Backswing & TakeawayBeginnerFixes: Narrow backswing arc

Split-Hand Width Drill: Wide Arms, Turn and Tilt

Drill by Eric Cogorno Golf

You'll need: Golf club

Video walkthrough by Eric Cogorno Golf · drill starts at 0:52Watch on YouTube ↗

Why This Drill Works (Kinetic Mechanics)

A narrow backswing comes from the trail arm folding early, which pulls the hands in toward the chest and shrinks the arc. Separating the hands on the grip puts the trail hand further down the shaft, so the trail arm has to push away from the target to take the club back; if it over-bends, the hands crowd the body and you feel it straight away. With the arms held wide, the body has to turn and tilt to move the club, and the club hinges on plane with the butt pointing at the target line. Keeping the arms in front of you as you start down, then rejoining the hands into a straight-armed follow-through, carries that width through the whole swing.

How to Perform the Drill

Reps: Start with backswing-only rehearsals to set the width (4:57-5:15), then add the downswing and finally the follow-through; about 5 minutes of slow split-hand swings, focusing on turning and tilting (4:12-4:24).. Rehearse slowly before adding full swing speed.

Setup: Start in your normal golf setup and take a split-hand grip: lead hand at the end of the club, trail hand just below it, outside the grip.
Backswing: As you swing back, push your right (trail) arm away from the target. Let the club hinge on plane so the butt of the club points at the target line.
Keep it wide: Keep your arms wide and don't over-bend the trail arm; the split grip makes it obvious when the trail elbow folds in.
Transition: Start down with your arms in front of you, keeping the split grip and your hands loose.
Follow-through: Slide your right hand back up to your left as you swing through, finishing with both arms straight.

What Good Feels Like

Push the trail arm away from the target going back, then turn and tilt your body, keeping the arms wide in front of you the whole way.

At the top the trail arm is pushed away from the target and the hands stay wide of the chest.
The butt of the club points at the target line as the club hinges.
The arms stay in front of the body starting down, and the hands rejoin into a straight-armed follow-through.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Over-bending the trail arm so the hands crowd the chest at the top.
Swinging the arms on their own instead of turning and tilting the body.
Lifting the club off plane so the butt no longer points at the target line.

Swing Faults & Ball Flights Addressed

Narrow backswing arc →Lack of widthTrail arm over-bendingArm collapseOff-plane backswing →Poor rotation

Comprehensive Guides Featuring This Drill

How to Fix a Narrow Backswing and Collapsing Arms

A narrow backswing happens when the arms fold and the hands crowd the trail shoulder at the top, usually because the trail shoulder pushes forward instead of pulling back. Width comes from trail shoulder retraction and steady spacing between the elbows, not from locking the lead arm straight. Check whether the narrow top costs you speed or strike before rebuilding it.

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