Chair — Golf Drill

The humble chair might seem like an unlikely golf instructor, but leading coaches like Scratch Golf Academy and Ashley Knoll Golf have transformed this everyday object into one of the most effective training tools for developing proper hip rotation and maintaining posture throughout your swing. Whether you're struggling with power loss, inconsistent ball striking, or that dreaded lateral sway, the chair drill addresses these fundamental issues by teaching your body the correct movement patterns.

How to practise it

  1. Set up with chair one inch behind your rear Address position with slight gap between your glutes and chair seat. Feel the proximity without contact.
  2. Touch chair with backswing, maintain head position Wind back until your rear end lightly touches the chair. Keep your head centered throughout the motion.
  3. Push chair back in transition with hip drive From the top, drive your hips forward and slightly open to knock the chair backward. Feel the power transfer.
  4. Execute full swings with chair feedback Make complete swings hitting balls while using chair to monitor hip sequence and posture maintenance.
  5. Remove chair and replicate the sensation Hit shots without the chair, maintaining the same hip rotation pattern you just grooved.

How does the chair drill help with hip rotation in my golf swing?

The chair drill teaches proper sequencing by having you touch the chair with your rear end during the backswing, then push it away during transition. As demonstrated by Milo Lines Golf and Steve Pratt Golf, this movement helps maintain posture while creating the correct hip rotation and lateral shif

Why am I not getting enough power with my driver despite turning my body?

According to Golf Secrets, 'a turn will not create a swing but a swing will create a turn.' Less effective players try to make their body move the club instead of letting the swing create natural body movement. Ashley Knoll Golf emphasizes learning the proper separation sequence in three steps for r

How can I stop getting stuck in my downswing?

Getting stuck typically means your trail arm is trapped behind you coming down, as explained by Scratch Golf Academy. The chair drill can help by teaching proper hip movement and preventing the right hip and shoulder from dropping into an under position during the downswing.

How each of them teaches it

Coaches who demonstrate the chair drill, each linked at the second they start.

  1. Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard: Stop Standing Up Through Impact! (from 0:05). Place your hips against a chair at address and maintain butt contact throughout the downswing to prevent early extension and maintain posture.
  2. Scratch Golf Academy: Chair Drill for Perfect Golf Hip Rotation (Simple Fix) #scratchgolfacademy #golftips #golfskill. Using a canvas chair to simulate the impact position, teaching the golfer how to push forward and open the hips for maximum leverage.
  3. Scratch Golf Academy: The Real Reason Your Golf Swing Looks Stuck (from 3:17). Uses a canvas chair to teach the feel of pushing through impact with open hips and weight shifted forward.
  4. Steve Pratt Golf: This Move Made Me a Long Hitter! #shorts (from 0:11). Using a chair behind the glutes to ensure the left hip 'orbits' or stays back during the turn to prevent early extension.
  5. Milo Lines Golf: Use This Chair Drill To Maintain Posture!. Uses a chair behind the golfer to provide tactile feedback for maintaining glute depth and preventing early extension.
  6. JChownGolf: The Ultimate Guide To Clearing Your Hips (Full Masterclass) (from 13:49). Position a chair behind you to ensure you maintain hip depth in the backswing and 'close the door' with the lead hip in the downswing.
  7. JChownGolf: How To ALWAYS Stay Down Through The Golf ball (from 7:27). Place a chair half a grip's length behind you; feel the right hip touch it in the backswing and the left hip 'close the door' against it in the downswing.
  8. Bryan Seton | Golf, Simplified: The Chair That Fixed My Slice #shorts (from 0:02). Place a chair behind your glutes to ensure the lead hip clears and stays back during the downswing, preventing a slice.
  9. Steve Pratt Golf: These 2 Key Moves Will Help You Release the Clubhead ON PLANE! (from 4:50). Place a chair behind you and practice lifting it with your glutes during the backswing and downswing to increase hip flexion and prevent early extension.
  10. Golf Secrets: A Turn Will NOT Create a SWING but A Swing Will Create a Turn! | Secret To a Free Flowing Golf Swing (from 17:16). Sit on the front corner of a chair to isolate the hands and arms, swinging with minimal body movement to feel the weight of the clubhead.
  11. JChownGolf: How To ALWAYS Clear Your Hips In The Downswing (from 14:14). Place a chair or golf bag behind you to ensure the right hip moves back in the backswing and the left hip moves back to hit the chair in the downswing.
  12. Eric Cogorno Golf: GOLF: How To Hit The Ball Then The Turf With Your Irons - 3 Best Drills (from 7:38). Using a chair placed outside the lead leg to provide a physical boundary for the hips and belt buckle to rotate against during the follow-through.

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