2026-09-01 · Birdia Blog

What Is the "Flying Elbow" in the Backswing and How Do I Fix It?

What the flying elbow actually is

In a connected backswing, the right elbow (for right-handers) folds and its point aims down toward the ground, close to your side. The "flying elbow" is the opposite: the elbow lifts away from the body and its point aims behind you or up at the top. The right arm loses contact with the torso and the swing "disconnects."

Ben Hogan, in Five Lessons, is blunt about it: the right elbow should stay tucked, pointing down at the ground and close to the right hip at the top. To him, an elbow that points out is a source of inconsistency because it forces the arms to re-route on the way down.

Why it matters (and why Nicklaus tolerated it)

The flying elbow rarely shows up alone. It usually comes with overswing (the club going past horizontal) and a club that crosses the line at the top, which forces mid-transition corrections. David Leadbetter, in The Golf Swing, hammers on "connection": the arms and torso should move as a unit, and a lifted elbow breaks exactly that connection.

An important caveat: not every high elbow is a fatal flaw. Jack Nicklaus, in Golf My Way, defended a right elbow that sat slightly higher and more separated than Hogan's, and he won 18 majors with it. The key is that Nicklaus re-connected the elbow on the downswing in a repeatable way. The real problem isn't the static position at the top, it's the inability to return the elbow to your side in time.

How to fix it

1. Hogan's reference: feel that the point of the right elbow aims down at the ground throughout the backswing, not behind you.

2. Towel/headcover drill: tuck a soft object under your right armpit and make half swings; if it drops on the way back, the elbow is flying.

3. Rein in the overswing: if your backswing goes past horizontal, shorten it. A shorter, more controlled backswing makes it easier to keep the elbow tucked.

4. Check the plane: the flying elbow tends to send the club "across the line." Film yourself down-the-line and compare.

This is where an objective second opinion helps. Birdia analyzes the backswing phase of your swing on-device and flags when the elbow and plane drift out of range, so you don't have to eyeball the video. Instead of "I think it's flying," you get a clear signal on which phase it happens in.

Fuentes

• Ben Hogan — Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.
• Jack Nicklaus — Golf My Way.
• David Leadbetter — The Golf Swing.
• TrackMan — Ball Flight Laws.

Frequently asked questions

Does a flying elbow always cause a slice?

No. The flying elbow disconnects the plane, but the slice is determined by something else: according to TrackMan's ball flight laws, curvature depends on the clubface relative to the path, not on the elbow's position. With a driver, the ball starts in a direction dominated by the face (roughly 85% face / 15% path, per TrackMan) and curves based on the difference between the two. A flying elbow that produces an over-the-top move with an open face does make a slice more likely, but the elbow alone doesn't guarantee one.

Nicklaus had a flying elbow and it didn't hurt him — how?

He did, but with a key nuance: Nicklaus, in Golf My Way, used a higher, more separated right elbow than Hogan's, and he made it work because he re-connected it on the downswing in a repeatable way. It's not the position at the top that wrecks the shot, it's failing to return the elbow to your side in time. For most amateurs, Hogan's advice (elbow pointing at the ground) is the safer bet.

How do I know if my elbow is flying or I'm just imagining it?

Film yourself down-the-line (camera behind you, in line with the target) and look at the top: if the point of your right elbow aims behind you or up instead of at the ground, it's flying. Birdia measures the backswing phase right on your phone and flags when the elbow and plane drift out of the expected range, so you don't have to rely on your own read of the video.