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Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best Young Teachers in America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.

Straight Arm Triangle

It is not uncommon for golfers to experience a mechanical "breakdown" when it comes time to add speed & power; this is especially true if it is a pattern that needs or has undergone some technical "re-working". Thus, when training, it is important to operate at a point that pushes our limits; this "dynamic" version of the Merry-Go-Round falls under this category and it is an excellent progression for players who:

  • Struggle with efficient torso orientation(s) under load.
  • Default to an"early-extension" OR "stall-flip" pattern
  • Rely on unnecessary upper-limb compensations during the release.
Show more

It is not uncommon for golfers to experience a mechanical "breakdown" when it comes time to add speed & power; this is especially true if it is a pattern that needs or has undergone some technical "re-working". Thus, when training, it is important to operate at a point that pushes our limits; this "dynamic" version of the Merry-Go-Round falls under this category and it is an excellent progression for players who:

  • Struggle with efficient torso orientation(s) under load.
  • Default to an"early-extension" OR "stall-flip" pattern
  • Rely on unnecessary upper-limb compensations during the release.
Hide
Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.480
This drill is the straight arm triangle drill.

2
00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:11.340
So this is working on using your chest to control low point and working on more

3
00:00:11.340 --> 00:00:11.720
of a

4
00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.670
stall pattern or trying to improve someone who doesn't keep their chest moving

5
00:00:15.670 --> 00:00:16.040
on the

6
00:00:16.040 --> 00:00:17.480
way through.

7
00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:21.200
So it's one of the old classic triangle drills.

8
00:00:21.200 --> 00:00:25.070
So I'm going to keep my arm straight and I'm going to try and keep that right

9
00:00:25.070 --> 00:00:25.840
arm straight

10
00:00:25.840 --> 00:00:29.690
in the backswing and then I'm going to try and keep that left arm straight in

11
00:00:29.690 --> 00:00:30.360
the follow

12
00:00:30.360 --> 00:00:31.360
through.

13
00:00:31.360 --> 00:00:34.410
I'm really going to feel like I do nothing with my wrists other than maybe a

14
00:00:34.410 --> 00:00:34.760
little

15
00:00:34.760 --> 00:00:40.180
bit of natural unhinging to help shallow it out and get the club all the way

16
00:00:40.180 --> 00:00:40.880
down towards

17
00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:41.960
the ground.

18
00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:48.160
But the main goal of this drill is those arms staying as straight as you can

19
00:00:48.160 --> 00:00:49.320
keep them and

20
00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.520
controlling low point by where the chest is.

21
00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:57.360
In fact I like to do this sometimes I'll draw the low point lines and I'll work

22
00:00:57.360 --> 00:00:58.000
on just

23
00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:02.490
okay if my arms are straight there I'd have a little bit of early extension and

24
00:01:02.490 --> 00:01:02.920
maybe

25
00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:07.120
too much side tilt to move the bottom swing back that way and then I'd have

26
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.080
more of a

27
00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:14.060
stay flexed and turned to try to move the bottom of the swing there and then I

28
00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:14.640
'd try

29
00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:19.620
to find the middle where I stay a little bit more flexed in kind of my merry go

30
00:01:19.620 --> 00:01:20.560
round position

31
00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:27.160
and then turn my body while keeping the chest height down towards the ground.

32
00:01:27.160 --> 00:01:31.900
Many golfers I find this very beneficial for golfers who have more of a stand

33
00:01:31.900 --> 00:01:32.440
up or more

34
00:01:32.440 --> 00:01:38.640
of a reverse thrust like this in combo with their hands flipping or for some

35
00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:40.160
golfers who

36
00:01:40.160 --> 00:01:44.790
reverse thrust and still keep their chest moving on the way through but hit a

37
00:01:44.790 --> 00:01:45.240
lot of

38
00:01:45.240 --> 00:01:49.360
thin kind of picky shots because the chest is out of position.

39
00:01:49.360 --> 00:02:00.260
So this is a way to kind of dynamically feel the merry go round drill while

40
00:02:00.260 --> 00:02:01.040
making contact

41
00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:02.440
with the golf ball.

42
00:02:02.440 --> 00:02:06.810
One common pattern that I'll see is often golfers when they're first starting

43
00:02:06.810 --> 00:02:07.280
this let's

44
00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:12.020
say there's my merry go round position when they first do this trying to keep

45
00:02:12.020 --> 00:02:12.480
the arm

46
00:02:12.480 --> 00:02:17.360
straight they might shank it or at the very least they will do that and they

47
00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:18.080
will come

48
00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:23.000
in very steep with the club face open and hit it way off to the right.

49
00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:28.650
So you'll see that again they will have the arm straight and then spin the

50
00:02:28.650 --> 00:02:29.560
upper body

51
00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:36.280
and kind of bring it too much outside in with the club face wide open.

52
00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:42.200
What usually happens there is this golfer would naturally bend those arms to

53
00:02:42.200 --> 00:02:42.920
balance

54
00:02:42.920 --> 00:02:46.790
that out so my upper body would turn a little bit more level and my arms would

55
00:02:46.790 --> 00:02:47.360
come from

56
00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.540
the inside not hit a lot of straight shots but typically struggle with that fat

57
00:02:51.540 --> 00:02:51.840
thin

58
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.960
contact like I demonstrated there.

59
00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:58.440
So what you would have to do if that's your pattern which again is one of the

60
00:02:58.440 --> 00:02:59.200
more common

61
00:02:59.200 --> 00:03:04.250
patterns is you have to watch your your tilts and make sure that that right

62
00:03:04.250 --> 00:03:05.200
shoulder is

63
00:03:05.200 --> 00:03:10.700
staying down and the club is shallowing a little bit or coming from more of an

64
00:03:10.700 --> 00:03:11.360
inside

65
00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:15.440
path because of what the arms are doing not because of what the body is doing.

66
00:03:15.440 --> 00:03:21.790
So my arms are going to stay straight and I'm still going to monitor bringing

67
00:03:21.790 --> 00:03:22.680
the club

68
00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:27.190
into the golf ball on a slightly inside or or a solid path and manage the club

69
00:03:27.190 --> 00:03:27.800
face with

70
00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:29.480
just a little wrist movement.

71
00:03:29.480 --> 00:03:33.630
If you do a lot of adjusting your swing with your elbows and shoulders this

72
00:03:33.630 --> 00:03:34.120
will help you

73
00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:38.300
to control it more with your wrist as well as with your pivot two good ways to

74
00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:39.000
help create

75
00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:42.440
a little bit more consistency especially with your short iron game.

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Related topics
Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best Young Teachers in America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.

Straight Arm Triangle

It is not uncommon for golfers to experience a mechanical "breakdown" when it comes time to add speed & power; this is especially true if it is a pattern that needs or has undergone some technical "re-working". Thus, when training, it is important to operate at a point that pushes our limits; this "dynamic" version of the Merry-Go-Round falls under this category and it is an excellent progression for players who:

  • Struggle with efficient torso orientation(s) under load.
  • Default to an"early-extension" OR "stall-flip" pattern
  • Rely on unnecessary upper-limb compensations during the release.
Show more

It is not uncommon for golfers to experience a mechanical "breakdown" when it comes time to add speed & power; this is especially true if it is a pattern that needs or has undergone some technical "re-working". Thus, when training, it is important to operate at a point that pushes our limits; this "dynamic" version of the Merry-Go-Round falls under this category and it is an excellent progression for players who:

  • Struggle with efficient torso orientation(s) under load.
  • Default to an"early-extension" OR "stall-flip" pattern
  • Rely on unnecessary upper-limb compensations during the release.
Hide
Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.480
This drill is the straight arm triangle drill.

2
00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:11.340
So this is working on using your chest to control low point and working on more

3
00:00:11.340 --> 00:00:11.720
of a

4
00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.670
stall pattern or trying to improve someone who doesn't keep their chest moving

5
00:00:15.670 --> 00:00:16.040
on the

6
00:00:16.040 --> 00:00:17.480
way through.

7
00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:21.200
So it's one of the old classic triangle drills.

8
00:00:21.200 --> 00:00:25.070
So I'm going to keep my arm straight and I'm going to try and keep that right

9
00:00:25.070 --> 00:00:25.840
arm straight

10
00:00:25.840 --> 00:00:29.690
in the backswing and then I'm going to try and keep that left arm straight in

11
00:00:29.690 --> 00:00:30.360
the follow

12
00:00:30.360 --> 00:00:31.360
through.

13
00:00:31.360 --> 00:00:34.410
I'm really going to feel like I do nothing with my wrists other than maybe a

14
00:00:34.410 --> 00:00:34.760
little

15
00:00:34.760 --> 00:00:40.180
bit of natural unhinging to help shallow it out and get the club all the way

16
00:00:40.180 --> 00:00:40.880
down towards

17
00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:41.960
the ground.

18
00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:48.160
But the main goal of this drill is those arms staying as straight as you can

19
00:00:48.160 --> 00:00:49.320
keep them and

20
00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.520
controlling low point by where the chest is.

21
00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:57.360
In fact I like to do this sometimes I'll draw the low point lines and I'll work

22
00:00:57.360 --> 00:00:58.000
on just

23
00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:02.490
okay if my arms are straight there I'd have a little bit of early extension and

24
00:01:02.490 --> 00:01:02.920
maybe

25
00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:07.120
too much side tilt to move the bottom swing back that way and then I'd have

26
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.080
more of a

27
00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:14.060
stay flexed and turned to try to move the bottom of the swing there and then I

28
00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:14.640
'd try

29
00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:19.620
to find the middle where I stay a little bit more flexed in kind of my merry go

30
00:01:19.620 --> 00:01:20.560
round position

31
00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:27.160
and then turn my body while keeping the chest height down towards the ground.

32
00:01:27.160 --> 00:01:31.900
Many golfers I find this very beneficial for golfers who have more of a stand

33
00:01:31.900 --> 00:01:32.440
up or more

34
00:01:32.440 --> 00:01:38.640
of a reverse thrust like this in combo with their hands flipping or for some

35
00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:40.160
golfers who

36
00:01:40.160 --> 00:01:44.790
reverse thrust and still keep their chest moving on the way through but hit a

37
00:01:44.790 --> 00:01:45.240
lot of

38
00:01:45.240 --> 00:01:49.360
thin kind of picky shots because the chest is out of position.

39
00:01:49.360 --> 00:02:00.260
So this is a way to kind of dynamically feel the merry go round drill while

40
00:02:00.260 --> 00:02:01.040
making contact

41
00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:02.440
with the golf ball.

42
00:02:02.440 --> 00:02:06.810
One common pattern that I'll see is often golfers when they're first starting

43
00:02:06.810 --> 00:02:07.280
this let's

44
00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:12.020
say there's my merry go round position when they first do this trying to keep

45
00:02:12.020 --> 00:02:12.480
the arm

46
00:02:12.480 --> 00:02:17.360
straight they might shank it or at the very least they will do that and they

47
00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:18.080
will come

48
00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:23.000
in very steep with the club face open and hit it way off to the right.

49
00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:28.650
So you'll see that again they will have the arm straight and then spin the

50
00:02:28.650 --> 00:02:29.560
upper body

51
00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:36.280
and kind of bring it too much outside in with the club face wide open.

52
00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:42.200
What usually happens there is this golfer would naturally bend those arms to

53
00:02:42.200 --> 00:02:42.920
balance

54
00:02:42.920 --> 00:02:46.790
that out so my upper body would turn a little bit more level and my arms would

55
00:02:46.790 --> 00:02:47.360
come from

56
00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.540
the inside not hit a lot of straight shots but typically struggle with that fat

57
00:02:51.540 --> 00:02:51.840
thin

58
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.960
contact like I demonstrated there.

59
00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:58.440
So what you would have to do if that's your pattern which again is one of the

60
00:02:58.440 --> 00:02:59.200
more common

61
00:02:59.200 --> 00:03:04.250
patterns is you have to watch your your tilts and make sure that that right

62
00:03:04.250 --> 00:03:05.200
shoulder is

63
00:03:05.200 --> 00:03:10.700
staying down and the club is shallowing a little bit or coming from more of an

64
00:03:10.700 --> 00:03:11.360
inside

65
00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:15.440
path because of what the arms are doing not because of what the body is doing.

66
00:03:15.440 --> 00:03:21.790
So my arms are going to stay straight and I'm still going to monitor bringing

67
00:03:21.790 --> 00:03:22.680
the club

68
00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:27.190
into the golf ball on a slightly inside or or a solid path and manage the club

69
00:03:27.190 --> 00:03:27.800
face with

70
00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:29.480
just a little wrist movement.

71
00:03:29.480 --> 00:03:33.630
If you do a lot of adjusting your swing with your elbows and shoulders this

72
00:03:33.630 --> 00:03:34.120
will help you

73
00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:38.300
to control it more with your wrist as well as with your pivot two good ways to

74
00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:39.000
help create

75
00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:42.440
a little bit more consistency especially with your short iron game.

Have questions about this video?

Ask Mulligan for personalized guidance on technique, drills, or how to apply what you've learned.

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