This tricky 2-club drill will help you keep the clubface straight

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a new GOLF.com series where we share improvements, insights and insights from amateur golfers like you – including some of the speed bumps and challenges they’ve encountered along the way.

Since the dawn of time (or so it seems), amateur golfers have struggled with keeping the clubface square at impact. It’s almost a rite of passage for most beginner golfers, as almost every one of them masters their shots with either the slice or the hook.

Even though I’ve been playing the game for 28 years, I’m no different.

However, instead of continuing to search for answers on my own, I was able to get a lesson from GOLF Top 100 instructor Brian Mogg – which has proven to be more than beneficial when it comes to getting strokes out of my game.

In my situation, I needed to know the “why.”

Why did I cut? If I didn’t cut, why did I hit in? And why didn’t my swing resemble the one I saw on TV from the pros?

In the video above, Mogg noted some major flaws in my swing that not only affected the ball’s trajectory after impact, but also resulted in loss of distance.

One of the reasons I was unable to square the face was my lack of rotation. So Mogg introduced me to a tricky two-stick drill to fix the problem – along with lots of other tips – so take a look at his advice for yourself.

This 2-club drill can help keep the clubface straight

Let me start with this: If you’re interested in trying this two-club drill, make sure you have someone who is aware of the situation – that is, pulling the club back and getting out of the way! The last thing anyone wants is to get hit by someone swinging a golf club.

Mogg repeats this in the video, saying: “If someone does something like this with a mate, please do it and get out of their way.” It’s easy to do it and then start watching [where the shot goes].”

Without that disclaimer, the video shows how Mogg can help me make better contact by turning the club higher above my head.

“You’re going to hit the ball, but because you tend to go back [with your arms] So wooden, something has to bring the club to life,” he says. “Well, when I tilt my head, it gets the club going.

“The problem is not that you put your head down. The problem is not getting the club back on its feet.”

This is where Mogg starts to overcome my poor rotation, resulting in more speed and momentum on this exercise.

“Ready to go? On the third day we go together again,” he tells me. “I’ll help you try to override this [club]Head.”

As I hit a few shots – some bad, some solid – he focuses on me gaining “more momentum” through this exercise and fully engaging.

“You focus on the face and don’t change what you’ve done,” he says. “Let’s make this area square to slightly closed – I’m just going to add a little pizzazz to the process.”

“I’m looking for more momentum [you can feel] the head swings more.”

As the results in the video show, I start making more moves and cutting out the slices or pieces. Sure, there were a few misses, but overall Mogg’s tips allowed me to create a better club path, which ultimately resulted in a square face for better shots.

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Publisher