This easy impact drill will help you groove solid shots

During a recent round, I realized something quite frustrating: my ball-striking is pretty terrible right now.

Sure, about 60 percent of the time I can strike it pretty well, giving me a nice, high draw that lands softly near the putting surface. But if that’s not happening, I’m usually mishitting my shots off the toe or topping them, which is partly due to a bad setup and swing sequence, where my weight and club path are out of whack.

Since there’s nothing better than, you know, actually executing the golf shot you envision, I needed some help to do this more consistently.

So I tapped GOLF Top 100 Teacher Mike Bender to see what tips he could give me to improve my ball-striking, hit solid shots and, hopefully, score lower because of it.

Bender offers up a simple drill that can help, which gives golfers the proper feel that’s necessary to pure more shots. Take a look below at how it works.

Better ball-striking is just 1 drill away

“There are lots of reasons for poor ball-striking, but the most common are having too much weight on your back foot and leaving your hands behind the clubhead at impact,” Bender says.

So how can you ensure better ball-striking with more consistency? Bender says the key is to learn where the proper impact position is, and to then experience that sensation over time through repetition.

“Once you learn the proper impact position, you need to ingrain that into your mind and body to replicate it on each shot,” he adds. “Once you’re able to learn to leverage your weight properly and keep your hands ahead of the clubhead through the ball, you’ll cure all those frustrating mishits in no time.”

By following this simple two-club drill from Bender, you’ll be on your way toward doing just that.

Step 1: Set up a hitting station with a ball and two clubs that run parallel to the target. You can also use two alignment sticks, if you prefer.

Step 2: Address the butt of the grip closest to you, then set the clubface squarely against the cap of the grip.

Step 3: Mimic a solid impact position by sliding your hands ahead of the clubhead and moving your weight into your left hip. Your hips should be open, but your shoulders should remain square.

Step 4: Hold this position for 2-3 seconds, which allows your body to feel the sensation.

Step 5: Immediately address the ball that’s sitting between the two clubs. Now go through the previous steps, working on recreating the same motions in order to strike the ball pure.

Once you learn how to shift the weight to your left hip and set your hands ahead of the clubhead, you’re ball-striking will be much more consistent and improved.

Rukket Sports Pathfinder Impact Mat™

$69.99

Are you looking for a golf training mat to help your golf game? The Rukket Pathfinder Impact Mat™ was designed with input from professional golfers and golf teachers to help players of all abilities improve their game. The strike mat tracks club face alignment and helps ensure clean contact with the ball while the foam pylons can be used to keep your swing on plane. Use all four pylons to practice hitting straighter shots or remove pylons to practice hitting draw or fade shots. It’s the most versatile golf swing practice mat available and works with every club in your bag!
Features

2-in-1 golf swing training mat combining the features of an impact mat / strike mat and a swing path trainer to help golfers quickly identify and correct common swing problems like hooks and slices.
It’s a golf swing impact / strike mat to help identify and correct club face alignment. Use the “velvet” turf to ensure you’re making clean contact with the ball.
It’s also a golf swing training aid to help with swing plane alignment. Use it to fix a slice or a hook, and to practice hitting draw and fade shots.

What’s in the Box

(1) Rukket Pathfinder Impact Mat™
(4) Foam Pylons
(1) Instruction Booklet

Product Specs
25in x 13in x 0.8in
RUKKET FAIR PLAY GUARANTEE & LIFETIME WARRANTY: At Rukket Sports we know you came to win. We also understand that in order to win you need to train hard, so that’s why we’re proud to offer the Rukket Fair Play Guarantee & Lifetime Warranty for no-risk purchasing plus outstanding USA-based customer service!

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor