9-to-3 Swing Drill

Use a 7- or 8-iron on the range or off a mat. Picture your swing arc as a clock — a full backswing is 12 o'clock; for this drill you'll only go back to 9 o'clock (lead arm parallel to the ground) and through to 3 o'clock (trail arm parallel).

1. Take your normal setup and swing the club back only until your lead arm is roughly parallel to the ground — about waist height.
2. From there, rotate through the ball and swing up to where your trail arm is parallel to the ground on the other side — a mirror-image finish.
3. Keep your tempo smooth and your body rotating; this is a body-driven swing, not an arms-only hit.
4. Hold your finish for a two-count, balanced over your lead foot, chest facing the target.
5. Once contact is consistent at 9-to-3, gradually lengthen toward a full swing while keeping the same rhythm and balanced finish.

15–20 balls at 9-to-3, holding each finish. About 12 minutes.

Common mistake: still swinging out of your shoes and losing balance even on the shortened swing, or stopping the body and slapping at the ball with the arms. Instead, prioritize a controlled, rotating motion you can finish in balance — if you can't hold your finish, you swung too hard. Solid contact in balance beats raw speed every time.