Lead Leg Drill

Before you start

• Set up with the lead leg (left leg for right-handed golfers) firmly posted up as the anchor point.
• Stagger the trail leg (right leg) back behind the lead foot.
• Distribute weight with a 60/40 ratio (60% on the lead foot, 40% on the trail foot), feeling like door stops are underneath both feet with pressure on the inside of the lead foot and the flat/inside of the trail foot.

Movement sequence

1. Bump the hip forward slightly at set-up to establish the anchor point without keeping the left hip restricted.
2. Turn the right cheek back into the left (turning the wallet into the phone) to keep the left hip up.
3. Execute small three-quarter knockdown shots focusing purely on rotating around the posted lead side.

Key points

• Lead leg is firmly posted up at the top of the swing and remains stable through the downswing.
• Chest turns over the instep of the back foot on the backswing and over the instep of the left foot on the downswing.
• Low point of the swing is moved down and forward in front of the golf ball.

Common mistakes

Sitting back behind the lead foot or starting with a 50/50 neutral balance without the hip set forward. Making a big lateral hip slide or sway on the downswing, which kills rotation and causes hitting behind the ball. Falling back toward the trail leg during the swing.

Practice notes

Great drill to warm up with and feel proper footwork. Prevents the back leg from falling back and ensures the arms stay in front of the body. Helps achieve a more compressed, flighted, and dead-straight ball flight.