Face-on
Chicken wing.
A chicken-wing follow-through describes a lead arm folding away from the body soon after impact. Learn when that picture matters and when arm folding is simply part of the finish.
By Dwain Kinghorn · Updated
Face-on · Club in frame · Impact, Follow-Through, Finish
Understanding the idea.
After the strike, the club continues around the body and the arms eventually fold. Chicken wing usually refers to an early, pronounced bend and separation of the lead elbow while the club is still moving through the hitting area. It may accompany a cramped delivery or an attempt to manage the face.
The useful question is what happened before that follow-through picture. An across-the-ball approach, limited room, or a steered release can contribute, but the elbow's appearance does not identify a single cause. A weak shot or a bent arm alone is not enough to diagnose the pattern.
Face-on video shows the lead arm and club through Impact and Follow-Through. Include the club in frame and watch the motion rather than comparing only one frozen pose. The ball has already left by the time much of the visible folding happens; changing the pose afterward cannot repair that strike.
How to read this pattern.
The lead arm does not stay straight throughout the finish. It folds as the club travels around and upward. Players differ in flexibility, finish height, and how quickly that folding becomes visible.
Trying to lock the elbow straight or push the hands down the target line indefinitely can create tension and interfere with the natural arc. The aim is room for a free exit through the ball. A comfortable finish and predictable contact matter more than reproducing a long, straight-arm photograph.
A practice cue.
Let the club swing freely through the ball to its finish.
Try the exercise.
Unblocked exit
Use a mid-iron and choose a modest target. Begin without a ball, making waist-high swings that brush the grass and continue around to a comfortable finish. Picture the club traveling through an open space beyond the ball. Do not try to hold the arms in any shape after it passes.
Add a ball at an easy pace and keep the same free exit. If the club seems to stop at impact, make a smaller swing rather than trying to force a longer finish. A short shot gives enough time to notice whether the motion flows or feels like a jab.
After a few attempts, watch the face-on recording from just before the strike to the finish. Check whether the club had room to continue, not merely whether the elbow bent. If a large outward push appears in the attempt to straighten the arm, return to a smaller arc and allow the club to travel around you naturally.
Practice set: Make 5 waist-high rehearsals, then hit 2 sets of 5 short mid-irons with an unforced finish.
Keep in mind: Picture the club continuing through an open doorway beyond the ball.
Review the result.
For a practice comparison, record 5 full mid-iron swings from a face-on view, keeping the club in frame. Use the same setup for both sets; label shorter drill swings separately.
A useful result is a less interrupted exit accompanied by contact and flight that fit the intended shot. The lead arm may still bend; the question is whether the fold appears as a natural finish rather than an abrupt recovery near impact.
Compare similar shots and keep the camera fixed. If the elbow looks straighter but the ball starts farther off line or contact worsens, the exercise has not yet improved the delivery. In a coaching discussion, include the downswing as well as the follow-through so the response can address a possible cause rather than simply changing a pose after the ball is gone.
Watch these clips.
These demonstrations offer another way to understand the idea. Each video opens at the selected starting point and continues playing; use the note below it to focus your viewing.
The demonstration connects the delivery with the lead arm’s exit. Look before impact as well as after it, rather than straightening the elbow for appearance.
The explanation shows why rotation and folding of the lead arm belong in a normal release. The distinction is a free continuation versus a cramped exit.
The follow-through rehearsals illustrate a continuing motion after contact. Choose one comfortable task instead of combining every exercise with the drill on this page.