I’ve been struggling with my golf swing lately, and I keep hearing the term “chicken wing” thrown around. From what I understand, it refers to how my lead arm bends too much at impact, but I’m not quite sure how to fix it.
What is the Chicken Wing?
The chicken wing is a common flaw in many golfers’ swings. It happens when the lead arm (left arm for right-handed golfers) bends excessively during the downswing, causing poor clubface control and inconsistent ball striking. This can lead to a variety of issues like topped shots, slices, and a lack of power.
Symptoms of the Chicken Wing
Here are some signs that you might be dealing with this problem:
Inconsistent Ball Flight: If your shots are going all over the place, this might be a reason.
Lack of Distance: You might not be making solid contact or transferring your power effectively.
Bending of the Lead Arm: Take a look at your swing in slow motion. Is your lead arm straight during impact?
Tips to Fix the Chicken Wing
Check Your Grip: Make sure your grip isn’t too weak, as this can contribute to a chicken wing effect.
Focus on Your Elbow Position: The lead elbow should stay close to your body during the downswing. Try to avoid flaring it out.
Use Drills: There are some great drills for this, like the ‘T-Pose Drill’ where you practice your follow-through and focus on keeping that lead arm straight.
Practice with a Mirror: Watching your swing in a mirror can help you become more aware of your arm position throughout the swing.
Record Your Swing: If possible, record your swing and analyze it to see what’s going wrong.
Resources
I’ve come across some helpful YouTube videos and articles on this topic that break down the mechanics and provide drills to work on. If anyone has recommendations, I’d love to see what’s worked for you!
What are your thoughts? Have you dealt with the chicken wing in your swing? How did you overcome it? Looking forward to any advice or tips!
The golf chicken wing refers to a situation where the left arm bends during the backswing or downswing, which can lead to inconsistency in ball striking. It’s crucial to understand its causes for effective improvement.
Common causes of a golf chicken wing include poor grip, lack of flexibility, or an improper swing path. Addressing these can greatly enhance performance.
The chicken wing in golf typically refers to the awkward position of the leading arm at impact. It often happens when golfers try to scoop the ball. A good drill is to practice hitting balls while keeping your lead arm straight through impact.
I struggled with the chicken wing for ages! One technique that helped me is the ‘towel drill.’ Simply place a towel under your lead arm and keep it there throughout your swing to promote better form.
Another effective drill is the ‘one-handed swing’ practice. Just use your lead hand and focus on maintaining a straight arm through the impact zone. It builds muscle memory and reduces the tendency to chicken wing.
For those who are a bit more advanced, try the ‘weighted club drill.’ Swing a club with a weight on the end – it’ll force you to keep your arms extended and smooth out your swing.
I found that visualizing my swing helped as well. Picture a straight line extending from my lead arm through the ball. It sounds silly but it helped my focus.
Great suggestions! Is there any evidence that improving grip can affect chicken wing issues? I’ve heard some golfers mention it but am unsure if it contributes significantly.