Keep the balloon in place for pure impact Another way to ingrain a good impact position is to use a balloon (or a grapefruit-size rubber ball) as an impact guide. Place the balloon between your elbows at setup, then hit some chip shots with short, below-the-waist swings. If the body moves in sync with the arms during the swing, the balloon will stay in place. It also means you're keeping the shaft behind your left arm through impact and compressing the ball. If the balloon falls out, you've over-accelerated the clubhead, which forces the elbows to separate. To make crisp contact, your arms should straighten through the downswing. The club will release naturally with your body turn.