Irons · Drill
Build a Stick Station to Groove Your Path
Part of our irons programs for slice, hook, topped or thin. Build a program with it
Sticks on the ground give you clear lines to swing along. Lay one along your target line, past and behind the ball. Lay another along your toes. Now make slow swings with no ball. Going back, keep the clubhead tracking along the stick behind the ball. At the top, keep your hands in front of your chest. Coming down, keep the clubhead just inside that back stick. After impact, send it out along the forward stick. Repeat slowly until it feels automatic.
The drill
- Lay sticks on your target line and toe line.
- Swing slowly with no ball.
- Track the stick on the way back.
- Stay inside it on the way down.
- Swing out along the target line.
Why it works
A hook starts when the clubface points left of the path, and the path is often too far from the inside to the out. Sticks give your eyes fixed lines, so you can see where the clubhead travels instead of guessing. Keeping the hands in front of the chest at the top and the club just inside the back stick on the way down helps the club approach from a path that matches the target line, which lets you release it out along the forward stick.
Common mistakes
- You swing fast and lose track of the sticks.Slow the swing until you can see the clubhead pass each stick, and speed up only when the path stays clean.
- You pull the club well inside the back stick on the way down, so it comes from too far behind you.Keep your hands in front of your chest at the top and let the clubhead drop just inside the stick, not far behind it.
- You set the toe stick so it points left or right of the target line.Lay the two sticks parallel, then check from behind the ball that both point at your target.
How you'll know it's working
- The clubhead brushes along the back stick going back and stays just inside it coming down, without hitting it.
- After impact the clubhead travels out along the forward stick instead of cutting sharply left.
- When you add a ball later, it starts on or near the target line and curves less to the left.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Use a short swing, hip to hip, and move the club slowly until the lines feel natural.
Harder: Add a ball and hit short shots at half speed while keeping the same clubhead path along the sticks.
Common questions
Why do I hook my irons?
A hook usually means the clubface is closed to the path, and the path is often too far from the inside. Working on a path that matches the target line helps reduce it.
How many alignment sticks do I need for this drill?
You need two. One lies along your target line and one lies along your toes, parallel to the first.
