Objective 

→ Impact Drill, Step 1
→ Driver, Face Tape Drill
→ Balance Drill 1
→ Transition Drill (optional)
→ Tempo Drill

Phase 1: Solid Impact

Step 1: Pitch Shot, Drill 1 – Start small, pitch shots

 – Warm up with pitch shots (add impact ball for better results).
– 20 pitch shots, 20 -40 yards distance

Amateurs often do not spend enough time hitting basic pitch shots when practicing. If you can establish the core fundamentals a pitch shot requires to hit it solid, you will improve your distance and accuracy in the full swing. 

Why do pitch shots improve impact over full swing practice?

It is slower and smaller, which allows you better feel to ensure you are doing the proper technique. When you speed up the swing and make a longer back swing, players tend to do different things that put them in bad positions. They then have to manipulate the down swing and their impact position suffers as a result.

– Creates proper impact position
– You will compress the golf ball

Proper Pitch Shot Technique

1. Set up square to slightly open stance with your feet

2. Get the ball position center of your stance

3. Limit the amount of movement in your lower body – a steady foundation (lower body) improves your consistency of contacting the ball solid.

4. Turn properly without swaying your legs or any up and down movement with your upper body

5. Relax and swing your arms as your body turns

6. Be confident and accelerate through the shot

Every golfer should warm up with at least 25 shots with pitch shots from 20-30 yards. You can start at the short game area at your course and improve your feel around the greens while improving your impact position.

Step 2: Impact Drill 2, Driver Face Tap

When I do club fitting, I will use face tape to judge how solid they are hitting it. Without hitting it consistently in the center of the club face you will not achieve your peak distance. When people complain about hitting it short, the first thing I will do is put face tape on the driver and have them hit 10 balls. Most of the time the tape on the face of the driver will look like the picture provided. Your goal is to use face tape periodically. Try to improve the pattern on your face tape each time you use it previous to the time before.
– Buy face tape
– Hit 10 balls full swing with driver to warm up
– Hit 10 balls full swing with the driver with face tape sticker on it. Keep the sticker to compare the solidness to practices in the future.
– Total – 20 shots hit

Phase 2: Balance

Step 1: Balance Drill 1, The Pose

It might sound silly but the first step to training your balance is to learn how come to a balanced finish in the swing. Balance is the foundation for everything in the golf swing. With poor balance, your swing path, contact, tempo and everything inbetweeen will be bad.

– Hit 10 full swing 7 irons
– Hold your finish for a count of 3 after the ball lands

This will make you adjust your tempo, to eliminate over swinging – swinging within yourself, which leads to better sequencing and more solid shots.

 

Hold The Pose

Phase 4: Tempo/ Transition

Step 1: Tempo Drill 1, Feet Together

– 10 shots, 1/2 swings
– 15 shots, 3/4 swings
– 25 total shots

Step 2: Transition Drill 1, Gabe Trainer – Long Release (can be done at home with ball)

– 25 full shots with long release
The Gabe Trainer Details (Used by 35 PGA Tour pro’s daily)

 

Feet Together Drill

Gabe Swing Trainer