Golf’s “L to L” Swing Drill

The L to L drill is an expansion of the 9:00 swing drill. It’s intended to help you feel the proper hinging of your wrists and positions of the club in a half length swing. It’s important that you become familiar with the correct 9:00 position of the club and hands before advancing to this drill.

Set a dowel or club down on the ground along your toe line to ensure proper set up and alignment. Don’t be afraid to put the ball on a tee, especially if it’s difficult to find a good lie at your practice facility.

Take the club away in a one lever motion rotating your body until the club reaches the 9:00 position. In this area, and it varies from player to player, you should start to feel your right arm collapsing and your wrists beginning to hinge.

As you rotate your body further, your back should face the target, your left arm should be parallel to the ground, and the angle between your left forearm and the shaft of the club should be approximately 90° forming an L shape. In this position the shaft of the club should be on an inclined plane such that the butt end of the club is pointing at the ball or the target line.

The downswing begins as we smoothly rotate our body to the left, allowing the club to impact the ball in a slight descending motion, and the toe of the club passes the heel after impact in the follow through. The club passes through the 3:00 position, your wrists re-hinge, and now your left arm is collapsing as the club moves around your body.

At the moment where your right arm is about parallel to the ground, the shaft of the club and your right forearm should again form a 90° angle. This should be a mirror image of the L position that we created in the backswing. Your chest and belt buckle should face the target and your right heel should have rolled off the ground with your weight completely on your left side.