Full Swing & TempoBeginnerFixes: Loss of connection

Collin Morikawa explains how to keep your hands and body in sync

Curated PGA Drill by Collin Morikawa (PGA TOUR)

Focus Area

Full Swing

Rep Guidance

3 sets of 10 slow rehearsal reps

Equipment

Golf club, alignment stick (optional)

Skill Level

Beginner

Video walkthrough by Collin Morikawa (PGA TOUR)Watch on YouTube ↗

Why This Drill Works (Kinetic Mechanics)

Arms drifting away from the torso make the backswing steep and off plane, forcing compensations in the downswing. The under-armpit object gives instant feedback the moment the lead arm separates, training the arms and chest to move in sync so the club stays on plane back and through: the same connection feedback loop a major champion uses to keep his swing calibrated.

How to Perform the Drill

Follow these step-by-step instructions. Rehearse slowly to build proper motor patterns before adding full swing speed.

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Tuck a glove, headcover, or folded lanyard under the lead armpit at address (Morikawa uses this exact drill on tour to stop his arms drifting away from his torso).

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Start with short swings: keep the object trapped until the club is halfway back, checking the arms and chest are turning as one unit.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Progress to three-quarter swings, then full swings to the top, still keeping the object pinned; if it drops, the arms have separated from the body's turn.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Hit small shots with the object in place, letting the body rotation, not independent arm lift, control the club going back and coming down.

What Good Feels Like

Focus on smooth tempo and maintaining body connection through impact. Your body and club should move as a single synchronized unit.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Rushing transition before completing backswing or lunging upper body forward towards ball at impact. Keep movement controlled.

Swing Faults & Ball Flights Addressed

Loss of connectionArms separating from torsoArm-body syncSteep backswing

Comprehensive Guides Featuring This Drill

How to Stay Connected in the Golf Swing

Connection means the arms stay in front of the chest so the body powers the club rather than the hands. You lose it when the arms lift independently in the takeaway, when the trail elbow flies out at the top, or when the body stalls through impact and the arms have to take over. Fix it by making the chest start and finish the swing, using a headcover or towel under the arm as feedback rather than trying to hold the arms in place by feel.

Not sure this is your real fault?

Upload one swing video and our AI will identify whether loss of connection is actually what's costing you strokes, using physics-backed metrics and a practice plan matched to what it finds. Your first analysis is free.

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