The frustrating part about being an average golfer is that my game lacks consistency — other than the fact that I consistently mishit the golf ball over and over.
So even if I play three-straight holes of pretty solid golf — meaning I had a good tee shot, hit the ball well with my irons, and escaped bogey-free — it’s only a matter of time until I chunk or top the golf ball.
Why’s this happen? Because my fundamentals and attention to detail waver.
To help shore things up, I took a golf lesson from top-ranked teacher Kelvin Kelley, who had me work on a “holy grail” golf swing drill that provides more consistent ball-striking once you nail down the technique.
Forget Other Golf Swing Drills, This One Works Wonders
In my golf lesson with Kelley, he notices that I have a bad tendency of limiting my rotation both in the backswing and the follow through. I also tend to sway in my backswing, a common issue for average golfers that leads to different types of mishits.
To help correct these issues, Kelley introduces me to a foot-back drill, which he calls the “holy grail” of all golf swing drills.
“Here’s my foot-back drill,” he tells me. “Drop the right toe back behind the left heel, and I’m just going to hold my body there. All arms going back, and I’m holding my left side in the way, allowing my right side to get pulled around.”
Immediately, I notice how this golf swing drill incorporates tons of elements to improve contact.
Not only does it promote better balance and rotation around the lead leg, but it forces your hips and torso to rotate through the shot to finish strong through impact. And since the trail foot is dropped back, it gives you a feeling of how the upper and lower body work in unison, providing a more fluid swing tempo.
As Kelley works with me on my swing, I’ll be the first to admit that it feels weird. But after 30 years of swaying and tilting wrong, that’s probably a good thing. So I’m actually using less of my lower half, which creates a more efficient swing.
“I’m trying to make golf simple, so our body needs to move in a simple matter,” Kelley reinforces. “So just fold [your arms], then unfold. Fold, then unfold. And go at half-speed.”
The new body positions are difficult to get used to, so Kelley works with trying to build consistency from start to finish.
“You’re doing a good job of holding that lead side, but I want your head to follow the shaft all the way through [contact],” Kelley tells me. “When your head follows, it’ll bring your right side around so you won’t flip it coming through.”
Since the trail foot is already back at address — which already gives your body a head start on rotating in the golf swing — this foot-back drill simplifies the shot, allowing you to focus on just making good contact.
Even as I mishit a few since I’m learning a new technique, Kelley tells me an important reminder when taking a golf lesson.
“This is important to remember when you’re taking lessons: Don’t associate a bad hit with bad technique,” he says. “[Since you’re learning a new skill] your brain has to figure out how to hit it.”
As we continue through our lesson, my ball-striking improves, my swing looks better, and I’m eliminating bad tendencies.
So if you’re looking for a great golf swing drill that’s easy to incorporate into your practice routine, try Kelley’s foot-back drill. More than just improving your contact, it helps with both balance and weight transfer, and since it limits lower-body movement, leads to better rotation through impact.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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