Two-time PGA Tour winner Nick Dunlap was recently spotted using a ball drill that can help you hit sharp irons.
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The way the pros play golf is completely different from the way the weekend warriors do. Some of the shots they make are not even in the realm of possibility for recreational players. Sometimes, it can seem like they are playing a completely different sport.
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them. In fact, there are many simple things that the pros do that we as amateurs can emulate to make us better golfers. The key is knowing what to look for and how to interpret it.
Nick Dunlap gave us such an example at this week’s Sony Open.
While grinding the range earlier in the week, the PGA Tour’s social accounts captured video of the reigning Rookie of the Year working on a simple hitting drill. And while Dunlap can hit shots every week that we can only dream of, the drill he was using has plenty of application for the average Joe.
Dunlap’s ball practice
As you can see in the video above, Dunlap has placed a ball under the outside of his foot. The setup may seem strange, but it has some key benefits.
First of all, by placing a ball under the outside of his trail foot, he encourages proper pressure transfer during landing.
One of the main movements we see big ball hitters make (especially with irons) is to “roll” their trail foot toward the target during the downswing. When you start your transition from the top, it’s important to shift your pressure to your leading side.
Where many amateurs go wrong is shifting this pressure towards the toes. This can cause early extension and send the swing path to the outside, which we all know is not conducive to hitting the ball properly. By placing a ball under the outside of your foot, it encourages the initial pressure to shift in the right direction.
GOLF Top 100 Teachers Jason Baile shared a similar workout with GOLF magazine a couple of years ago, which you can read here. In that drill, he places a water bottle inside the trail leg and encourages his students to knock it down during the transition.
“The key is to turn and shift, putting most of your weight on your front foot by the time you hit the ball,” Baile said. “Your goal is to shift the weight off the top by ‘banking’ your back leg to the inside.”
The same principle is at work in Dunlap’s training. By “rolling” your trail foot toward the target during the transition, it ensures that your pressure and weight get to the right place at impact.
If you’re struggling with your iron shot, give this drill a shot. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll hit your cuffs clean like never before.
