Mini Swing -- Place 3 balls on the ground (along your target line) approximately 3 feet apart from one another.  Tee up all 3 balls.  While choking down on a 7-iron (placing your hands respectively lower down on the grip), put a tee in the back-end of the grip itself.  While making this mini-swing, swing the clubhead slightly inside the back ball as you begin your backswing.  As your wrists cock at the halfway back position (about hip-high), the tee from the back-end of the grip should now be pointing down towards the back ball.  As you start the downswing, swing through, hitting the middle ball as straight as possible, and only about 100 yards.  (Place more emphasis on solid ball-striking than on distance).  Then, as you continue forward from impact, follow-through to a position where the tee in the grip is now pointing towards the forward ball.  If you see that the tee is pointing towards the forward ball, then you will know that you have "released" correctly.  Proper "release" of the club is easily accomplished when the club is traveling "on-plane" throughout the downswing.  The whole "releasing" process refers to the squaring of the clubface through the hitting zone – impact!  In order for this to happen correctly, a combination of the arms, forearms, wrists and hands must be turning over one another – the right side over the left -- through the hitting zone.

THIS DRILL IS STRONGLY FOCUSING UPON PROPER EXTENSION OF THE CLUB AND ARMS DURING THE BACKSWING AS WELL; CONSEQUENTLY, SO THAT THE RIGHT ELBOW AND/OR CLUB DOES NOT GET "SUCKED IN" TOO SOON.  THIS DRILL IS ALSO EMPHASIZING CORRECT SWING PLANE AND THE PROPER COCKING AND RE-COCKING OF THE HANDS AND WRISTS.

Top of Swing – Take your normal address position.  Keep your spine angle in its original address position.  Next, cock your wrists vertically.  As your arms fold, lay the club on your right shoulder.  Then, while keeping your arms folded with your club on your right shoulder, turn your shoulders 90° (simulating the same way the shoulders should turn in a real swing).  Lastly, extend your arms and hands as far away from your right ear and shoulder area as you can – as to once again simulate the proper top of swing look/positioning.  NOTE:  DO NOT CHANGE YOUR BODY POSITION OR SPINE ANGLE DURING THIS DRILL!

A flatter swing plane promotes a shut/closed clubface, where the clubface points more skyward at the top of the backswing.  In a very shut position (where the wrist of the left hand is very bent/bowed back), you would literally be able to set a beverage on the clubface.  A shut clubface could certainly cause shots to go to the left of your intended target – because of the clubface having the probability of remaining shut through impact.  Additionally, a swing plane that is too upright promotes an open clubface – where the toe of the club points too much down towards the ground when at the top of the backswing.  The left hand wrist here is bowed back in the opposite direction than that of the shut clubface position, and is consequently in what is termed a very "cupped" position.  An open clubface could certainly cause shots to go to the right of your intended target – because the clubface now has a high probability of returning into the ball at impact with the face still in an open position.

TRY THIS:  To create the proper feel for a gradual release, also try hitting some shots with just your left hand (teeing the ball up slightly while doing this drill will help encourage better contact with the ball).  This drill will encourage you to rotate your left forearm properly throughout your entire downswing and into your finish position.  So, try hitting some shots with your left hand only.  Then, hit some balls using both hands to duplicate the feeling of your gradual release (the left forearm rotating counterclockwise through impact).

NOTE:  The picture on the left demonstrates what an actual true "releasing" motion of the hands, wrists, and forearms looks like when properly done.

NOTE:  The picture on the right shows what NO RELEASE looks like.  Notice that when the arms are at their post-impact (hip-high) position, there's a "space" in-between the forearms -- with a proper release there is no space in-between the forearms.  Additionally, notice how the left hand (glove hand) is "high" -- with the knuckles "up".  Consequently, the clubface is in an open position -- and the golf ball will go to the right -- sooner or later.  I would suggest making some swings in a mirror to check and see just how well your release may or may not be.

Pre-set --   Use golf balls and a 7-iron when attempting this drill.  Start this drill by immediately cocking your wrists from your address position -- so that the clubshaft becomes parallel to the ground and your target line.  At this point you should feel a little "tension" in both of your hands and wrists -- as now your hands are basically positioned in the center of your stance.  Now, from that position, swing the club up, to the top, so that you complete your backswing.  Then, from there, swing the club back down, and through, hitting your golf ball, and then working into the completion of your swing.  When doing this drill, the focus should be on returning the club, and its angle (parallel to your target line), back down into the same angle that you established when you pre-set your hands/club initially.  When this happens, your club will now be placed in better "on-plane" positions throughout, and better golf shots will certainly result!

Left Toe Back -- THIS IS A GREAT DRILL FOR SOMEONE WHO HOOKS (WHERE THE BALL STARTS OUT TO THE RIGHT OF YOUR TARGET AND THEN CURVES BACK TO THE LEFT).  THIS IS ALSO AN EXCELLENT DRILL FOR SOMEONE WHO HITS SOLID BLOCKS TO THE RIGHT BECAUSE OF THEIR HIPS OR UPPER BODY SLIDING EXCESSIVELY TO THE LEFT (AND USUALLY OPENING TOO SOON) IN THE DOWNSWING.  When the hips "clear" or "open" too soon, there is no room for the club to move down the target line through impact.  The player who “clears” too soon is probably a "handsy" player – and therefore having to rely too much upon the hands squaring the clubface through impact – and that can quickly lead to very inconsistent shot-making.  With a 7-iron and no balls teed up, assume your normal address position.  Now, draw your left toe/foot back, by making your foot vertical (toe on ground) and keeping all your weight on your right foot.  Try to stay as balanced as possible.  Stay steady and swing through the ball.

This drill allows you to swing left on the downswing -- a different feeling for you – because now your arms are swinging and your body is turning!  WHEN DOING THIS DRILL, KEEP THE CLUBFACE FROM TURNING OVER EXCESSIVELY (HOLD OR MINIMIZE YOUR RELEASE), AND TRY TO HIT SOME FADES/CUT SHOTS -- WHERE YOUR SHOTS START OUT TO THE LEFT OF YOUR TARGET AND THEN CURVE BACK AND LAND ON YOUR TARGET.  NEXT, try hitting some straight shots -- that is the ultimate goal!

Anti-Slice -- **  GREAT DRILL FOR A SLICER  **  With a 7-iron, take your normal address position.  Once again, make sure that your body lines are ALL parallel to your target line.  Now, drop your right foot back and keep your weight on the heel of your right foot.  With your right foot dropped back, this drill will allow much more room for the club to drop into the "slot" on the downswing – inevitably getting the clubhead "on-plane" -- and to swing the clubhead out to "right field", to promote a draw.  Make sure the ball position is slightly right of center (back) in your stance when you try this drill.

THIS DRILL IS WONDERFUL FOR THE PERSON WHO SLICES -- BECAUSE OF THEIR CURRENT "OUTSIDE-IN" SWING -- TYPICALLY CAUSING SLICES.  ADDITIONALLY, THIS IS A GREAT DRILL FOR THE PLAYER WHO GETS THEIR RIGHT HIP AND RIGHT SHOULDER TOO HIGH AT ADDRESS, CAUSING A POORER POSTURE, AND INEVITABLY ENCOURAGING EVEN MORE OF AN "OUTSIDE-IN" SWING PATH ON THE DOWNSWING.

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