Most golfers unknowingly destroy their swing by allowing the trail arm to rotate too early — effectively “slamming the door” shut before impact. In this video, I’ll show you a powerful visual that changes how you understand the trail arm, using a door analogy that makes this complex move simple.
You’ll learn:
What internal and external rotation of the trail arm really means
Why most amateurs close the “door” far too soon
How keeping the trail arm in the right position transforms your ball striking
A clear drill to train this move for better consistency and power
Featuring a live student to demonstrate both the fault and the fix, this lesson will help you build a more athletic, tour-level delivery — without overthinking positions.
👉 Let me know in the comments if this helped your ball striking, and don’t forget to check out my coaching app for deeper swing transformation.
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00:00 Introduction
00:41 The Trail Arm
03:08 Trail Arm Backswing
07:11 Trail Arm Downswing
25 Comments
This instruction is excellent!!!!! Thank you!
I am a man of many "swings". All of them work, but only for one day, and only on the practice tee. Most involve the position of the front wrist at the top and the trail elbow in the downswing.
How do you “open the door” on the backswing without opening the club face wildly?
Excellent video… I have a tendency to cast the club early on the down sway and focusing on keeping the door open so to speak is really helping
Freegan Genius
Man you really dragged this video out
This connects the link between why most pros setup with trail hand on the club first, then put lead hand on once over ball
A real game changer, Many thanks Chris. 😎
Lost me at "alignment stick cover…"
Well, I totally agree with what the other commenters have to say, this is a terrific video. If you keep that elbow properly positioned you are no going over the top.
Nice video, very clear and helping!
Jimmy Ballard talks about keeping the elbows pointed down. That was an important one for me. Since I’m LH playing RH, also practiced the sidearm throw motion with right. That was major.
Brilliant, thank 👍
Apart from a certain bod from Northern Ireland. Look at his swing set up and the inside of his right elbow points towards the target line….
I learnt this move from watching Gary Player back in the 60,s, and was intrigued and with the help of our club pro at the time certainly helped me get down to a low single fig, i also used to use a club cover under my arm, and made sure that the downswing was on the inside of the backswing, thanks for reminding me of this, excellent explanation.
Thanks for this video Chris. It really was a lightbulb moment. Is this video also true for hitting driver?
Wow!!! Keeping the arm open is one of the more difficult actions in the swing! Agree with pinganser, one of the most impactful golf videos I've ever watched!!! Like many people in my life, I've been closing the door far too soon!!!!!!! Thank You Mr. Ryan!!!!
Pull that handle in like he has here the right elbow to the right hip and you will get a huge right arm flip or roll over two way miss , unless you can produce a golf swing in motion and hit the positions then it's just a "theory' the right elbow does not pull forward like this at all the downswing is much wider much more down with the right shoulder and much more back , if you slow down this swing watch the huge right arm roll
Cause the shaft is steep pushed the right shoulder out not "under the sternum and back
Just seen this today.proper technical instruction.thank you mr Ryan
GREAT lesson. Thank you so much!
7:10 trail arm downswing
I never knew that the word wrong has a k in it.
😂
i just had a hole in one after watching this video no joke 180 yards 5 iron thanks its a subtle move but when you apply it you can hit it so pure. I'm a 7 handicap.
Right arm – give blood
Blah …. Blah… Blah… too verbose… get to the point Mr.Ryan