Transition & DownswingIntermediateFixes: Sliding

Alignment Stick Bump Drill (Extension)

Curated PGA Drill by Kerrod Gray Golf

Focus Area

Downswing

Rep Guidance

3 sets of 10 slow rehearsal reps

Equipment

Golf club, alignment stick (optional)

Skill Level

Intermediate

Video walkthrough by Kerrod Gray GolfWatch on YouTube ↗

Why This Drill Works (Kinetic Mechanics)

Prevents the 'slide' where the knees stay buckled and the body drifts. Forces an early re-centering of mass over the lead leg, allowing for a powerful vertical extension through the ball.

How to Perform the Drill

Follow these step-by-step instructions. Rehearse slowly to build proper motor patterns before adding full swing speed.

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Place an alignment stick vertically in the ground about a fist-length outside your lead hip.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Make a backswing.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Transition: Shift both lower and upper body forward to lightly 'bump' the stick.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Impact/Finish: Extend up tall, keeping the belt buckle on the line of the stick. Do not stay down or buckled.

What Good Feels Like

Focus on smooth tempo and maintaining body connection through impact. Your body and club should move as a single synchronized unit.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Rushing transition before completing backswing or lunging upper body forward towards ball at impact. Keep movement controlled.

Swing Faults & Ball Flights Addressed

SlidingHanging BackLack of ExtensionPoor Low Point Control

Comprehensive Guides Featuring This Drill

How to Stop Swaying in the Golf Swing

Swaying happens when your hips slide laterally in the backswing instead of rotating, moving your swing center off the ball and dragging the low point with it. Fix it by keeping pressure on the inside of your trail foot and turning your trail hip back and around: coil around a stable axis instead of drifting off it.

Not sure this is your real fault?

Upload one swing video and our AI will identify whether sliding is actually what's costing you strokes, using physics-backed metrics and a practice plan matched to what it finds. Your first analysis is free.

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