Click here and enter your email address to watch the full video
Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best Young Teachers in America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America. Meet your new instructor.

Subscribe now to watch the full video.

Single Arm Full Swings

Identify and address challenges with the single-arm full-swing drill. Using single-arm drills can help to isolate and analyze specific movements. This drill covers key phases, including the backswing, transition, and impact, providing recommendations for matching up both arms to achieve a more synchronized and effective golf swing.

WEBVTT - This file was automatically generated by VIMEO

0
00:00:05.085 --> 00:00:07.255
This drill is single arm full swings.

1
00:00:07.395 --> 00:00:11.535
Um, so, uh, single arm full swings is kind of a, a cousin

2
00:00:11.635 --> 00:00:12.895
to the single arm releases.

3
00:00:13.515 --> 00:00:15.455
One of the challenges in the golf swing is

4
00:00:15.455 --> 00:00:19.175
because we have both hands on the club, um, it's often hard

5
00:00:19.375 --> 00:00:22.335
to tease out what is causing the problem.

6
00:00:22.595 --> 00:00:23.935
So, um, we know

7
00:00:23.935 --> 00:00:25.735
that there are certain arm movements we don't like,

8
00:00:25.735 --> 00:00:27.735
we don't like to see the club getting really steep

9
00:00:27.955 --> 00:00:29.415
in, uh, transition.

10
00:00:29.475 --> 00:00:31.935
We don't like to see it really scoopy on the way through.

11
00:00:31.995 --> 00:00:34.695
We don't want to see lots of kind of collapsing and,

12
00:00:34.755 --> 00:00:38.415
and rolling, but oftentimes we have a hard time determining,

13
00:00:38.725 --> 00:00:40.095
well, is it the right hand?

14
00:00:40.205 --> 00:00:41.695
Just 'cause it feels like it's the right

15
00:00:41.695 --> 00:00:43.175
hand, is it the left arm?

16
00:00:43.175 --> 00:00:45.495
Because the left arm's in front and it looks funnier.

17
00:00:45.715 --> 00:00:49.215
Um, there's, there's no easy way to kind of guess.

18
00:00:49.395 --> 00:00:53.295
So I use the, um, single arm full swings as a diagnostic

19
00:00:53.295 --> 00:00:56.375
to look at a couple key phrase, uh, phases in the swing.

20
00:00:56.795 --> 00:00:59.295
Now, I've used the single arm releases, um,

21
00:00:59.295 --> 00:01:00.535
because I think they're safer.

22
00:01:01.035 --> 00:01:04.375
Um, but I do use these single arm full swings.

23
00:01:04.795 --> 00:01:07.455
Um, my, my caveat to you is

24
00:01:08.055 --> 00:01:10.855
I injured my shoulder when I was 15 doing a left arm only

25
00:01:10.855 --> 00:01:12.175
swing in the trees

26
00:01:12.275 --> 00:01:15.575
and the club dug into a, it went steep into the ground

27
00:01:15.755 --> 00:01:17.655
and uh, dug into a root.

28
00:01:17.955 --> 00:01:19.375
So I've always been hesitant

29
00:01:19.375 --> 00:01:21.535
of having people do single arm full swing.

30
00:01:21.535 --> 00:01:24.015
So my caveat is swing really smooth

31
00:01:24.015 --> 00:01:26.455
and this is safer to do off of mats, um,

32
00:01:26.465 --> 00:01:28.495
where it's just gonna hit the ground,

33
00:01:28.495 --> 00:01:30.055
it's not going to dig into the ground.

34
00:01:30.155 --> 00:01:34.335
So that's the, the one, um, little, uh, by beware

35
00:01:34.595 --> 00:01:36.735
or uh, warning label there.

36
00:01:37.525 --> 00:01:42.295
Okay, so now I usually recommend videotaping yourself doing

37
00:01:42.295 --> 00:01:43.735
right arm only, left arm only.

38
00:01:44.035 --> 00:01:48.095
Um, and we're gonna then break down a couple key places

39
00:01:48.515 --> 00:01:50.215
to investigate what's going on.

40
00:01:50.635 --> 00:01:53.295
Um, so there's no,

41
00:01:53.515 --> 00:01:55.615
no given rules other than you're gonna take your normal

42
00:01:55.615 --> 00:01:58.295
setup and then take whichever hand you're not using off the

43
00:01:58.295 --> 00:02:00.215
club and either hold it to your side, um,

44
00:02:00.315 --> 00:02:02.695
or behind your back, but basically out of the way.

45
00:02:02.815 --> 00:02:04.695
I don't want it to be right there on the club.

46
00:02:05.075 --> 00:02:07.135
Um, and you, I say full swings,

47
00:02:07.135 --> 00:02:09.935
but really I want at least a three quarter, so at least

48
00:02:10.385 --> 00:02:12.175
above, um, parallel.

49
00:02:12.475 --> 00:02:17.255
So we're going to do right arm only, kinda like

50
00:02:17.255 --> 00:02:19.295
that little pole, not too bad.

51
00:02:20.275 --> 00:02:23.815
And then we are going to do left arm only.

52
00:02:27.325 --> 00:02:30.175
Good a similar pole. Looks like both arms wanna pull today.

53
00:02:30.515 --> 00:02:35.335
Um, but now let's talk through kind of the classic patterns.

54
00:02:35.335 --> 00:02:38.095
What I usually see when I do these, um, first

55
00:02:38.195 --> 00:02:41.135
during the backswing, oftentimes what you'll see is

56
00:02:41.135 --> 00:02:43.935
with the right arm only the body won't rotate

57
00:02:43.935 --> 00:02:45.175
and the arm will get disconnected

58
00:02:45.235 --> 00:02:48.255
and the arm will just lift in order to create a back swing

59
00:02:48.545 --> 00:02:50.615
where the left arm will tend

60
00:02:50.615 --> 00:02:52.055
to have a little bit better rotation,

61
00:02:52.115 --> 00:02:54.175
but it'll often also have a little bit more

62
00:02:54.175 --> 00:02:55.535
of a flat shoulder plane.

63
00:02:55.955 --> 00:02:57.135
Um, kind of like this.

64
00:02:57.555 --> 00:03:00.325
So one of the ways you can investigate that is,

65
00:03:00.465 --> 00:03:04.485
is basically when you see the one arm doing the pattern

66
00:03:04.515 --> 00:03:06.165
that you don't like to see in your full swing,

67
00:03:06.435 --> 00:03:08.605
it's very likely that that one arm

68
00:03:08.705 --> 00:03:10.485
or that side of the body is

69
00:03:10.485 --> 00:03:11.885
what's creating that dysfunction.

70
00:03:12.585 --> 00:03:16.125
So then second, this is where I think one of the most

71
00:03:16.685 --> 00:03:19.405
critical pieces is, is looking at transition.

72
00:03:19.785 --> 00:03:24.205
Now, um, most of us, a lot of golfers tend

73
00:03:24.205 --> 00:03:25.965
to see a steepening in transition

74
00:03:26.145 --> 00:03:28.765
and we often think that it's the right arm kind

75
00:03:28.765 --> 00:03:30.325
of getting overpower or,

76
00:03:30.505 --> 00:03:32.605
or going, uh, into internal rotation.

77
00:03:32.955 --> 00:03:37.085
What I've seen from doing the one arm drills here is

78
00:03:37.785 --> 00:03:40.965
almost nobody using just the right arm

79
00:03:41.005 --> 00:03:42.565
steepens the club in transition.

80
00:03:42.645 --> 00:03:43.725
I have seen it, so I,

81
00:03:43.725 --> 00:03:45.845
that's why I say almost, but it's rare.

82
00:03:46.235 --> 00:03:48.085
Most of the time the right arm is going

83
00:03:48.085 --> 00:03:51.525
to do a much better job of shallowing in transition

84
00:03:51.665 --> 00:03:53.445
and it's gonna do a much better job

85
00:03:53.445 --> 00:03:55.125
of sinking up with the body.

86
00:03:55.465 --> 00:03:57.005
If you're looking at impact,

87
00:03:57.265 --> 00:03:59.605
you will often see much more body rotation

88
00:03:59.715 --> 00:04:02.445
with the right hand, um, compared to the left hand.

89
00:04:02.865 --> 00:04:04.885
Now with the right hand, you'll often see more

90
00:04:04.885 --> 00:04:08.045
of a scoop on the way through where it gets very narrow.

91
00:04:08.425 --> 00:04:09.965
Um, you might have some top shots

92
00:04:10.025 --> 00:04:11.925
or chunk shots kinda like that,

93
00:04:11.945 --> 00:04:13.805
but getting into the finished position,

94
00:04:14.115 --> 00:04:15.645
even though it's shallowed and

95
00:04:15.785 --> 00:04:17.125
and rotated, it will tend

96
00:04:17.125 --> 00:04:19.125
to really scoop down there at the bottom.

97
00:04:20.425 --> 00:04:24.685
The left arm oftentimes is the steeper,

98
00:04:24.685 --> 00:04:27.325
the left arm is going to pull independent of the body

99
00:04:27.345 --> 00:04:28.445
and often get out here.

100
00:04:28.945 --> 00:04:30.645
Um, and then on the way through,

101
00:04:31.305 --> 00:04:33.525
we know this from the single arm release drills

102
00:04:33.835 --> 00:04:35.725
that on the way through it's going

103
00:04:35.725 --> 00:04:38.845
to be very much a left arm pole where the body is

104
00:04:39.545 --> 00:04:40.765
not rotating.

105
00:04:41.185 --> 00:04:44.845
Um, so my global challenge to you is whatever you're doing,

106
00:04:45.345 --> 00:04:47.445
you want to try to match up both sides.

107
00:04:47.545 --> 00:04:50.765
So if for, if for example, I had the ability

108
00:04:50.785 --> 00:04:53.085
to remove your body from the swing

109
00:04:53.145 --> 00:04:56.245
or from the video, whatever you're doing with the right hand

110
00:04:56.245 --> 00:04:57.885
and whatever you're doing with the left hand,

111
00:04:58.245 --> 00:05:02.165
I want the club to basically be going through the same, um,

112
00:05:02.495 --> 00:05:04.045
space means

113
00:05:04.045 --> 00:05:06.165
that I'm basically swinging the club the same way.

114
00:05:06.665 --> 00:05:08.245
If the right arm

115
00:05:09.185 --> 00:05:11.325
and the left arm are going

116
00:05:11.325 --> 00:05:13.085
through dramatically different space,

117
00:05:13.195 --> 00:05:14.645
then there's gonna be a lot more timing

118
00:05:14.745 --> 00:05:16.325
as your brain is trying to reconcile

119
00:05:16.345 --> 00:05:17.685
how the two arms are gonna work together.

120
00:05:18.145 --> 00:05:21.445
So what I usually recommend is whichever one looks better,

121
00:05:21.625 --> 00:05:24.245
you're gonna use that to help tutor the opposite arm.

122
00:05:25.105 --> 00:05:29.325
Two common places, um, would be in transition.

123
00:05:29.345 --> 00:05:30.645
If you do right arm only

124
00:05:30.665 --> 00:05:32.205
and then put the left arm on,

125
00:05:32.505 --> 00:05:34.805
it will usually feel like the right arm is,

126
00:05:34.905 --> 00:05:37.325
or sorry, like the left arm is much flatter,

127
00:05:37.475 --> 00:05:40.845
like it's rotated this way as opposed to vertical like this.

128
00:05:41.145 --> 00:05:43.485
Um, and it will feel like it's higher, um,

129
00:05:43.485 --> 00:05:46.925
because it hasn't pulled down quite as hard like this.

130
00:05:48.275 --> 00:05:51.765
Then on the way through, if you were to use the left arm

131
00:05:51.865 --> 00:05:54.285
and get it to this position, it would be like this.

132
00:05:54.285 --> 00:05:56.885
And then if I said to get your hand right hand on the club,

133
00:05:57.355 --> 00:05:59.605
this will feel like you still have more angle.

134
00:06:00.145 --> 00:06:03.805
Um, and this will feel like, uh, you had a bunch of shalene.

135
00:06:03.825 --> 00:06:07.205
So if you were to take the left arm down to impact

136
00:06:07.585 --> 00:06:08.885
and then switch, um,

137
00:06:08.985 --> 00:06:12.165
you will feel like the right arm has not passed or flipped.

138
00:06:12.785 --> 00:06:15.885
It has maintained this angle as it's rotating through.

139
00:06:16.265 --> 00:06:18.405
Um, and that helps it get into the last

140
00:06:18.405 --> 00:06:20.005
checkpoint, which would be follow through.

141
00:06:20.105 --> 00:06:22.165
I'd probably use the right hand now

142
00:06:22.165 --> 00:06:23.645
that it's getting closer to go to there.

143
00:06:23.705 --> 00:06:26.365
And then if I put the left hand on, you'll notice the space.

144
00:06:26.765 --> 00:06:29.285
I talk a lot about this zone in the single arm releases.

145
00:06:29.745 --> 00:06:32.845
Um, so the single arm full swing is a little bit more about

146
00:06:32.845 --> 00:06:37.125
this initial move in transition with the left arm.

147
00:06:37.465 --> 00:06:40.005
It will feel like it has to stay higher

148
00:06:41.305 --> 00:06:43.605
and like it's more driven from the body.

149
00:06:44.145 --> 00:06:47.045
Um, and then with the right arm,

150
00:06:48.185 --> 00:06:50.645
the transition I would say happens more naturally.

151
00:06:50.645 --> 00:06:52.485
It's gonna be coming from a good position.

152
00:06:52.865 --> 00:06:56.565
The big thing is you have to continue, um, to

153
00:06:57.225 --> 00:06:59.885
extend the arm and not flip down to the bottom.

154
00:07:00.225 --> 00:07:05.165
So I highly recommend if you have some funky arm movements

155
00:07:05.165 --> 00:07:06.925
either in transition, um,

156
00:07:07.025 --> 00:07:09.085
or during the release that you

157
00:07:09.645 --> 00:07:11.245
investigate the single arm drills,

158
00:07:11.325 --> 00:07:13.605
whether it's the full swing to look at the whole picture,

159
00:07:13.905 --> 00:07:15.565
um, or the release style just

160
00:07:15.565 --> 00:07:18.245
to look at what's going on at the bottom that will help you,

161
00:07:18.625 --> 00:07:22.525
um, get laser focus into what's likely causing the

162
00:07:22.525 --> 00:07:23.685
breakdown that you're seeing on video.

163
00:07:24.155 --> 00:07:28.445
Okay, so quick demo again, right arm only

164
00:07:29.125 --> 00:07:32.525
focusing on kind of it maintaining its extension there

165
00:07:32.945 --> 00:07:34.445
and then left arm only

166
00:07:36.715 --> 00:07:38.045
left arm's a little tough today.

167
00:07:38.385 --> 00:07:42.565
Um, I highly recommend once you've done it to go into um,

168
00:07:42.585 --> 00:07:44.445
either shadow drills, um,

169
00:07:44.505 --> 00:07:47.445
or open hand, uh, where basically

170
00:07:48.795 --> 00:07:51.645
your feeling the arms work a little bit more

171
00:07:52.525 --> 00:07:53.565
together or connected.

172
00:07:53.745 --> 00:07:58.485
So shadow drills either open hand, um,

173
00:07:58.785 --> 00:08:00.725
either, sorry, either trail hand

174
00:08:01.025 --> 00:08:04.285
or the really tough one is the lead hand.

175
00:08:04.895 --> 00:08:07.005
Kinda like that. The shadow drills

176
00:08:07.085 --> 00:08:10.005
and the open hand drills force the body to work as a team.

177
00:08:10.305 --> 00:08:12.925
Um, but don't rely on the benefits

178
00:08:12.925 --> 00:08:14.125
of having both hands on the clock.

179
00:08:14.345 --> 00:08:15.885
So you can use that for a lot

180
00:08:16.025 --> 00:08:17.605
of cleaning up your arm motion.

181
00:08:22.685 --> 00:08:22.805
I.

Subscribe now for full access to our video library.