In my quest to lower my handicap (currently 14) I’ve tried a ton of different golf drills and routines over the past 6 months.
Some of them have worked pretty well, leading to an immediate improvement in my game. Others have just left me feeling uncomfortable and questioning everything about my swing.
The former is cool, the latter sucks!
So before I reveal what I feel is the best golf drill for beginners, I should caveat by saying that the exact best drill for you will depend on what it is you are working on, and the issues with your swing.
But with that being said, if you get the following drill down, you’ll have cracked 90% of the golf swing. You’ll have:
- A solid, one piece takeaway
- A proper shoulder turn with weight loading into your right side
- A proper weight shift back to your left side to trigger the downswing
- A full release to the target
One you crack this drill you just need to add a bit of wrist hinge, complete your turn and you’ll have a reliable, repeatable full swing.
Best Golf Drill For Beginners: The 9 To 3 Drill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4BnT8rNySA
In the video above, Chuck Quinton from Rotaryswing.com demonstrates the 9 to 3 drill.
Why is it called 9 to 3?
Because if we think of the swing as a clock face, you’ll be swinging back to 9 o’clock and swinging through to 3 o’clock.
It’s basically a half swing.
But the important thing is, you’ll be using your body to create the proper swing sequence – starting the takeaway (and backswing) with your right shoulder, and starting the downswing from the ground up, with a weight shift to your left side.
The cool thing is you don’t even need a ball to work on this drill. You can just swing a club in your back garden and with enough repetitions you will train your body to work in an efficient and powerful manner – transferring maximum energy to the golf ball.
Does It Work?
After working on the 9 to 3 drill for a week, I noticed an immediate improvement in my ball striking. And for the first time I managed to shoot 11 pars in 18 holes at my local club – including a glory run of 5 pars in a row!
Now I just need to eliminate the inevitable blow up hole and I’ll be on to a good score…
Tip: get to know your yardages, and invest in a golf gps.
Want more free golf tips? Check out our beginner’s guide to golf.
