Tip Tuesday: Improving Balance for Better Ball Striking

In the latest installment of our video instruction series, Dustin Johnson Golf School Director of Coaching Allen Terrell shows us a simple drill involving an alignment rod and towel that will help reinforce proper balance.

Today we’re going to talk about balance and stability, and how that influences success (or maybe lack of success) in our ball striking. One easy thing to do when you’re practicing is to take an old towel, pair it with an alignment rod and just roll it up a little bit. Then place this combination on the ground.

What you’re trying to do is get a feel for where your balance is in your feet. A lot times on the lesson tee, I see someone too far back on their heels, sometimes too much on their toes. When you swing, if you’re off balance, what you’re going to do is you’re going to counterbalance or make an adjustment. So our goal in teaching is to try to take out those counterbalances, those manipulations, those compensations so that our swings are a lot more consistent.

At address, make sure you put this rolled-up towel right in between your feet, so you’re feeling the pressure more on the balls of your feet. Not too far back on your heels, not too far on your toes. Kind of rock back and forth to find that balance, where you want to be pushing down into the ground.

Remember at address with an iron, you want a little more pressure on your left foot at address than your right. That gives you that dynamic of pushing off into your right side on the takeaway.

Try this easy balance drill at home, to really help your ball striking!