A soccer ball can come in handy as a golf training aid, but it needs to be bigger than this Callaway golf ball.
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If one thing has become apparent in the recent months, it’s that even if you can’t get to a golf course, there are still plenty of ways to creatively improve your game — even from the confines of your own home. From building your own practice net (or even hole) with household items to in-home fitness routines to trick shots around the house, creativity has been on display in the golf world in the age of coronavirus.
And even with restrictions being lifted in various areas, there is still tons of value in at-home drills that can be completed with on-hand items — especially for golfers from colder climates who have extended offseasons each year. The Titleist Performance Institute posted a video on Instagram last month that shows off one of these drills that can be completed with just a soccer ball (or any similar sized round object) as an aid.
The drill, from GOLF Top 100 Teacher Dave Phillips, helps alleviate early extension in the swing. Start by setting up with your back to the wall and place the ball against your tailbone between you and the wall. Cross your arms against your chest in your swing setup and then make your turn away from the (imaginary) golf ball.
“I can feel like I’m turning back
into it and it gives me some pressure trying to push me off the wall,” Phillips
says. “Then on the downswing it enables me to shift and once I feel the
pressure shift to my lead foot, I can push against the wall and the ball will
drop down.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-iHWf4Awwr/
This drill can help you maintain
your posture throughout the swing and make sure you aren’t coming out of that
position prematurely.
Phillips goes on to show a second drill with the ball that can also help with early extension.
GOLF Top 100 Teacher Cameron McCormick posted an Instagram video a few months back showing a different exercise that can be executed with a soccer ball. Grab your putter and get into your normal putting setup. Then squeeze the ball between your forearms as you make a putting stroke. The goal is to keep the ball stable between your arms as your shoulders and other big muscles drive the stroke. If you get too wristy the ball will rotate within your forearms. The drill is perfect for people who struggle with inconsistent putting and need help ironing out their game on the greens.
Zephyr Melton is the associate game-improvement editor for GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine, crafting instruction content for digital and print verticals alongside the Top 100 Teachers in America. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he studied at the University of Texas at Austin, followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, Green Bay Packers and PGA Tour. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.
