Irons
Beginner

L-to-L Swing Drill

Builds proper swing fundamentals by focusing on a half-swing motion. Teaches beginners the correct wrist hinge and release: forming an 'L' shape with the lead arm and club on the backswing and a mirrored 'L' with the trail arm on the follow-through.

Instructional Video

Equipment Needed

7-iron (or similar iron)
Golf balls

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Use a mid-iron (like a 7-iron) and assume a normal stance. Start with smaller swings: take the club back until your lead arm is parallel to the ground and your wrists are hinged so the club points upward (forming an 'L' between arm and club).

2

Swing through the ball, and limit your follow-through so that your trail arm ends up parallel to the ground and wrists hinged (forming a backward 'L' on the other side).

3

Focus on making clean contact with the ball using this half-swing. The ball should travel a modest distance with a lower flight — that's fine. The key is maintaining structure and balance.

4

Repeat this drill, gradually smoothing it out. Once you're consistently hitting solid shots with the L-to-L motion, you can start extending to a fuller swing while preserving the same wrist hinge and release feeling.

Professional Endorsement

Renowned coach David Leadbetter often teaches the L-to-L concept to ingrain proper swing positions. It's a fundamental drill many pros learned early in their development to ensure solid mechanics.