[Yoda]

A couple of questions about fanning the trail (right for righthanders) forearm in start-up, assuming the trail forearm is onplane at address.

1. Is fanning and then folding the trail elbow a purely sequenced motion - does one fan to the limit of fanning, and then fold, or do they overlap somewhat?

2. Ideally, does the trail forearm stay onplane as long as one is only fanning - ie once folding starts does the trail elbow start to go underplane?

3. How much movement is there in the trail elbow during fanning and in which direction? For example I can fan (and trace) with my trail elbow pretty much dead still, or with it staying level to its address position and moving back parallel to the plane line - I'm not sure if (anatomically and with a golf like motion) I can trace and have the elbow move up the plane.

Here we go, Chris, in the order of your questions:

1. With the Punch and Pitch Major Basic Strokes, the Fanning Right Forearm Motion begins immediately in Start Up. Never at any moment is there even a hint of the Push Basic Stroke and its Linear Right Forearm Motion. The Hands move in an Arc around the Right Elbow -- they do not stay between the Elbow and the Ball -- and the Elbow folds only as Extensor Action and the alignments of the Right Forearm Flying Wedge permit.

2. Fanning and 'folding' are independent concepts. Normally, they occur virtually simultaneously during Start Up -- again, as Extensor Action permits -- and are not mutually exclusive. However, as Miller Barber has amply demonstrated throughout his career, it is possible to delay Fanning and thereby maintain the Right Elbow On Plane -- and thus the Forearm On Plane -- for an extraordinary length of time.

3. In Start Up, Extensor Action assures that the Three-Dimensional -- Up, Back and In -- Right Forearm Takeaway will be as 'wide' as possible. In fact, this width is limited only by the 'leash' of the Left Arm's Checkrein Action and the aligments of the Right Forearm Flying Wedge. The Right Elbow will move with this Motion and, of course, in its direction. If you attempt to keep your Right Elbow stationary as you Fan, you will inhibit your Right Shoulder's move toward the Plane. Which is fine in Short Shots where you wish to minimize the Pivot Motion. For example, no less than Ben Hogan used to "rest" his Right Elbow on his Right Hip and use it as a "pivot point" to "reduce the margin of error" in Chip Shots. But remember, your Backstroke will stop once your Right Elbow has become fully Bent, and this action is not Compatible with full Pivot Strokes.