Our Expert Reveals Three Golf Drills That Will (Quite Literally) Turn Your Game Around

Many golfers have been in the situation where they feel as though they are swinging it great, but the ball isn't travelling as far or as well as hoped. Often players look to a multitude of reasons for the underwhelming result, but a lot of the time it can come down to some basic issues with the key fundamentals.

In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach discusses how an effective turn in the golf swing can help you to optimise distance and strike the ball better more often...

Katie Dawkins

Katie has introduced many beginners to the game of golf, and coached tour professionals across the Challenge and LET Tour. Katie has also written for golf publications for more than 20 years, providing instructional content that aims to help players improve. Katie is based at Hamptworth Golf Club, on the edge of the New Forest, where she coaches players of all abilities and supports them in developing a love for the game.

How can I rotate better in my swing?

The first thing to check is your stance. Too wide or narrow a stance makes a good turn very difficult. Too narrow and there’s too much mobility; too wide and there’s too much stability. Feet about shoulder-width apart is ideal.

There are three excellent drills that you can practice on the range, which will help to encourage a full and powerful turn.

Drill 1

Let your arms hang down in your address posture, then start to swing back and through, building up the momentum until you’ve got a full turn.

Turn your back to the target on the way back, then your stomach to the target on the way through. It should feel like a free-flowing action. It’s also a great warm-up drill.

Drill 2

Another good drill to promote turn is to grip a club with one hand just above the clubhead and the other just below the grip, so your arms are now spread apart. Adopt an athletic posture, as without this you can’t turn properly.

Make a big turn to your right side, as here, leading with your right arm and really winding up your body, before then turning through the ball and on into your follow-through.

Drill 3

The final drill is ideal for golfers who get very ‘armsy’ and have no real feeling for what a good turn is. Split your hands on the club, so your upper hand is at the top and your lower hand is down where the grip joins the shaft.

Hover the club and then swing to the top. If you tend to collapse your arms on the backswing, you’ll find you won’t be able to do it – the split grip makes that movement feel awkward as your bigger muscles take control.