Eddie Maunder
During my last few years of teaching, I have found myself coming back to one drill that consistently works with the students that have trouble with the driver. Most driver problems are from golfers that come ‘over the top‘. This means they attack the ball from an angle that is too steep and from the outside that results in a weak slice or a pop fly that goes very high but not very far.
The three most common swing faults that I see regularly are:
- Ball Position: positioning the ball in the middle of stance instead of directly off the front foot
- Grip: using a grip that is too ‘weak‘ causing an open club face at impact instead of a neutral or strong grip
- Tension: trying to overpower the driver instead of allowing the golf club to swing freely
To hit long straight drives, the club-head must be traveling on an inside path and from a shallow angle to sweep the ball off the tee. The golf drill that is most effective in accomplishing this, and improving driving distance and accuracy, is the One Foot Drill:
One Foot Drill
- After a good warm up, perform practice swings on front leg without a ball, ticking the top of the golf tee
- Back foot should be dropped back behind and can be used for balance like in the photo
- Check ball position, it should be directly in line with front foot
- Swing 50% in order to keep your stability and balance
- Hold your finish in balance until the ball lands
Although this drill may be difficult at the start, with a little practice you will see dramatic results. Don’t be afraid to try this drill with your 3 wood at first since the loft of a 3 wood will be easier to control. The one legged drill will improve your core stability throughout the swing and will also increase your hand speed at impact. When my students perform this drill they are amazed that their easy swing on one foot goes farther than their normal swing on both feet.
Add this drill into your practice routine and you will soon see more fairways and be 20 yards past your playing partners!
- Tip By Eddie Maunder
- For more information on Eddie CLICK HERE
Great articles, and are very helpful to me as a duffer.
Can you explain what you mean by the term ” … the clubhead must be travelling on an inside path … ?
Thanks
It’s a very good question, Mekanic (and we are all all Duffers of some form or another – case in point PGA Tour player Dustin Johnson after his recent miscue at the PGA Championship)
Swing path or plane generally refers the circular path that your club takes during the swing – it is based on the angle at address with respect to your setup and is a little complicated to describe in words and even images.
My advice would be to consult your local CPGA professional as this would be far better explained in person and is a very important part of the swing puzzle.
Maybe we can get an explanation in a future tip for you – as I’m sure you are not alone when it comes to clearly understanding this principle.