Broadus, I think you are onto something. To get a better feel for what I was describing above, try split gripping the club i.e. right hand 3-4 inches below the left. No make your regular backswing. From this position, you will notice that if you try and hit the ball with the right hand before clearing the left side, the left wrist has to break down at the point of contact. However, if you start the downswing by clearing the left side, you will find the right arm naturally moves into a position from which you can fire through the ball. The feeling I get from clearing the left side is to feel the hip turn and left shoulder-arm connection pull up and back almost simultaneously. In reality, the hips lead. Hope this helps Mike.
BTW if you time this correctly, the swing should feel effortless. If it doesn't, then you are trying to hit the ball with the right arm before clearing the left side. It takes time, so be patient.