The Speed Drill takes away the luxury of a long backswing, not because short is magic, but because less runway makes the body self-organize faster, better. From a shorter, paused position, the lower body and core have to show up in the proper order—resulting to better face control, contact and … yes, effortless speed.

Start with your wedges and work all the way to your driver.

Instructions—

1. Set up to the ball.

2. Make a short backswing, somewhere hip-high, where the shaft is parallel to the ground.

3. Pause.

4. Swing through from this paused position to a balanced finish.

Fat or thin shots? Try Nip or Thump Drill
Toe or heel? Nail Drill

Otherwise, follow the 3-2-1 Ball Progression.

• Use three balls. Two with the drill, then one without.

• Use two balls. One with the drill, then another without.

• Use one ball. Your normal swing.

Move on to your next club.

Coach Note—

• Always hold your finish while watching the ball flight.

• Even with a short backswing, shift pressure from your lead foot to the inner part of your trail foot.

• From the paused shaft-parallel position, and intention to swing through, pressure would naturally shift back to your lead foot.

• You can also use the paused position to experiment with clubface or swing direction—or both. This is Variability Practice. After that, move on to Competition Practice.

Caution—

“Short” doesn’t mean rushed. Snatching the club is still a No-no!, even with a short backswing.