Is Your Golf Swing Failing You? This All-Encompassing Drill Can Instantly Save It

Are you struggling with your golf swing? Discover the all-encompassing drill that can fix common swing faults and restore your game. Get back on track today!

Nick Bonfield, Alison Root and Sam De'Ath shouting fore and pointing right after a wayward tee shot, plus an inset image of a frustrated golfer laying on the green
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
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Sometimes we all hit a dip with our golf, when the things that felt so simple before start to give us sleepless nights and suddenly making a good swing seems almost impossible.

Some golfers will head out to buy the best golf clubs on the market in a bid to arrest the slide. Other players will head to the range and motor through bucket after bucket of balls, focusing intensely on rediscovering the perfect golf grip or obsessively focusing on how far they are standing from the golf ball, but is there a simpler solution?

In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Tom Motley shares a simple but effective drill that acts as an antidote to all manner of golf swing ailments...

The 'L to L' Drill

Tips provided by...
Tom Motley Finish
Tips provided by...
Tom Motley

Tom Motley has been a PGA professional since 2005. He offers a high level of coaching, utilising the best possible coaching technology eg Swing Catalyst  with pressure plates, TrackMan 4 along with a vast array of training aids. Tom continually develops his skills through spending time with some of the best coaches across the globe.

This drill is predominantly one that I teach beginners, although golfers of all skill levels can benefit from working on it, especially when their golf swing seems off in some way. In fact, I know a lot of decent-level players who rehearse the ‘L to L’ drill on the range just as part of their practice routine, because it can help with so many different aspects of the swing.

Take an iron and adopt your set-up position. Then, start your backswing and focus on creating a letter ‘L’ between your lead arm and the shaft. Note the good extension in my lead arm. Just take it back and hold this position, ideally in front of a mirror. I also like how it helps to develop a feeling for how to set and re-hinge the wrists.

Tom Motley demonstrating the 'L to L' drill, demonstrating an L-shape position between his lead forearm and the shaft of the club in the backswing and the reverse in the follow through

This all-encompassing drill could help to solve the issue that's plaguing your golf swing

(Image credit: Olly Curtis)

Now, complete the downswing and move through to a position where you make a backwards ‘L’. As you come down and through, to create that backwards ‘L’, you will have to release the club, another aspect of the swing many golfers can struggle with. It’s an effective way to help you soften the wrists and square the clubface. Perform this over and over and I guarantee the feeling of freedom and fluidity will help you to start swinging the club nicely on plane.

Focus on the motion

Just hit 50-yard shots from ‘L’ to ‘L’ and forget where the ball goes, at least to start with. I also recommend that you tee the ball up, so you’re just clipping it away.

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Tom Motley
Tom Motley
Top 50 Coach

Location: The Kendleshire

Tom Motley has been a PGA professional since 2005. He offers a high level of coaching, utilising the best possible coaching technology eg Swing Catalyst  with pressure plates, TrackMan 4 along with a vast array of training aids. Tom continually develops his skills through spending time with some of the best coaches across the globe.

Teaching philosophy: 

Player first, swing second and understanding the human in front of you is so important. Swing techniques are all different and players want different things from a coach. It is my job to ensure I know how the player works, learns and is most comfortable to ensure they get the most benefit out of each session. On a technical level, simplicity is key but sometimes simple is left incomplete, so deliver the information is the simplest way for any student but don’t leave a session without the player having full understanding. 

Most common problem:

Many have poor concept of what they’re doing/trying to do technically. For this clear communication of faults and fixes is key. Secondly players have expectation levels beyond their skill set, course management is in my opinion one of the most under-taught aspects of the game yet the most influential on lowering players' scores. Seeing players of all levels playing is a huge part of my coaching to ensure I coach the player and the players game not just the swing. 

Most common impact fault:

Clubface orientation. Most players don’t understand why the ball does what it does. By explaining why they have a certain ball flight and giving the focus on start direction rather than swing path quite often a player starts to straighten ball flight. Also off-centre impacts and a lack of understanding of what gear effect is. 

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