In this video, we discuss three ways to help you hit more accurate drives off the tee.
- LIKE63
- LEGIT4
- WOW1
- LOL3
- IDHT0
- FLOP1
- OB1
- SHANK4
Instruction
Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!
Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?
- LIKE0
- LEGIT1
- WOW2
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK2
Instruction
How a towel can fix your golf swing
This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.
For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.
Setup
You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.
While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.
Get a Better Shoulder Turn
Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.
In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.
Stay Better Connected in the Backswing
When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.
Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.
Conclusion
I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.
- LIKE11
- LEGIT1
- WOW2
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP2
- OB0
- SHANK8
Instruction
Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks
You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK2
-
19th Hole4 days ago
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
-
19th Hole1 week ago
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
-
19th Hole1 week ago
Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Scottie Scheffler had an interesting response when asked how he ‘quiets the noise’ following Players victory
-
Equipment2 weeks ago
Best driver 2024: The best driver for you, as recommend by expert club fitters
-
19th Hole1 week ago
Jon Rahm dealt fresh blow to hopes of qualifying for 2025 Ryder Cup
-
19th Hole4 days ago
Charlie Woods finds it tough going on American Junior Golf Association debut
-
19th Hole7 days ago
Why Kevin Streelman sought USGA approval to use this equipment tool as he leads Valspar after round one
roger in NZ
Jun 21, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Or buy a 905R and hit Fairways !!!!
Ude
Jun 20, 2017 at 1:56 pm
or you can get out of here an stop complaining
dapadre
Jun 20, 2017 at 8:45 am
So true. I picked up this book (was hard to find, out of print) but it has changed by golf completely.
Someone
Jun 20, 2017 at 6:45 am
I find myself the opposite. If I tee the ball too far back it goes left. If I tee it too far forward it goes right…what do you think is the issue then? Probably initial setup and address of the ball?
Was
Jun 20, 2017 at 12:46 pm
Grip? Shoulder alignment? Hips? Feet? Is your left leading leg longer than the right? How much do you weigh? What shape is your body in? Do you swing in-to-out or over the top? So many things? Post a video of your swing so we can all examine it
Someone
Jun 21, 2017 at 6:30 am
i don’t think it can get that detailed in a comment, esp since we can’t post videos. It was more for the meandmygolf duo to answer. Because they’d probably be more in track with what may be different since they seemed to be able to generalize this current principle that they’re showing.
AW
Jun 20, 2017 at 2:15 pm
You’re left-handed?
Someone
Jun 21, 2017 at 6:27 am
Lol. Nope I’m right handed.
Brian
Jun 20, 2017 at 8:09 pm
Makes sense. A ball too far back in your stance creates an even more pronounced in-to-out swing path, putting draw/hook spin on the ball.
Someone
Jun 21, 2017 at 6:33 am
That’s what I always thought until watching this video. I think the combination of hitting down on the ball and hitting up on the ball while moving it forward and backward is a huge factor as well. They were manipulating more than one variable despite them mentioning only ball position as the primary method.
Someone
Jun 21, 2017 at 6:37 am
Yeah, his is more of what I’ve learned and experienced…they over generalized their suggestion that 3 ball positions combined with hitting up/down will make it easier to hit fairways. In actuality it may just simplify the shot choice for golfers, or introduce a shot choice for the first time, but I don’t think it will always guarantee fairways…
Someone
Jun 21, 2017 at 6:38 am
*this is more of what I’ve learned. Referring to your comment.
Old Putter
Jun 19, 2017 at 5:26 pm
If you got a problem with the information on this site…
Quit checking it out dude…
Go to myswingevolution