Nail Drill

The Nail Drill is an intention-based recipe for toe and heel shots, those little contact migraines the lead to unwanted ball flights. Toe hits tend to hook and scurry away. Heel hits tend to balloon up and slice towards the trees—hopefully to be seen again.

That’s Gear Effect, that mechanical reality of clubhead design. But the fix need not be about the mechanics of wrist, elbow and … God forbid! … hips. It can be as simple as imagining a nail facing the target and hitting that nail.

Toe hits? Imagine a nail on the ball’s toe side.
Heel hits? Imagine the nail on the ball’s heel side.

Don’t be shy. Hit that nail.

You’d be surprised how effective this is.

So effective that, soon enough, the fix starts taking attendance. Toe-side nail, toe hit. Heel-side nail,. heel it. The imaginary nail has done its job. Contact is calibrated. Now it’s OK to simply swing and let the ball get in the way.

No imaginary nail needed.

Coach Note—

Do this with or without the swing motion you are working on.

Eventually, you’ll know what toe and heel hits feel and look like, especially in competition. That matters. Can’t fix something you don’t know, right?

Eventually is the key word.

For now, spay your clubface with Dr. Scholl’s foot powder. The powder won’t lie. It will tell you exactly where the ball hit the clubface after you swing.

Do remember to wipe your clubface clean after each range session.

Two birds with one stone.
Contact helper.
Clean clubface.