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Golf Monthly
Golf Monthly
Sport
Tom Motley

Is Your Golf Swing Failing You? This All-Encompassing Drill Can Instantly Save It

Nick Bonfield, Alison Root and Sam De'Ath shouting fore and pointing right after a wayward tee shot, plus an inset image of a frustrated golfer laying on the green.

Sometimes we all hit a dip with our golf, when the things that felt so simple before start to give us sleepless nights and suddenly making a good swing seems almost impossible.

Some golfers will head out to buy the best golf clubs on the market in a bid to arrest the slide. Other players will head to the range and motor through bucket after bucket of balls, focusing intensely on rediscovering the perfect golf grip or obsessively focusing on how far they are standing from the golf ball, but is there a simpler solution?

In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Tom Motley shares a simple but effective drill that acts as an antidote to all manner of golf swing ailments...

The 'L to L' Drill

This drill is predominantly one that I teach beginners, although golfers of all skill levels can benefit from working on it, especially when their golf swing seems off in some way. In fact, I know a lot of decent-level players who rehearse the ‘L to L’ drill on the range just as part of their practice routine, because it can help with so many different aspects of the swing.

Take an iron and adopt your set-up position. Then, start your backswing and focus on creating a letter ‘L’ between your lead arm and the shaft. Note the good extension in my lead arm. Just take it back and hold this position, ideally in front of a mirror. I also like how it helps to develop a feeling for how to set and re-hinge the wrists.

This all-encompassing drill could help to solve the issue that's plaguing your golf swing (Image credit: Olly Curtis)

Now, complete the downswing and move through to a position where you make a backwards ‘L’. As you come down and through, to create that backwards ‘L’, you will have to release the club, another aspect of the swing many golfers can struggle with. It’s an effective way to help you soften the wrists and square the clubface. Perform this over and over and I guarantee the feeling of freedom and fluidity will help you to start swinging the club nicely on plane.

Focus on the motion

Just hit 50-yard shots from ‘L’ to ‘L’ and forget where the ball goes, at least to start with. I also recommend that you tee the ball up, so you’re just clipping it away.

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