This clever 2-club exercise instantly corrects your posture

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series where we share improvements, insights and variety from amateur golfers like you — including some of the obstacles and challenges they’ve encountered along the way.

If there is one thing I consistently struggle with in my golf swing, it is my rotation.

Maybe it’s the former baseball player in me who had to make quick movements in the batter’s box to hit a moving object, but every time I stand over the ball, I’m too quick in my movement at impact. This often causes my hands to drag, dragging the clubface and opening it up, causing many of my swings to go off to the right (as a right-handed player).

Sure, some of the problems can be fixed by simply slowing down and focusing on the sequence, but after a lesson with GOLF Top 100 instructor Joe Plecker, there was an even simpler solution: the position of my feet.

In the video below, Plecker analyzes where my feet are at address and demonstrates how a 2-club cross drill can determine their proper width – creating more depth in the rotation and backswing for better shot making. Watch it and try it for yourself.

Use 2 clubs to determine the correct foot position in the golf swing

Before learning this lesson from Plecker, I never really thought about where my feet should be during the swing. I just stood over the ball, kept them about shoulder width apart, and swung.

But Plecker told me the hard truth after seeing just one tee shot from me.

“I see something about the position of your feet,” he said. “Your feet are too narrow right now and your toes are pointing forward.”

My first thought? How the hell I’ve been playing golf for nearly 30 years and this simple problem has never been fixed? After overcoming that reality, Plecker kept going – and eventually helped fix the problem.

“I take two golf clubs and cross them. Now put your left foot there and then your right foot on the other side,” he told me. “Put the shaft (of the club you’re holding) over your thighs and try to turn around until the shaft is in line with the one (on the ground).”

The picture below shows what this should look like.

On my first attempt, I had trouble aligning the shafts because my feet were too close together. Plecker made some adjustments to widen my stance and add depth to my backswing.

“Stance a little wider, spread your right knee and right foot out, and now swing back into the backswing,” he said. “It should feel a little lighter and your right foot (the back foot) should stay on the ground.”

Plecker then asked me to assume the new stance and hit another drive, which resulted in an incredible result as I sent the ball 230 yards down the middle.

“This is how you’re supposed to turn,” he said. “Every time your feet move to a different position, you’ll feel a wobble or less turning or some discomfort. But this is a great exercise to check your posture and your turning.”

So if you’re like me and often struggle with your rotation, try this 2-club crossover drill before your next round to solidify things and get a feel for what your pivot should be. Better shots should soon follow.

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Publisher