Coin — Golf Drill

If you've ever chunked a simple chip shot and wondered why your technique seems to abandon you at crucial moments, James Ridyard's coin drill might be the breakthrough you've been searching for. This deceptively simple practice method involves placing a coin on the ground and making swings where your wedge sole just brushes the top without moving it dramatically—a technique that's incredibly revealing about your strike patterns. What makes this drill so effective is how it instantly exposes flaw

How to practise it

  1. Position the coin and observe your setup Place a coin on firm ground or practice mat. Set up in your normal chipping stance and note where the clubhead sits relative to the coin.
  2. Make slow practice swings brushing the coin Without a ball, make deliberate swings where the sole just nicks the top of the coin. Focus on a descending strike pattern.
  3. Execute 10 consecutive clean brushes Repeat the coin brush at normal tempo until you can do 10 in a row without chunking into the ground or missing entirely.
  4. Place ball just ahead of coin and chip Position a golf ball slightly forward of the coin. Your low point should now be between coin and ball for clean contact.

What is the coin drill and how does it work?

The coin drill involves placing a coin on the ground and making swings where you try to get the sole of your wedge to just nick or brush the top of the coin, not chip it. According to James Ridyard, this simple drill dramatically improves your low point control and could be the fastest way to improv

How can the coin drill help me stop chunking my chip shots?

James Ridyard explains that chunked chip shots aren't always due to poor technique - there's more to it involving what he calls 'three pillars.' The coin drill helps you develop better low point control, which is crucial for making clean contact and avoiding those frustrating chunked shots around th

How many times should I practice the coin drill to see improvement?

According to James Ridyard, doing the coin drill just 10 times can dramatically improve your low point control. The key is consistency - focus on brushing the top of the coin with each swing rather than trying to hit it hard.

How each of them teaches it

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

  1. AlexElliottGolf: Can ONE Tip End Your Golf Swing Frustration? (from 5:05). Place one coin at your ball position and a second coin one clubhead width behind it. Make slow-speed swings aiming to clip the front coin while avoiding the rear coin to build proper low-point coordination.
  2. James Ridyard: The coin drill is simple — but incredibly revealing. Place a coin on the ground and use a wedge to brush or nick the top of the coin without hitting the ground or 'chipping' the coin away.
  3. James Ridyard: Let’s revisit the coin drill shall we.. (from 0:10). Place a coin on the ground and use the sole of a wedge to nick the top of the coin, focusing on brushing it rather than hitting it.
  4. James Ridyard: The Coin Drill That Fixes Chunked Chip Shots (from 4:13). Place a coin (like a nickel) on the ground and attempt to strike the front edge of it with the club's sole to make it pop up, training a forward low point.
  5. AlexElliottGolf: I FOUND The Biggest Putting Cheat Code To Stop 3 Putting. How is this legal? (from 14:03). Placing a coin on the back of the putter; it should fall off in the transition to ensure a smooth change of direction rather than a jerky acceleration.
  6. Golf Mates: How To Break 90: The Complete Golf Guide (from 13:21). A putting drill where a coin is placed on top of the putter head to ensure proper tempo and smooth acceleration through impact rather than trying to keep it balanced throughout the stroke.

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