If you are hitting the ground first on your golf shot, well it is time to stop it! By hitting the ball first, we create solid contact, greater distances, and more accuracy on every shot. The challenge is understanding ways to fix this swing fault by using simple drills that are easy to replicate and understand. Many times the drills used are a rehash of previously mentioned fixes, but that is a good thing because the topics are important.
There are many different drills that players can use to improve their ball striking. Early in my career, I thought I had to hit the ball at the exact same time as the ground. As I continued to improve my game I realized that it was okay, just not good enough. I had to try and understand what I was missing. Over the years, I sought out out help from better players and discussions with my local professional to improve. It took a bit of time because I approached this piecemeal, but I eventually got there.
The following video offers three drills that might help accelerate your ability to hit the ball first. I hope you like it:
I have not tried the ball in the arms drill, but I think I will give it a try. I am always looking for drills to improve my ball striking and we shall see if these drills will help.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
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The universal solution to consistent ball striking has always been to stop swaying and learn to make a proper turn. Swaying requires too much precision in the timing of our movements where a proper turn is far easier to repeat.
I found the first drill in the video useful when I started. It gave me the right feel at the top I needed. But not how I should get there. And I still swayed which kept my consistency bad.
But I added one thing to help me. An old broken driver shaft. I stuck it in the ground so the handle hovered about two inches from my trail side.. That gave me instant feedback if I swayed instead of just turned to start my swing. And made it easier for me to find how to get from hovering the club behind the ball to the proper position at the top and back again without sliding off it’s .
Today when I’m on the range practicing I’ve added one other thing that others might find helpful. A tee. I don’t mean to set the ball on though. I mean to focus on instead of the ball. And/or for visual cues so I can judge accurately just how well or badly I’m swinging.
The eyes are our direct circuit to the brain. What we focus on matters whether it’s down range or under our nose.
Test it. Try picking different locations on the ball or around it to focus on. Use a tee if you like on the range. They’re super easy to set our focus on.
This week I stuck that old shaft in the ground about 8 feet out right dead in front of the ball. I put two tees in the ground after the ball about 4 inches away. Stuck them all the way down so I wasn’t likely to send them flying every swing.
One just outside and one just inside the target line. I used that to help me hit fades and draws around that old shaft. By visualizing swinging along the line between ball and tee I had an easier time swinging the right path. And that same visualization helped me set up to deliver the right face angle. I could ‘see’ the path and could adjust my setup to give the right face angle at impact.
Visual cues can be a huge help and we can manufacture some ourselves. We’ve all heard we should stand behind the ball and pick a spot close to the ball on our target line to set up. It’s great advice but that same idea can take us further than we might realize.
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Thanks for the detailed comment. Your suggestions are helpful and I will give the tee suggestion a try. Swaying is a challenge and as players become self aware, they will be able to address this specific swing fault.
Cheers Jim
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