The Daily Dozen
Golf Exercises

Summary
A dozen exercises you can do at home to build a golf swing that will get your around the course in style. (Most of these exercises come directly from my lessons with Ed Tischler. Ed has a lot more to teach than I'll ever be able to put into words, so by all means read his books and set up lessons with him at the Pin High golf center in Alviso, California.)
[count

by Eric Armstrong

This article lists twelve articles that can be done every day. If you're really serious about your golf game, that's something you'll want to do. So I've called the list, "The Daily Dozen".

On the other hand, you may not be quite that serious. Personally, I do the exercises every third or fourth day. (I do different exercises on the other days.) That schedule limits my progress somewhat, but it provides the right balance for me, given my other activities.

For most people, doing the exercises every other day is a good idea. I like doing them in the morning, before taking a shower. But evenings or even afternoons may work for you. At first, you'll only do a few repetitions of each exercise. Your muscle strength will improve over time, along with your skill, so you'll probably find yourself doing 10 or 20 at a time, after a while. (Don't push it. It will happen naturally.)

Notes

Each exercise includes a list of things I focus on. It's my mental checklist of skills I'm trying to develop when doing that drill.

Some exercises depend on your swing style. That concept is covered in more detail in a future article, Finding a Good Teacher. In this article, I'll mention the exercises I use, and point to the books that will help you identify the swing techniques (and appropriate exercises) that are good for you. (Most of the skill drills come from Ed Tischler's Pocket Coach series, available at New Horizons Golf.)

Note:
The books work through one aspect of the game at a time, and help you identify your swing style, and give you the exercises that are right for you. Each one builds on the next, so you develop solid fundamentals and then build a reliable swing on top of them. Highly recommended.

Other exercises are independent of swing style. I developed a couple of the physical training exercises, but the skills-training exercises come from Ed's instructional program.

The golf training equipment mentioned here can be purchased at In the Hole Golf.

The Exercises

The exercises fall into several categories, depending on whether you want to work on basics, control, strength, or power. At this point, I do them all. But I added a couple at a time over the course of several weeks.

You may want to follow a similar progression. You could use the exercises from one section at a time, and add the other sections later. Or you could do an exercise from each group, so you're working on all aspects of the swing. Basically, you should mix and match and find a collection that works for you.

Note:
Whichever exercises you do, alway end with the last drill--number 12. That's the foundation drill for a smooth, relaxed rhythm.

Basics (Foundation)

Always start with the exercises in this category, no matter how many other exercises you do. At first, do just these, plus #12. When you're comfortable with that series, add the exercises in the next category.

Stance
(get in position and hold for a few seconds)

Focus:

Weight on insides of feet
Tilt forward from hips, back straight
Hands hang loose and natural
Hips and shoulders tilt to the side, so spine angles away from the target.

Right Hand Swings (if your right hand is your dominant hand)

Body twist
Forward release, so the "aiming point" is a a foot or so ahead of where the ball would be (towards the target, ankle or shin high)

Twist Drill (described in Pocket Coach #3 & #5) .
- No lateral hip shift
- Head steady
- Feel fully balanced and centered

Control

Connection Drill (Pocket Coach #2 & #7)

me: Right Side Connection
...

Trace the Line (Pocket Coach #4, In The Hole)

Pre-set Wrist Drills (Pocket Coach #7)

Strength

These drills develop the physical strength and flexibility you need to create more power. As far as I know, these exercises represent my unique contribution to the world of golf (such as it is).

Power Trainer (...)

Separation Twists (...)

Lying Twists (...)

Power Swing

Power, with control...

Coil Separation Drill (Pocket Coach #5)

Full Coil Turn (Pocket Coach #5)

"Awe" Swings
This is one you can take with you to the driving range, and even to the course. It is the drill for a smooth, relaxed, rhthym--and it creates a swing that generates effortless power. (If you do only one drill, this is the one to do.)

(done with a hum in __Keys to the Effortless Golf Swing__, or with a vocal "awe", in each book in the Pocket Coach series -- Note that, together, they add up to "om")