Golf Drills

Here are some effective golf drills to improve various aspects of your game, from your swing and putting to chipping and driving:

1. Alignment Drill

• Objective: Improve aim and alignment.
• How to Do It: Place two alignment sticks or clubs on the ground – one parallel to your target line (for your feet) and one for your ball position. Use this setup when practicing to ensure your body is properly aligned with your intended target.

2. Swing Plane Drill (The Tee Drill)

• Objective: Stay on the correct swing plane and avoid slicing or hooking.
• How to Do It: Place a tee in the ground a few inches ahead of your ball at the same angle as your club’s shaft. As you swing, ensure that your club follows the path indicated by the tee, preventing your club from going too far inside or outside during the backswing and follow-through.

3. Gate Putting Drill

• Objective: Improve putting accuracy and consistency.
• How to Do It: Place two tees just wider than your putter’s width about a foot in front of the ball. The goal is to putt the ball through the “gate” without hitting the tees, which encourages a straight stroke.

4. Lag Putting Drill

• Objective: Improve distance control on long putts.
• How to Do It: Set up a target circle or marker about 3-5 feet in diameter on the green. Practice hitting long putts (20-40 feet) and aim to get the ball within the circle. This helps develop touch and feel for longer putts.

5. 1-2-3 Chipping Drill

• Objective: Improve chipping accuracy and consistency.
• How to Do It: Place three targets at different distances from your chipping position (e.g., 10, 20, and 30 yards). Use the same swing and focus on varying your club selection or backswing length to hit each target accurately. This drill helps with distance control in short game situations.

6. The Chair Drill (Maintain Spine Angle)

• Objective: Prevent early extension and maintain spine angle during your swing.
• How to Do It: Set up with a chair or golf bag behind your glutes. As you swing, focus on maintaining contact with the chair through the impact zone. This helps prevent standing up or losing posture during the downswing.

7. The 9 Shot Drill (Ball Flight Control)

• Objective: Master shot shaping and ball flight control.
• How to Do It: Practice hitting three different ball flights (draw, straight, and fade) at three different trajectories (high, medium, and low). This versatile drill challenges you to control the clubface and path, making you a more adaptable golfer.

8. Basket Drill for Bunker Shots

• Objective: Improve control and consistency in bunker play.
• How to Do It: Place a small basket or target about 10-15 feet away in a practice bunker. Focus on hitting shots that land in the basket or target area consistently. This drill helps with precision in both splash and delicate bunker shots.

9. The Towel Drill (Solid Ball Striking)

• Objective: Prevent fat or thin shots by improving ball-first contact.
• How to Do It: Place a towel a few inches behind the ball. The goal is to make contact with the ball without hitting the towel, encouraging proper downward strike and ball-first contact.

10. Speed Control Drill for Putting

• Objective: Develop better distance control on medium-range putts.
• How to Do It: Place tees or markers 10, 20, and 30 feet away from your putting spot. Practice putting different distances while focusing on consistent tempo and feel. Aim to stop the ball as close as possible to the tees or markers.

11. Driver Foot Spray Drill (Impact Feedback)

• Objective: Improve center-face contact with your driver.
• How to Do It: Spray foot powder or dry shampoo on the face of your driver before hitting balls. The spray leaves an imprint where the ball contacts the face, helping you adjust your setup and swing to find the sweet spot more consistently.

12. Tempo Drill (1-2-3 Count)

• Objective: Develop a smooth, consistent tempo.
• How to Do It: Practice your swing with a simple count: “1” on the takeaway, “2” at the top, and “3” on the downswing through impact. This drill emphasizes rhythm and helps prevent rushed or jerky swings.

13. The Ladder Drill for Chipping and Pitching

• Objective: Control distance and trajectory on short shots.
• How to Do It: Place multiple targets at incremental distances (e.g., 5, 10, 15 yards) in front of you. Chip or pitch the ball to land at each target in succession. This drill fine-tunes your feel and control for different shot distances.

14. Impact Bag Drill

• Objective: Improve impact position and compression.
• How to Do It: Use an impact bag (or a cushion) and take half swings, focusing on striking the bag with a square clubface and proper weight shift. The drill emphasizes delivering the club with forward shaft lean and solid impact.

15. Line Drill for Putting Path

• Objective: Keep the putter on a straight path.
• How to Do It: Draw a straight line on the green (or use a chalk line) and practice putting along that line. Ensure your putter follows the line back and through, promoting a straight stroke and square face at impact.

Conclusion

Incorporating these drills into your practice routine will help address key areas in your game, leading to more consistent and lower scores. Be sure to mix up your practice sessions to keep them engaging and focus on specific areas where you need improvement.