Flying Elbow
Also known as: trail elbow flare, the chicken wing (backswing usage)
A flying elbow is the trail elbow lifting up and away from the body during the backswing, disconnecting the arms from the torso's rotation and often producing an overly steep, arms-dominant swing.
A flying elbow describes the trail elbow separating from the body and rising up and away during the backswing, rather than staying relatively connected to the torso as the shoulders rotate. Instead of the arms and body turning together, the arms swing up somewhat independently, disconnected from the rotational engine of the torso, which frequently produces an overly steep, upright backswing plane.
The connection between a flying elbow and downswing faults is significant: an arms-dominant backswing tends to produce an arms-dominant downswing as well, making it harder to sequence the body's rotation ahead of the arms in transition. A flying trail elbow at the top of the backswing often has to drop back down to some more connected position before the downswing can proceed efficiently, adding an extra, hard-to-time movement to the swing. Golfers with a flying elbow frequently also struggle with consistency because the degree of "flying" can vary from swing to swing, changing the swing plane and therefore the path each time.
A flying elbow is often a habit carried over from other sports (particularly throwing motions, where the arm working somewhat independently of the torso is normal) or a result of insufficient shoulder and torso rotation in the backswing — if the body doesn't turn enough, the arms compensate by lifting independently to reach a full-feeling backswing position. A simple, widely used training aid is a glove, headcover, or small towel tucked under the trail armpit at the start of the swing, with the goal of keeping it in place through the backswing — if it falls, the elbow has flown.
Example
A golfer whose trail elbow lifts noticeably away from the ribs during the backswing produces a steep, upright plane, then has to make a compensating move in transition just to get the club back to a workable downswing position.
Why it matters
A flying elbow disconnects the arms from the body's rotation, making the backswing plane inconsistent and adding compensating movements in transition. SwingVantage observing trail-arm position relative to the torso from face-on video can flag this pattern, which is often one of the more visually clear faults to detect.
How it shows up on video
From a face-on camera angle, a flying elbow is visible as the trail elbow lifting up and away from the ribcage during the backswing, rather than staying relatively close to the body as the shoulders turn. The overall backswing often looks noticeably steeper and more upright than a connected swing.
Common mistakes
- Trying to keep the trail elbow pinned tightly to the body, which can restrict a natural, full backswing turn just as much as letting it fly too far away — the goal is connection, not rigidity.
- Not checking whether insufficient shoulder turn is the underlying cause — if the torso isn't rotating enough, the arms will often compensate by flying regardless of how much a golfer focuses on the elbow itself.
- Ignoring the training-aid feedback (a glove or towel under the arm) because it feels restrictive at first — the awkward feeling during early practice is exactly the connected sensation that needs to become normal.
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
SwingVantage can observe trail-elbow position relative to the torso throughout the backswing from face-on video, providing a confidence-labeled observation about connection and swing-plane steepness that correlates with a flying elbow pattern.
Related terms
- ConnectionConnection is keeping the arms and body moving together during the swing so the arms never get ahead of or behind the body's rotation, maintaining a consistent arc and face delivery.
- Swing PlaneSwing plane is the tilted circle the club travels on around your body during the swing. A consistent plane makes it easier to return the club squarely and on path at impact.
- BackswingThe backswing is the movement of the club from address to the top position. Its purpose is to create the width, shoulder turn, and wrist hinge needed to generate power on the way down.
- Trail Elbow CollapseTrail elbow collapse is the trail elbow over-folding and losing structure in the downswing, causing the club to lose width and speed and often forcing a compensating early release or chicken wing.
- Shoulder TurnShoulder turn is the rotation of the thoracic spine and shoulders during the backswing. A full shoulder turn (near 90°) is the primary source of swing arc and coil — the engine of a powerful backswing.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Golf report first