Norrie Wright has been my mentor in golf since 1981.  Just as important as his deep understanding of the golf swing, he also knows how to teach it; teaching is learning. Norrie’s research into motor skill excellence, has led him to the powerful tool of slow motion learning.

In my own teaching program I have begun to see fantastic benefits using slow-mo drills with weighted clubs.  This is not new; past champions used this exercise.  Arnold Palmer used to practice slow motion swinging, and Ben Hogan used heavy clubs as a central piece of his training.

My friend and fellow professional John Scott; when I brought this idea up to him, told me of a conversation he had with Tiger’s coach, Hank Haney. John asked Haney what he and Tiger work on, in particular are there any drills they do. It turns out Tiger will hit balls at 20% speed, then 40%, 60%, 80%, and finally 100%.

When I lived in Jacksonville, I once visited the renowned teacher Davis Love Jr. at Sea Island Georgia.  He told me then that he worked with his son, Davis Love 3rd, on the same thing, in a different way.  Love III would hit a driver 100 yards, then 150, then 200, 250, then full out 300 yards.  This with a full swing, controlling the arm speed.  I used this drill many years ago with Carson Way, who went on to the finals of the World Long Drive Championship.

The way I recommend doing it:

·    Purchase or build a weighted club (we sell these in the shop)

·    Get a clock or hourglass. A mirror to watch yourself is nice, but optional.

·    Put a ball down. It shouldn’t go more than a foot or so, if done properly.

·    Execute your entire swing, from waggle, forward press, full backswing, transition, down to impact, and all the way through.

Take a full minute from start to finish.

What you will find:

You will experience black-out zones. There will be places in your swing where you aren’t sure what to do, or where you are.

·         Balance problems will be illuminated. In the studio, we use the Dynamic Balance System for further feedback.

·         The transition from going back to coming down will probably feel different, even awkward.

·         At the moment of impact, you will see if there is a desire to `flick’, or `flip’ at the ball.

·         You will notice what your eyes want to do in the swing. Ideally they will remain steady, gazing but not staring.

·         You will be aware of grip pressure, and general tension levels.

Slow-mo is not only good for your swing, it also helps build golf strength, if used with a weighted club.  In my experience, this is the best drill a golfer can do, a self-learning tool. Do it every day, one minute. Is ½ hour a month asking too much?

Then, either in the indoor range, or outdoors, begin hitting balls at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and finally 100%.  If it works for the World #1, it must be good enough for you!