torso, shoulder rotation and elbow bend question.

I am just getting into golf and have been out a few times. I picked up golf for dummies and a couple other books.
As I understand it I should keep my left arm straight and rotate on the back swing until my left shoulder points at the ball or ideally at my right foot and my back is to the target.
Well I have tried to do this and after a lot of stretching I just can’t get the rotation I think I need without wrenching my back. I have seen it done and pro golfers must be contortionists or something… I have to ask. Is this right? How can I get my back more limber, stretches etc.

Thanks!

Let your hips rotate too. Move the shoulders to your max streach...what ever you can stand while staying relaxed...so if it is not much then that is all you get and do not over do it and hurt yourself. But rotate the hips back to their minimum...something to the order of about 1/2. This creates the tourque you need to allow the hips (when they re-rotate back) to take the shoulder with them. Then the shoulders can go and re-rotate and that is your main power source.

Flexability it the golfer's main component in power, so contort away.

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