Five best ball-striking drills

Take your iron play to the next level with these game-changing tips from Top 50 Coach Ged Walters

- Ged Walters

1 Bag drill

This is one for those golfers who have a tendency to hang back through impact (inset), which will typically lead to fat and thin strikes. Rest your trail foot on top of your golf bag. This is getting you used to the feeling of what it's like to have the pressure forward through impact, and it'll encourage a downward angle of attack. Just take some half swings. You'll struggle to hit the ground first if you try this drill; it's really effective for getting the weight moving towards the target, so the club hits the ball before the ground.

Line drill

This drill encourages you to get into the right positions and execute that perfect strike - ball first, then turf. Score a line in the ground (I've used a tee), then take some practice swings. Focus on brushing the line. What's great about this drill is that it provides you with instant feedback. If you take a practice swing and hit the wrong side of the line - typically behind it - you'll get a very good idea of what you've done wrong: swaying back, perhaps? With the perfect contact, the divot will start approximately an inch after the line.

Weight transfer

By keeping your pressure moving forward, you'll hit the ground in front of the line.