"What Practice Method Suits Me?"... 'Honey Tips' for Finding Drills by Pitch Type

Slice: 'Back to the Target' Drill is Effective
To Correct 'Duittang', Move the Ball to the Left
Also Good: Inserting Golf Ball and Stacking Coins

Many golfers struggle with undesirable ball flights such as slices and hooks. The act of repeatedly practicing specific parts of the swing to correct these ball flights is called a 'drill.' Representative drills include the takeaway drill, backswing drill, backswing top drill, and downswing drill. To find the appropriate drill, you must first accurately identify which ball flight you want to correct. Here are some correction 'tips' tailored to each ball flight.

A slice, where the ball curves to the right, is the most common concern among golfers. A representative drill used to correct a slice is the 'Back to the Target' drill. First, assume a normal address position, then move your right foot back to create a closed stance. From here, rotate your body about 45 degrees and focus on the ball. Place a club or a practice alignment stick in front of your feet to serve as a parallel line (guideline), and repeat half swings along this guideline. Be careful not to perform a full swing in this position, as it will not strike the ball well; always use half swings. Also, ensure your swing path does not deviate significantly from the guideline set by the club or stick.

[Photo by Pixabay] [Image source=Pixabay]

The 'duff shot,' commonly referred to as 'behind the ball' contact, is another frequent issue for golfers. To correct duff shots, a drill that pushes the ball to the left is effective. First, take your normal address position and move the ball forward toward the tip of your left foot. Practice about 10 shots repeatedly in this position, then return the ball to its original spot and swing. This will naturally change the timing of your release and weight transfer, reducing the frequency of duff shots compared to before.

There is also a drill that helps achieve stable putting in the short game. If your wrists tend to move during putting, causing you to tap the ball inconsistently or fail to maintain a consistent stroke, it is recommended to correct this with the 'Golf Ball Insertion' drill. When gripping the putter and assuming the address position, a small gap forms between your left wrist and the grip. Insert a golf ball into this gap and practice putting repeatedly while ensuring the ball does not fall out. This suppresses wrist movement and makes it difficult to apply jerky, interrupted force, naturally smoothing out your stroke and producing consistent motion.

There is also an effective drill for the 'head-up' phenomenon, where the head lifts or the body bobs up and down, causing poor contact with the clubface. Stack two to three coins and place them on the floor directly in front of you, then practice strokes aiming to knock off only the top coin. It is good to start practicing with larger coins like the 500-won coin and later switch to smaller ones like the 100-won coin. Although it is difficult and challenging at first, repeated practice can greatly help correct your posture.