The Frisbee Drill

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By Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

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  • 22 Replies
  1. Team Titleist Staff

    Hey, Team Titleist!

    We've had our first snowfall here in Fairhaven, MA and it got me thinking about winter training. For those of you who, like me, are about to be snow-bound, I have a great drill that you can do both indoors and outdoors to help you develop proper weight shift, lag on the downswing and a better release through impact. I first learned about this drill from Chuck Quentin, the founder of Rotary Swing Golf, an instructional site that's helped me immensely.

    You've probably heard at some point that the body motion in the golf swing is a lot like skipping a stone or like the submarine throwing motion of a shortstop turning a double play in baseball. It is. You shift your weight from your back foot to your lead foot as you pivot. The hips turn to initiate a chain of sequencing, followed by your shoulders, arms and finally, the hands.

    The problem is, trying to hit a golf ball using your dominant, trailing arm to lead the action can cause lots of problems (coming over the top and casting to name a few). Most of us play right handed with our non-dominant left arm as the leading arm. And that's the arm that needs to be trained for most of us.

    The Frisbee drill does just that.

    Step 1
    Make a few tosses with a flying disc using your dominant hand, just like you'd normally play catch. Get a sense of how your body naturally moves - how your weight shifts as you make a little step towards your target, the smooth unwinding of your hips, the looseness in your arm and the easy release of your wrist as you flick the disc toward the target.

    Step 2
    Now make a few throws using your non-dominant hand. It'll be awkward at first, but try to feel the same sensations.

    Step 3
    After a few tosses, get into your golf posture and throw the Frisbee into the ground. Look at the spot where the golf ball would be at address (you can even put a ball down if it helps), but focus on throwing the Frisbee on or just beyond the ball, skipping it off the ground on your target line.

    As you get more comfortable with the drill, notice how your chest is facing the "ball" at impact. Notice how "on-top of the ball" your body feels, how soft your left wrist feels and how easily your left arm accelerates past the ball after you let go of the Frisbee. Your shoulders and the right side of your body should feel very passive. If your shoulders get out of sequence and spin out (like you would in an over-the-top move) the Frisbee will fly way out beyond your target line.

    Step 4
    As a final step, set up the same way but now hold a golf club in your left hand only. Make some practice swings and try to replicate the feel you had throwing the Frisbee into the ground. You'll experience great lag and an effortless, powerful release if you shift your weight and let the smooth unwinding of your hips (not your shoulders and arms) lead the action. You're on your way to a better downswing.

    Good luck! Hope you enjoy the drill and please share any drills you know of that we can work on this winter.

    And as always, please let us know if there are any other areas of your game that you're struggling with. We have a great network of experts throughout the TT community who can help get your game back on track!

    -Rick

    Some other tips you might enjoy:

    The Mental Mulligan

    Chip Like You Putt

    Practice Under Pressure with “21”

  2. Tim Tiger

    Tim Tiger
    Tucson, AZ

    The Scorpion Sting.
    Good luck on your winter Rick.


    TT
  3. Team Titleist Staff

    Tim Tiger said:

    The Scorpion Sting.
    Good luck on your winter Rick.


    TT

    Thanks, Tim! Best to you and yours, too.
    RV
  4. Dale V

    Dale V
    Surprise AZ

    Thanks Rick! I also picked up an Orange Whip and will try to swing it at least every other day to keep stretched out over the winter. Warm where I am at but short days have killed my after-work weekday golf.
  5. Team Titleist Staff

    Dale V said:

    Thanks Rick! I also picked up an Orange Whip and will try to swing it at least every other day to keep stretched out over the winter. Warm where I am at but short days have killed my after-work weekday golf.

    Thanks, Dale. Yeah, I'm a fan of the orange whip, too. Really makes you swing from the ground up.

    Best,

    Rick
  6. Interesting drill. I will give this a shot! Thank you for sharing.
  7. Team Titleist Staff

    Sam K said:

    Interesting drill. I will give this a shot! Thank you for sharing.

    Thanks, Sam. All credit to Chuck Quentin. He's got some great ideas about the swing, grounding everything in physics, biomechanics and how human beings best learn new motor skills. Let us know how it works for you!

    Rick
  8. KCGolfGuy

    KCGolfGuy
    Greenwood, MO

    Love the frisbee drill! Great idea!
  9. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    Great l idea, Rick. But, darn it we don't really get to have those wonderful winters like you guys. And I truly mean it. I grew up with four seasons in East Tennessee. Haven't seen snow in this area in a while. Oh, I did see some in Asheville last weekend up at the Grove Park Inn. Couldn't get to play golf, too cold, 24*. But down here, we are really blessed and get to play most of the year. Come see us on the coast of SC. Was 74* today. Any tips to help my game are appreciated.
  10. Team Titleist Staff

    Chuck Z said:

    Great l idea, Rick. But, darn it we don't really get to have those wonderful winters like you guys. And I truly mean it. I grew up with four seasons in East Tennessee. Haven't seen snow in this area in a while. Oh, I did see some in Asheville last weekend up at the Grove Park Inn. Couldn't get to play golf, too cold, 24*. But down here, we are really blessed and get to play most of the year. Come see us on the coast of SC. Was 74* today. Any tips to help my game are appreciated.

    You're killing me, Chuck. I think my car thermometer read 22° this morning. 74° sounds like an early Christmas present to me. Enjoy it and play well!
  11. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military

    Chuck Z

    Great l idea, Rick. But, darn it we don't really get to have those wonderful winters like you guys. And I truly mean it. I grew up with four seasons in East Tennessee. Haven't seen snow in this area in a while. Oh, I did see some in Asheville last weekend up at the Grove Park Inn. Couldn't get to play golf, too cold, 24*. But down here, we are really blessed and get to play most of the year. Come see us on the coast of SC. Was 74* today. Any tips to help my game are appreciated.

    Come on down, there's always room for one more and Lewis' BBQ has the best brisket this side of the Mississippi.
  12. Team Titleist Staff
    I would love to take you up on that offer, Chuck! I'll buy if I can make it down!

    Thanks!

    Rick
  13. N Anthony S

    N Anthony S
    Virginia Beach, VA

    Thanks for the drill. It's just what the Dr. ordered. I too use the orange whip as well.
    Post Image
  14. Team Titleist Staff

    N Anthony S said:

    Thanks for the drill. It's just what the Dr. ordered. I too use the orange whip as well.
    Post Image

    Very, welcome, Anthony! What I love about the orange whip is you can't throw it from the top. You have to move in sequence from the ground up and it trains you to allow gravity to supply a lot of momentum to the swing.
  15. pulplvr

    pulplvr
    Spring, TX

    Military
    Intriguing concept, Rick. It is something different to consider between rounds this winter. Maybe I'll go out back on one of those 35-40 degree days when I've decided not to play and try it out. How far does the disc usually go after you bounce it? Does it bounce the same off grass as off your mat?
  16. Team Titleist Staff

    pulplvr said:

    Intriguing concept, Rick. It is something different to consider between rounds this winter. Maybe I'll go out back on one of those 35-40 degree days when I've decided not to play and try it out. How far does the disc usually go after you bounce it? Does it bounce the same off grass as off your mat?

    Hi, Ted. In my example the Frisbee took one big bounce and wound up maybe 30-40 feet away, tops. A little less when you do it on grass. You don't have to fling the disc too hard, though. The important thing, I think, is to get the feeling of your weight shift and lower body initiating the throw. Your arm is very loose and along for the ride until the very end at the release point. I begin to get out of sequence when I start flinging it too forcefully. Keep it smooth. Good luck!
  17. Mike H

    Mike H
    Wisconsin

    These drills are great thanks for posing them Rick.
  18. David T

    David T
    Grosse Pointe Farms, MI

    Great drills Rick - thanks for posting! Long winter here in Michigan and every little bit helps!
  19. Team Titleist Staff

    David T said:

    Great drills Rick - thanks for posting! Long winter here in Michigan and every little bit helps!

    Thanks, David. Yeah, I've enjoyed this one a lot.

    If you want to go even further with the drill, swing the club with just your left hand for a bit and then slowly introduce the ball back into the equation. Chuck Quentin suggests striking a ball placed right up against an impact bag to start. Make small, easy swings and build gradually to where you're making a full, left-arm-only swing and collecting the ball at the bottom of the downswing.

    Next step is to take the impact bag away. Make some small chips with the left hand only and gradually build up again to some fuller shots. Always keep that Frisbee feel in mind.

    The final advanced stage of the drill would be to re-introduce the right hand on the grip of the club. Barely place your right hand on the grip and try to feel the same left-arm dominant, from-the-ground-up swing. The right hand only goes along for the ride.

    Taking it slowly in small steps like this is a great way to gradually meld the good motion into your actual swing without over-doing it. Good luck!

    Rick
  20. Speedy

    Speedy
    Newmarket, NH

    Love it! Thank you for sharing and always like a video to go with the instructions.... It's good to a get a visual to see what the drill is versus just reading.. Well done...

    Cheers!
  21. Team Titleist Staff

    Speedy said:

    Love it! Thank you for sharing and always like a video to go with the instructions.... It's good to a get a visual to see what the drill is versus just reading.. Well done...

    Cheers!

    Glad you liked it, Speedy! Let us know if you have any success with it.

    All the best,

    Rick
  22. Kathy J

    Kathy J
    Portland, OR

    Thanks for sharing a good winter golf tip for practicing!
  23. Team Titleist Staff

    Kathy J said:

    Thanks for sharing a good winter golf tip for practicing!

    My pleasure, Kathy. hope it helps!

    All the best,

    Rick

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