I Wish I Knew This Pitching Drill Years Ago | Completely Changed My Short Game
Clay Ballard of Top Speed Golf introduces the 'Penny Drill' to help golfers master the #1 skill in the short game: hitting the ground exactly one inch behind the ball. He debunks the myth of staying perfectly still, instead advocating for a fluid weight shift and a full clubhead release to improve consistency and strike quality.
The best players consistently strike the ground within about 1.1 to 1.2 inches of the golf ball.
Avoid staying 'locked in' or rigid; a small weight shift toward the target improves rhythm and ground contact.
Release the clubhead like tapping a hammer rather than trying to hold onto wrist angles through impact.
Keep the clubhead from dragging too far inside on the takeaway to prevent shallow, 'chunky' strikes.
Track your progress by hitting 20 'coin shots' and scoring how many times you successfully strike the target penny.