like the forearm. Notice in doing this, how your left hand remains relatively flat as this condition of the left wrist is recommended. If you were to cup or bend the left wrist, you would notice how the club face would open; consequently, if you were to arch the left wrist, the club face would close. In addition, whether the left hand is cupped or arched it not only changes the club face angle it makes it very difficult to keep the club shaft on plane (desk) with the left forearm.

The result of this movement is that when it's done during the golf swing it allows the club shaft to be on-plane where the butt of the club points towards the target line, as well as a club face that is square to arc where the angle of the club face is parallel to back of the left hand/forearm. This is a key move for Jhonattan Vegas as it positions him at the top where he can be aggressive and instinctive on the downswing with very little compensation.

One of the most common errors for the amateur player is for them to move the left arm and club shaft in a manner where they don't stay on the same plane of motion. In that same example above at your desk, when you rotate the left forearm and club shaft to the right a common mistake would see the left forearm/elbow come off the desk where just the club head would be touching the desk or the club head would work too much toward the body rather than rotating at 90 degrees to the left forearm. Both examples don't allow the left forearm and club shaft to work together on the same plane as defined by the desk. Learning to do this movement properly in a golf swing can really add a great deal of consistency and power to your game.

This move has become a real staple in today's modern game. Young men and women are learning to move the left arm and club shaft together to achieve a perfect position at the top. When you take these movements and counter it with a young athletic body like Vegas, you can create a backswing that looks simple but yet powerful. This of course is the best of both worlds and although you don't hit the ball with your backswing, it certainly can only help when trying to groove a repetitive downswing.

Just Because

First off, I apologize for my absence last week as I was conducting our big West Coast TOUR Academy Instructor Training at the beautiful TPC Scottsdale. Every year, all of our instructors get together and train on all TOUR Academy programs. It was a great week as our staff continues to get stronger and stronger across the country.

Meanwhile, my Seahawks were eliminated from the NFL Playoffs after the Bears beat us a week ago. Nevertheless, it was a positive step for the Hawks this year considering the two years before we were excited when the players broke the huddle together. Ready.........Break!

The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers of course are moving on to this year's Super Bowl and for those of you that read my blog - you understand that I will be buying every piece of yellow and green clothing made available to me.

Damn Steelers! Every year they just keep winning as this is now three Super Bowl appearances in the last six years. After the Super Bowl debacle in 2006 you can understand my frustration to Mr. Rooney's organization as I travelled home from Detroit in total disgust. I will spare you the soap box but today I stand before you and give the Steelers credit. They are a team that just flat out knows what they are doing. Every year -- a dominating defense, every year -- a solid rushing game, every year -- some timely big plays. It's amazing and this year I tip my cap to them. There........I said it.

Go Pack Go!

Travis Fulton is PGA TOUR Academy's Director of Instruction and one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers for 2010-11. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR. To learn more about the TOUR Academy, click here.