24
PGA Golf Coach Chris Ryan shares a two-stage drill that has produced some of the fastest ball striking improvements he has seen in his students. The secret lies in two movements that great ball strikers share — and that most amateurs have never thought to work on. If your iron striking is letting you down, this one is worth your full attention.
Chris Ryan – From the Fairway
Chris Ryan breaks down exactly what separates elite ball strikers from the average amateur — and it comes down to two subtle but powerful body movements through impact. Using nothing more than a tee marker and a simple wall visualisation, he walks you through a practical, two-phase drill you can take straight to the range. It suits any golfer who struggles to compress their irons consistently.
Key Takeaways
Hip lateral shift comes first
Hip lateral shift comes first
Place a tee marker or bottle just outside your trail heel and practise swinging through without touching it — if you knock it over, your hips are not shifting enough towards the target before you rotate.
Your lead shoulder must move forward at impact
Great ball strikers have their lead shoulder closer to the target at impact than at set-up — amateurs often let the upper body stay back even when the lower body shifts correctly.
Use the wall drill to feel the right movement
Imagine a wall on the outside of your lead foot and focus on driving your lead shoulder into it during the downswing — this keeps the shoulder low, shifts pressure forward, and moves your low point ahead of the ball.
Take these two checkpoints to the range in order — nail the hip shift first with the tee marker drill, then layer in the wall feel for the upper body once you have phase one ticked off. This video is ideal for mid-to-high handicappers who feel like their lower body is working but their iron contact still lets them down.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
