Best exercises and drills - post your favourites

[RGDave]

Sadly, on my only free afternoon this week it managed to snow as I climbed out of the car at the club.
Undeterred, I shall go for 100 tonight once the range boys switch on the lights..........

I've been trying to get back into it and yesterday felt really good. I'm working on just 3 things and it got me thinking which exercises and drills do people find most useful?

I'm going to nominate 3 of my favourites and would like to hear yours.

1) Not really a drill....but hooking a club behind the shoulders and just turning, turning and more turning. I've done hundreds of these just to get flexible and maintain good posture (right knee in particular) without swaying or moving the head (laterally) too much.....I can't believe you can over-do this type of thing.

2) In the slot drill. Here's a picture of Ernie in a good place (I hope!!_

As I think of it, to get in the slot, you've got to drop/pull your arms down and find a feeling to get the club down the line. I feel it as bringing the hands across my belt line, close to the right pocket and hopefully having the club trailing behind neither inside or outside the line. From the top I bring it down, "pump" up/down a few times then hit the ball. I may not describe it well, but it works great...

3) If all else fails, the 3-ball drill.....



What are yours?

 

[Mike_j_golf]

A new one the pro gave me to work on my weight transfer start with your legs together step back with your right leg on your back swing and as u start your down swing u should be able to take a small step with your left leg if you transfer your weight to the left side too quickly you won't be able to lift your left leg. It has helped my ball striking a lot keeping the weight behind the ball for longer.
Mike

 

[In_The_Rough]

The main fault I have now is a poor takeaway. So my Pro has advised me to do the Mike Weir drill which he does before evry shot he plays and I have to say the results have been great

 

[RGDave]

The main fault I have now is a poor takeaway. So my Pro has advised me to do the Mike Weir drill which he does before evry shot he plays and I have to say the results have been great

Can you describe it? I've seen him do it, but can't remember

 

[JustOne]

A new one the pro gave me to work on my weight transfer start with your legs together step back with your right leg on your back swing and as u start your down swing u should be able to take a small step with your left leg if you transfer your weight to the left side too quickly you won't be able to lift your left leg. It has helped my ball striking a lot keeping the weight behind the ball for longer.
Mike

Excellent, who's your pro?

 

[Tiger]

Great timing, I'm just about to swap out my equipment reviews on the blog for my latest drills. As I'm working backwards my drills are focussed on the green and the heath at the moment.

My favourite putting drill (which I'll be covering in more detail on the blog tomorrow) involves measuring a putters blade from the hole, marking the distance, sinking five balls and then measuring from that mark gradually working your way back.

Builds feel, confidence and accuracy on short putts. Great drill that's worked wonders for me.

 

[birdieman]

Faldo's putting practice tip of pushing the ball to the hole i.e no backswing, is a good way to keep the putter face square to target on shorter putts as you follow through.

 

[RGDave]

Faldo's putting practice tip of pushing the ball to the hole i.e no backswing, is a good way to keep the putter face square to target on shorter putts as you follow through.

Nice

I did this a lot years ago.

 

[Farneyman]

Best exercises and drills - post your favourites


Swimming and Black and Decker

Dont have many drills as such as I dont practise and the minute. I really dont practise much mostly play holes (with one ball). I do make sure to try and have a good set up before my swing and have a pretty good pre shot routine both irons and especially putting.

Will have more time later this summer to "practise"

Some great ideas on this thread I must try.

 

[roccokj]

Best drill for me would be taking shots with my feet together. It is a brilliant way to warm up before the round because it helps with tempo and balance

 

[Swinger]

Ideally I would like an hour and a half to warm up properly but as this has happened about once in the last five years I like to have a quick 3 mins on the pro's balance balls.
Really gets you feeling grounded before you go out, saved me a few golf balls and big scores before!!

 

[bobmac]

Here's one I use quite alot.
If you are spending too much time on the right hand side of the course, (right handers) try this drill.
Using a 7/8 iron and only using a 1/2 - 3/4 swing put your left hand in your pocket and hit balls off a low tee just holding the club with your right hand.

 

[RGDave]

Here's one I use quite alot.
If you are spending too much time on the right hand side of the course, (right handers) try this drill.
Using a 7/8 iron and only using a 1/2 - 3/4 swing put your left hand in your pocket and hit balls off a low tee just holding the club with your right hand.

You can consider this one tried by midday tomorrow.
Thanks

 

[RGDave]

Best drill for me would be taking shots with my feet together. It is a brilliant way to warm up before the round because it helps with tempo and balance

Yup....sorts balance out pretty damn quick.

I also like one legged drills - left leg only.

 

[Lipout]

The arched left hand.
At the top of your backswing, slightly arch the back of your left hand and start down. This will drop the club on the inside, as long as you have not thrown your right shoulder out though.
I think this is a Hogan move, as he retains this through impact.
Try it, it does does work for me.

 

[In_The_Rough]

The main fault I have now is a poor takeaway. So my Pro has advised me to do the Mike Weir drill which he does before evry shot he plays and I have to say the results have been great

Can you describe it? I've seen him do it, but can't remember

I have a tendency to take the club inside the line on takeaway which then leads me to sort of throw the arms up in the air at the top of the backswing to try and get the club coming down on the correct plane on the downswing. By doing the takeaway drill it trains you to do it correct in the actual swing.You have to do it straightaway after the practice for it to work.Here is a link to Mike doing the drill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2_p_Nth_6g

It is about 16 seconds in that is the drill in question

 

[JustOne]

The main fault I have now is a poor takeaway. So my Pro has advised me to do the Mike Weir drill which he does before evry shot he plays and I have to say the results have been great

Can you describe it? I've seen him do it, but can't remember

I have a tendency to take the club inside the line on takeaway which then leads me to sort of throw the arms up in the air at the top of the backswing to try and get the club coming down on the correct plane on the downswing. By doing the takeaway drill it trains you to do it correct in the actual swing.You have to do it straightaway after the practice for it to work.Here is a link to Mike doing the drill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2_p_Nth_6g

It is about 16 seconds in that is the drill in question

Interesting... Mike Weir does this drill to MAKE SURE his hands start immediately to the inside and not back in a straight line.

I'm going to hazard a guess that perhaps you are doing it (or something similar) simply to find a better plane and not actually the reason you mention/think.

 

[JustOne]

1) Not really a drill....but hooking a club behind the shoulders and just turning, turning and more turning. I've done hundreds of these just to get flexible and maintain good posture (right knee in particular) without swaying or moving the head (laterally) too much.....I can't believe you can over-do this type of thing.

I do this as a drill, but with the club in front (not behind) my shoulders, arms crossed over my chest.

 

[RGDave]

1) Not really a drill....but hooking a club behind the shoulders and just turning, turning and more turning. I've done hundreds of these just to get flexible and maintain good posture (right knee in particular) without swaying or moving the head (laterally) too much.....I can't believe you can over-do this type of thing.

I do this as a drill, but with the club in front (not behind) my shoulders, arms crossed over my chest.

Cool....now I'm happy. In front/behind, I think this time (having had a few weeks off) this has saved my swing.

I'd really like to add a wrist-cock drill to my routine.

 

[JustOne]

Cool....now I'm happy. In front/behind, I think this time (having had a few weeks off) this has saved my swing.

Actually it's quite interesting (and I'm not suggesting you change your method in any way)...
I like to think of myself as staying over the ball so when I turn with the club across my chest it gives me the perfect sensation of the club turning to the right whilst my shoulders stay over the ball. With the club behind my shoulders it gives me more of a feeling of my chest turning to the right, behind the ball, which is probably a better feeling for you.

...well I thought it was interesting