One good, one bad, one terrible. The single most common complaint in amateur golf — and the hardest to diagnose in a single video.
4,720 videos by 146 coaches set out to fix wild swings.
What wild swings looks like
You experience unpredictable strikes across the clubface, hitting shots fat, thin, or off the heel and toe. Off the tee, shots frequently end up in trees, rough, bunkers, or penalty areas, leaving you without a clear line to the green.
Why it happens
Arm collapse and losing swing radius Pulling the lead arm across your chest or letting your arms separate from body rotation collapses your swing width. This alters the club's arc, making it difficult to return the clubhead to the bottom of the ball consistently. How to tell: Check your backswing position on video to see if your lead arm is pinned flat across your chest rather than staying structured with your body turn. The idea: Backswing. From Giles Gill Golf, Alistair Davies Golf, Jimmy Ballard Golf 2.0.
Flipping wrists through impact Excessive wrist action or rolling the wrists through the hitting zone destroys strike stability and alters shaft alignment. This sudden manipulation causes unpredictable contact, sending shots off-centre or high and low on the face. How to tell: Look at your finish position to see if your trail arm has rolled over your lead arm and the club grip points away from your body. The idea: Release. From Rob Cheney Golf, ChrisRyanGolf.
Over-swinging for maximum distance Trying to achieve maximum clubhead speed by smashing the ball forces you out of position and off your swing path. Chasing maximum distance usually compromises sweet-spot contact and produces wild misses into severe trouble. How to tell: Notice if your worst misses off the tee occur on holes where you try to hit the ball with maximum effort rather than focusing on solid contact. The idea: Tempo. From Golf Monthly, Matt Fryer Golf.
The fix
The drills that fix wild swings
Most-taught first, each with the coaches who teach it.
Strike Gate Drill: Two tees pushed into the ground either side of the ball, just wider than the clubhead, with an iron, wedge or driver; swing through without clipping either tee. 5 coaches teach it.
Putting Gate Drill: Two tees (or balls) pushed into the green either side of the ball, just wider than the putter head; the putter swings through the gap without touching either. 6 coaches teach it, and we filmed it.
6 Ways To Consistently Break 90 (Proven By Data!) by Golf Monthly. Tee up on the side of your miss (e.g., right side for a slice) to aim diagonally and create more room for the ball to stay in play.
Ultimate Drill For Consistent Irons by Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard. Place a strike spray line on the ground and position the ball 2 inches in front of it to practice hitting the ground in front of the ball.