The Cure For Thin Shots: A Drill You Can Practice At Home

I’ve seen a lot of YouTube instructional content and, for the most part, it’s pretty helpful. This particular video is one from Eric Cogorno Golf. He is one of the most well-known golf instructors on YouTube and his content is very good. He breaks down difficult concepts and usually gives helpful drills to work on.

This “thin shot” fix is one of my favorites but the video is 17 minutes long. I’m not sure it needs that much of your time. Here’s the shortcut and a few tips to help make this more successful for you.

Where to see the drill?

In the video, Cogorno starts talking about the drill around the 2:50 mark. However, to see a demonstration of it, you’ll have to go to 5:47. If you read through the tips and step-by-step below, viewing the 5:47 mark is enough to get this drill down and try it for yourself.

How to do the drill

This is simple and effective and all you need is a golf ball to be able to complete it. That means you can easily practice this movement in your living room without ever hitting a shot.

Step 1: Flare your trail foot (10-30 degrees)

Most golfers set up with their trail foot relatively square. You’ll want to adjust your trail foot for this drill so it’s angled outward. This helps to open the trail hip and make it easier to rotate. This flaring of the trail foot also gives you a little more room to get the club on the right plane on the downswing.

Step 2: Place a golf ball under the ball of your trail foot

Slide a golf ball under the ball of your trail foot, just behind your toes. Don’t put it under the arch or the heel. The ball creates a leverage point so you have something to push against and help shift your weight properly in the backswing.

Step 3: Press into the golf ball on the backswing

In your backswing, feel like you are pushing against the ball under your foot. This will naturally shift your hip back and help you stay in posture. Most golfers who hit thin shots are early extenders and lose posture as they come through the ball.

Step 4: Continue pushing with your trail foot on the downswing

As you start the downswing, feel like you are pushing with your trail foot against the ball. Aim to keep your trail knee from sliding out over your toes. If the knee slides forward, your hips will thrust toward the ball and you’ll end up with a thin or topped shot.

Step 5: Swing through and finish

After impact, your trail foot should roll off the ball naturally as your weight transfers to your lead side. Keeping this “push back” feeling a little longer should help eliminate some inconsistent strikes and thin shots.

Who this drill is for

I’ve used this drill to help improve my consistency in ball striking and it works well. It’s a great drill for people with too much movement in their swing, as it focuses your attention on one thing.

• Golfers who early extend: If you lose your posture by thrusting your hips toward the ball in the downswing, pushing down on the ball will help you maintain it.
• Players who struggle to make consistent contact: Early extension often causes thin or inconsistent strikes. By maintaining depth in the hip turn, you’ll improve ball-first contact.
• Anyone lacking hip rotation: If you feel cramped at impact or your arms get “stuck” behind you, this drill frees up your hips so your arms can swing on the proper plane.

Final thoughts

Give this drill a try. Just make sure to put the golf ball in the correct placement under your foot—just behind the toes is best.