How to Unfold the Right Arm in a Golf Swing

Trying to master how the right arm unfolds in the golf swing can feel like solving a puzzle with a thousand a pieces. Many golfers get stuck here, often trying to force the arm straight, which leads to weak, slicing shots. This post will walk you through how the right arm should work, not as a muscle you actively fire, but as a lever that releases power created by your body. We’ll cover the correct sequence, the feelings you should be looking for, and some practical drills to make it all click.

What Most Golfers Get Wrong About the Right Arm

First, let’s clear up a common misunderstanding. The right arm doesn’t actively unfold or straighten on its own during the downswing for a right-handed golfer. When you hear coaches talk about "release" or "extension," they are describing an event that is the result of a good swing sequence, not the cause of it. The instinct to "hit" the ball makes most amateurs use their right arm and shoulder muscles to push the club at the ball from the top of the swing. This action, often called "casting" or coming "over the top," disconnects the arms from the body rotation.

When you force the right arm to straighten too early:

• You lose all your stored power. The angle between your left arm and the club shaft (your lag) is a primary power source. By straightening the right arm too soon, you "spend" that energy long before the club gets to the ball. Your speed peaks behind you instead of at impact.
• You create a steep, out-to-in swing path. Pushing with the right arm and shoulder forces the club outside the correct swing plane. From this position, your only choice is to cut across the ball, which is a classic recipe for a slice.
• You reduce consistency. Relying on timing an arm-and-hand release is far more difficult than using the consistent, repeatable motion of your bigger body muscles.

Think about skipping a stone or throwing a baseball a long way. You don’t just stand still and move your arm. You lead with a step and a twist of your hips and torso. Your arm remains bent and relaxed for as long as possible before it naturally unleashes forward with incredible speed. In the golf swing, your arm is like the whip, and your body rotation is the hand that cracks it. You need to focus on moving the handle (your body) to let the whip (the clubhead) fly.

Setting the Stage: Your Position at the Top

For the right arm to unfold correctly, it must start from the right place. An improper backswing position makes a proper downswing almost impossible. The goal at the top is to get your arms into a powerful, loaded position without creating tension that will make you want to release it immediately.

Here’s what you should feel at the top of a good backswing:

1. The "Right Elbow Down" Feeling

As you turn back, your right arm should fold naturally. A widespread fault in golf is the "flying right elbow," where the right elbow lifts up and points out away from your body. This disconnects the arm from your turn and usually leads to a steep over-the-top motion on the way down. Instead, feel as if your right elbow is pointing generally toward the ground. It doesn't have to be pinned to your side, but it should feel connected to the rotation of your torso. A good mental image is to feel like you are holding a pizza on a tray with your right hand - your elbow would be below your hand, supporting the weight from underneath.

2. Natural Wrist Hinge

Your right wrist shouldn’t feel stiff or manipulated. As you swing to the top, momentum alone will cause it to hinge or "set." This hinged position is another power accumulator. Your right wrist should feel extended (bent backward slightly), supporting the weight of the club. Looking at your right hand, it should feel similar to how you would hold a serving platter. It’s a supported, relaxed position, not a tense one.

3. Folded, Not Tense

Your right arm will be folded, roughly at a 90-degree angle at the elbow, but it's important that it's a soft 90 degrees. There should be no tension in your right bicep or forearm. If you feel tension, you're likely gripping the club too tightly or trying to manually lift or place the club at the top instead of letting your body turn get it there. Tension is the enemy of speed, a relaxed right arm is a fast right arm.

The Magic Sequence: How the Right Arm Unfolds Passively

Once you’re in a great position at the top, the unfolding process is all Cabout sequence. The downswing is a chain reaction that starts from the ground up, and the right arm is one of the last links in that chain. Forcing it to go earlier is like trying to snap your fingers before you’ve even pulled them back.

Step 1: The Transition - Lower Body Starts It All

The very first move from the top isn’t with your hands or arms. It's a subtle but distinct shift of pressure toward your front foot as your hips begin to open toward the target. Think of it as a small "bump" to the left, which gets your weight moving forward and creates a little space for your arms to drop down.

Step 2: The Drop - The Right Elbow Finds the Pocket

As your hips turn, your right arm and elbow simply fall. Your arms have no other job at this point than to come along for the ride. The feeling is that your right elbow is moving down toward your right hipbone. Your arm stays folded and the right wrist remains hinged. This is where you maintain all a that stored power. This "slot" position is where great ball-strikers live. From here, you have all the leverage in the world to deliver the club from the inside with tremendous speed.

Amateurs almost always miss this step. They fire their arms from the top. Great players let gravity and their body turn bring the arms down to waist-high while they ares till folded.

Step 3: The Release - Physics Takes Over

From that slotted position - right elbow near your side, arm still folded - your continuing body rotation takes over. As your chest rotates aggressively through the impact zone, it pulls your right arm with it. There’s a point where physics won’t allow the arm to stay bent any longer, the rotational force pulls it straight. this is the release. It's an explosive, passive `throwing` motion of the clubhead toward the target line.

The feeling is not one of pushing the handle but one of releasing the clubhead. As your right arm straightens, it works in unison with your body rotation. Your right palm will be facing the target through impact. It’s a powerful, full-body motion, not a flippy, arms-only push.

To see it more simply:

1. Backswing: Torso turns, right arm folds.
2. Transition: Hips shift and start to turn, right arm stays folded.
3. Downswing: Torso unwinds, right elbow drops, right arm stays folded.
4. Impact & Beyond: Body continues turning hard, unleashing the right arm through the ball.

Drills to Groove the Correct Feeling

Understanding the concept is one thing, feeling it is another. Here are a three effective drills to help you train the proper unfolding of the right arm.

1. The Right-Arm-Only Throwing Drill

This is a fantastic drill for feeling the right arm’s role as a thrower, not a pusher.

• Grab a 9-iron or wedge and take your setup. Put your left hand behind your back.
• Make a short, three-quarter backswing with only your right arm, focusing on turning your body.
• Initiate the downswing by bumping your hips and turning your torso. Really feel your right elbow dropping down close to your side.
• From there, focus on "throwing" the clubhead down and past the ball. Let your body rotation power the swing. Don't worry about where the ball goes. You're just trying to get the feeling of letting the arm release as a result of body rotation. Once you feel that, you are on the right track a with the sensation.

2. The Pump Drill

The Pump Drill helps you learn the difference between the starting the download and the actual release.

• Take your normal setup and make your usual backswing.
• From the top, start your downswing but stop when your hands get about waist-high. Check your position: is your right arm still folded, with the elbow close to your body? This is your first "pump."
• Go back to the top of your swing and repeat that "pump" move one or two more times.
• On the final pump, don't stop. Continue to rotate your body all the way through to a full finish. a It helps build the muscle memory of the correct delivery a position.

3. The Headcover-Under-the-Armpit Drill

This drill helps prevent your right elbow from getting disconnected from your body during the swing.

• Place a glove or a small a headcover under your right armpit.
• Take a slow, smooth swing, focusing on keeping the headcover trapped between your arm and your chest during the a backswing and the first part of the downswing.
• If you start down "over the top" and with your arms, the headcover will drop out iimmediatelymmediately, this motion indicates that will let stay connected.
• As you rotate through the impact zone and your right arm extends, the headcover should naturally fall out in front of you. This shows you that your arm extended at the right time in the sequencing without getting a detached from your body rotation.

Final Thoughts

The secret to powerfully unfolding your right arm lies in not trying to do it at all. Position it correctly at the top, start your downswing with your lower a body, and allow your torso's rotation to passively release the club with speed. It’s a move that relies on sequence and leverage, not brute force. Master this, and you move away from casting and slicing into the world of powerful_hand_, consistent ball a striking..

Understanding these motions is a great first step, but seeing your own swing and getting specific, personalized feedback is even better. This is exactly what we created Caddie AI to do. We offer a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket that can analyze videos of your swing and provide you with simple, clear direction on exactly what part of your sequence to work on. If your right arm is causing issues, our personalized feedback will point that you in the right right direction, giving you the specific insight and practice drills you need to finally a break that destructive habit.