Trail Hand Slide Drill (Setup Alignment)
| Target Fault | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Coming Across | Setup |
Why This Drill Works (Kinetic Mechanics)
The physical constraint of sliding the hand down the thigh forces the spine to tilt away from the target. This spine tilt sets the shoulders in a closed position at address, which promotes an in-to-out path and encourages the club to approach from the inside.
How to Perform the Drill
The coach gives no set rep count. Our general guideline: 3 sets of 10 slow rehearsal reps, then half swings with a ball, adding speed only once the steps feel natural.
Setup: Tee up the golf ball off your lead heel. Place your trail hand on your thigh, with fingers slightly above your knee.
Execution: Slide your trail hand down your thigh until you can just feel the top of your kneecap.
Benefit: This action helps lower your trail shoulder and raise your lead shoulder (spine tilt), ensuring your upper body is behind your lower body, which is the best possible start for an inside-out swing.
Swing Faults & Ball Flights Addressed
Comprehensive Guides Featuring This Drill
Fix golf posture by hinging from the hips, not rounding the upper back (C-posture) or over-arching the lower back (S-posture), with a neutral spine tilted over the ball. Then train yourself to keep that tilt through impact, because posture you lose mid-swing costs you the same strikes as posture you never had.
Start with wedges and short irons near the center of your stance, move the ball gradually forward as the clubs get longer, and play the driver opposite your lead heel. Treat these as starting points. A ball too far back tends to produce low, right-starting shots and steep contact; too far forward brings pulls and thin or fat strikes.
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