10 Best Golf Practice Drills: Time-Tested Methods That Work

After 30+ years of golf instruction and working with thousands of students, I've identified the practice drills that deliver the biggest improvements for the least cost. While modern technology like TrackMan is valuable, these simple, time-tested drills have helped more golfers improve than any expensive gadget.

These drills address the three fundamentals every golfer needs: correct setup, proper swing path, and square clubface control. Master these basics, and you'll become a significantly better player regardless of your current skill level.

Why These Drills Work

The Three Fundamentals

Every good golfer does these three things consistently:

1. Sets up correctly to the ball
2. Swings on the correct path
3. Returns the clubface square at impact

The beauty of these drills: They're inexpensive, can be done anywhere, and directly address swing flaws that plague most golfers.

Drill #1: The Cardboard Box Drill (Path and Contact)

What You Need

• Large cardboard box
• Towel
• Golf balls and tees

Setup

• Place box just outside ball position (1/8 inch from toe of club)
• Position towel on inside to prevent cheating
• Tee ball up for easier contact initially

What It Fixes

• Outside-in swing path (the #1 cause of slices)
• Heel contact problems
• Shanking with wedges
• Path consistency with all clubs

Why It Works

Forces you to swing the club between the towel and box, creating:

• Proper inside-to-inside swing path
• Center contact on clubface
• Consistent swing plane

Personal Experience

"I hit 200 drivers a day off this box in the late '80s and early '90s. It made me one of the straightest drivers on tour with 105 mph clubhead speed. Nobody could hit it straighter."

Practice Protocol

• Start with wedges, progress through irons to driver
• Focus on missing the box while making solid contact
• Use for alignment reference (feet, hips, shoulders parallel)

Drill #2: The Inclined Stick Drill (Anti-Steep)

What You Need

• Alignment stick or pool noodle
• Something to prop stick at angle

Setup

• Position stick parallel to target line at 45-degree angle
• Ball positioned under tip of stick
• Stick should be 2-3 feet in front of ball

What It Fixes

• Over-the-top swing (outside-in path)
• Steep angle of attack that causes thin/fat shots
• Poor sequencing in downswing

Key Points

• Must align feet, hips, shoulders parallel to target line
• Club must swing under the stick
• Works with all clubs from driver to wedges

Caution

Be careful with drivers—hitting the shaft can break your club. Most players only hit the clubhead, which is safe.

Drill #3: The Station Setup (Alignment and Ball Position)

What You Need

• Two alignment sticks or golf clubs

Setup

• One stick parallel to feet pointing at ball
• Second stick parallel on far side of ball
• Creates "railway track" alignment system

What It Teaches

• Consistent ball position for each club
• Proper alignment for straight shots
• Setup repeatability like tour players use

Ball Position Guidelines

• Driver: Forward in stance (off front foot)
• 7-iron: Just forward of center
• Wedges: Center or slightly back

Experimentation Protocol

For better players (12 handicap or lower):

• If you fade, try ball more forward
• If you hook, try ball more back
• Find your optimal position through testing

Drill #4: The Stick Behind Ball (Contact and Release)

What You Need

• One alignment stick

Setup

• Place stick 4-5 inches behind ball
• Stick should be parallel to target line
• Can adjust distance based on skill level

What It Fixes

• Early release (flipping hands)
• Fat shots from bottoming out behind ball
• Inconsistent contact point
• Poor angle of attack

How It Works

• Forces you to hit ball first, ground second
• Prevents club from hitting stick behind ball
• Teaches proper swing bottom location

Progression

• Beginners: Start with stick 5-6 inches back
• Advanced: Move to 2-3 inches back
• Use with chips, pitches, and full swings

Drill #5: Baseball Swing Drill (Hand and Arm Action)

What You Need

• Any golf club

Setup

• Hold club parallel to ground
• Keep club parallel throughout swing
• Turn body to move club in circle

What It Teaches

• Proper hand hinge (up and down, not side to side)
• Correct arm folding in backswing and follow-through
• Body rotation vs. arm manipulation
• Swing plane awareness

Key Positions

Backswing: Trail elbow folds, lead arm straight, 90-degree angle Follow-through: Lead elbow folds, trail arm extends, maintains plane

When to Use

• Warm-up before every practice session
• On first tee if struggling with path
• After hitting several poor shots in a row

Drill #6: The Glove Under Arm (Anti-Chicken Wing)

What You Need

• Golf glove

Setup

• Place glove under lead arm (left arm for righties)
• Take normal swing without dropping glove

What It Fixes

• Chicken wing follow-through
• Slice problems from poor arm rotation
• Loss of power from disconnected arms

Alternative Method

• Hold club in lead hand only
• Place trail hand on lead tricep
• Feel connection throughout swing

Drill #7: One-Arm Anti-Slice Drill

What You Need

• Golf club

Setup

• Hold club in trail hand (right hand for righties)
• Extend lead arm straight out in front
• Make one-arm swings under extended arm

What It Fixes

• Over-the-top move that causes slices
• Early shoulder rotation in downswing
• Poor sequencing (shoulders before hips)

Mental Image

• Pretend you have two lead arms
• One holds club, imaginary one stays extended
• Swing under the extended arm

Drill #8: Stance Adjustment for Ball Flight

What You Need

• Alignment sticks for reference

For Drawing the Ball (Right-to-Left)

• Closed stance: Aim feet/body right of target
• Takeaway: Still on target line, not foot line
• Effect: Restricts hip turn, promotes arm rotation

For Fading the Ball (Left-to-Right)

• Open stance: Aim feet/body left of target
• Takeaway: Still on target line, not foot line
• Effect: Allows full hip turn, prevents arm rotation

Practice Protocol

1. Start with exaggerated stance
2. Gradually work toward neutral
3. Practice both directions for versatility

Drill #9: Tee in Front of Ball (Angle of Attack)

What You Need

• Golf tees

For Irons (Negative Attack Angle)

• Place tee 3 inches in front of ball
• Goal: Hit ball, then clip tee
• Creates -3 degree attack angle

For Wedges (Steeper Attack Angle)

• Place tee 7-10 inches in front of ball
• Promotes -8 to -10 degree attack angle
• Better compression and spin

Benefits

• Visual feedback on swing bottom
• Improved ball-first contact
• Better distance control
• More consistent divots

Drill #10: Box in Front for Driver (Positive Attack Angle)

What You Need

• Small box (sleeve of golf balls)

Setup

• Place box 1-2 clubhead lengths in front of teed ball
• Goal: Hit ball, swing over box without contact

What It Creates

• +4 to +6 degree attack angle
• Increased distance (up to 30 yards)
• Less backspin for more roll
• Higher launch for optimal trajectory

Who Benefits Most

• Slower swing speeds (under 100 mph)
• Players hitting down on driver (-2 to -5 degrees)
• Golfers wanting more distance

Note: High swing speed players (105+ mph) often prefer slight downward strike for control.

Bonus Drill: Towel Path Correction

What You Need

• Two towels

For Outside-In Path (Slicers)

• Place one towel inside ball position
• Place second towel left of ball
• Swing between towels to hit ball

For Inside-Out Path (Hookers)

• Reverse towel positions
• Place towels to guide club on better path

Results

• Immediate path improvement (often cut mistakes in half)
• Versatile for any path problem
• Visual feedback for swing direction

Advanced Drill: Parallel Positions Training

What You Need

• Two alignment sticks
• Understanding of swing plane

Setup

• One stick along toe line
• Second stick along heel line
• Both parallel to target line

Key Positions

Backswing: Club parallel to ground and target line (over toe line) Follow-through: Club parallel to ground and target line (over heel line)

Clubface Control

• Face should match spine angle at both positions
• Not "toe up" (that's actually open)
• Maintains square relationship throughout

Orange Whip Variation

• Start in follow-through position
• Swing back to backswing position
• Return to follow-through
• Weighted club teaches proper feel

Creating Your Practice Routine

Session Structure (1 Hour)

• 10 minutes: Setup and alignment (Drill #3)
• 15 minutes: Path work (Drills #1, #2, or #10)
• 15 minutes: Contact improvement (Drill #4, #9)
• 10 minutes: Specific ball flight work (Drill #8)
• 10 minutes: Integration with full swings

Daily Options

Short on time (15 minutes):

• Pick one drill based on biggest weakness
• Focus on quality over quantity

Home practice:

• Baseball swings (Drill #5)
• Parallel positions (Advanced drill)
• One-arm work (Drill #7)

Course Application

Pre-round warm-up:

• Baseball swings for tempo
• Setup station for alignment
• Few swings with primary path drill

Mid-round adjustments:

• Baseball swings between holes
• Mental recall of drill feelings
• Setup checkpoints on tee

Equipment Investment

Total Cost: Under $50

• Cardboard box: Free
• Alignment sticks: $25 (or $5 at Home Depot)
• Towels: Use old ones
• Golf tees: Already in your bag

Optional Upgrades

• Orange Whip: $100+ (excellent for tempo and path)
• Alignment mirror: For setup verification
• Impact tape: For contact feedback

Common Mistakes When Practicing

Drill Execution Errors

• Poor alignment during setup drills
• Rushing through movements
• Not understanding what each drill teaches
• Inconsistent practice schedule

Focus Problems

• Trying to fix everything at once
• Changing drills too frequently
• Ignoring fundamentals for advanced techniques
• Practice without purpose

Solutions

• Master one drill before adding another
• Understand the why behind each movement
• Track improvement with specific metrics
• Consistent daily practice beats occasional long sessions

Measuring Progress

Objective Metrics

• Ball flight consistency (same curve pattern)
• Contact quality (center strikes vs. toe/heel)
• Distance control (consistent yardages)
• Setup repeatability (same positions)

Subjective Feel

• Confidence at address
• Natural swing rhythm
• Effortless power
• Predictable ball flight

Timeline Expectations

• Week 1-2: Learning drill mechanics
• Week 3-4: Seeing swing changes
• Month 2: Improved ball striking
• Month 3+: Lower scores and consistency

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"I'm Not Seeing Improvement"

• Check alignment during drills
• Slow down drill execution
• Video yourself to verify positions
• Get professional feedback on technique

"Drills Feel Awkward"

• Start with slow motion swings
• Exaggerate the feeling initially
• Trust the process - awkward often means changing
• Focus on one element at a time

"Can't Do Drills at Home"

• Use alignment sticks indoors
• Practice setup positions in mirror
• Baseball swings with shortened club
• Mental rehearsal of drill feelings

Key Takeaways

1. Simple drills work best - complexity doesn't equal effectiveness
2. Consistency beats intensity - daily practice trumps weekly marathons
3. Address fundamentals first - setup, path, and face control
4. One drill at a time - master before moving on
5. Quality over quantity - 20 perfect swings beat 100 sloppy ones
6. Home practice counts - many drills work indoors
7. Track your progress - measure what you're trying to improve
8. Trust the process - improvement takes time
9. Understand the why - know what each drill teaches
10. Apply to course - practice with purpose for game improvement

Final Thoughts: Simplicity Works

In an age of high-tech training aids and complex swing theories, these simple drills have stood the test of time because they work. They address the fundamental movements that separate good players from struggling ones.

The cardboard box and inclined stick drills alone have helped 95% of my students improve their ball striking. Combined with proper setup work and contact drills, you have everything needed to develop a consistent, effective golf swing.

Remember: you don't need expensive equipment or complex theories. You need to practice the right things consistently. These drills give you exactly that—proven methods that deliver results.

Start with the drill that addresses your biggest weakness, practice it consistently, and watch your ball striking transform.