The truestrike Forearm Connection Drill

A chicken wing occurs when the lead elbow bends and lifts away from the body through impact instead of extending toward the target. The root cause is arm-body disconnection — the arms outrace or separate from chest rotation, forcing the lead elbow to fold as a compensating move. The result is an open face, weak contact, and a loss of extension through the ball.

Place the TrueStrike impact trainer between your two forearms and grip it gently in place. It should sit snugly so any separation between your arms will drop it. From there, make controlled swings while focusing on rotating your chest and body all the way through to a full finish — the trainer stays pinned only when your arms and torso move together as a unit.

The trainer acts as a biofeedback device: the moment your arms break away from your chest, it falls. Staying connected forces your core and chest to drive the swing rather than your hands. This keeps the clubhead on a more consistent arc, moves the low point forward, and produces the compressive, ball-first contact that separates consistent players from those who thin or block it.

Stef Ferguson specifically mentions this drill helps "whether you're a beginner trying to find the sweet spot or an experienced player searching for repeatable compression." Because the drill is feel-based and uses immediate physical feedback — the trainer drops if you lose connection — golfers at any level can quickly identify and correct the fault without needing to understand complex swing theory.

Common signs include: thinning irons especially with longer clubs, a tendency to block the ball right (for right-handers), flippy or scooping hand action at impact, and inconsistent contact even when your setup feels solid. Video your swing from the target line — if your lead elbow bends inward and lifts before impact rather than staying close to your torso, disconnection is likely the culprit.