In many parts of the country, winter is still in full effect, throwing all sorts of unpredictably cold, wet, rainy and even snowy weather into the forecast. That might be great if you’re looking to cozy up inside, but for golfers this type of weather throws a serious wrench into our plans to play.
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While the winter weather may be preventing you from playing 18 holes, it doesn’t mean you can’t make serious gains with your game — you just need to have a game plan and some easy-to-try indoor drills!
Despite many courses still being frozen over — and many golfers not up for playing in freezing temps — GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joey Wuertemberger shares four indoor drills that can keep you sharp and simulate success before ever teeing it up outdoors.
These indoor golf drills will help dial in your game this winter
Whether you have a practice net at home or you can get to a local golf simulator, using these four indoor golf drills will give you a leg up when it’s time to tee it up come springtime. So don’t delay on gaining an advantage over your buddies right now!
1. Dial in proper alignment and posture
This all begins with how you set up your station, since the human eye can trick us when we address the ball from the side.
I suggest placing one alignment rod just in front of your toes, parallel to your target line. Rehearse a perfect takeaway by making slow motion swings, with your goal being to match the shaft with the rod when the lead arm is parallel to the ground.
2. Use an alignment rod to check your takeaway
Hold an alignment rod with your lead hand while gripping the club. When you make your takeaway, check that the rod is pointing down towards the ground between both your toes and the ball.
If the stick is pointing toward the ball, you’re too shallow (creating blocks or hooks). If the stick points near your toes, you’re too steep (resulting in fades or pulls).
3. Hitting short shots? Keep your weight on the lead side for perfect contact
Turn your alignment rod 90 degrees between your feet, and place a towel on the ground about a clubhead’s width behind the ball. The rod reminds you to keep your weight (and your sternum) favoring your lead side — even on the backswing.
Missing the towel while hitting chips requires you to make clean contact with a descending blow.
4. Invest in a putting mirror to dial in your stroke
A mirror (available here) or a laser are two invaluable putting aids that you can use indoors, with each capable of exposing many weaknesses in your stroke.
As we all know, the key to making shorter putts is getting the ball on the correct line, and both of these aids will provide you with instant feedback to quickly improve this offseason.
