How do you have a consistent golf swing? Consistency is all about getting to the ball the same way every time, with the shaft leaning forward. It isn't a perfect backswing, and it isn't a pretty finish. It's a repeatable impact position. So start at impact, use your big muscles to pull the handle through instead of flipping your hands, and groove it with three drills: the half and full, the bottle drill and the towel drill.

These are my three favourite drills, and I still use them all the time on my own swing.

Want a more consistent golf swing? My three favourite drills.

Why your golf swing is so inconsistent

Most inconsistent swings I see have the same problem: the hands are doing something different at impact than they did at setup, and the club is being thrown at the ball.

Jason sent me his swing and said, "Dude, I'm trying all this stuff, I feel like I'm getting close, but I can't put it together." At setup his hands were down low. At impact they were way up high. When you try to get your hands to a different position at impact than where they started, oh man, that's going to be tough to make consistent.

Then from the top he was getting into a good spot and going, "Oh, I want to throw the club at the ball." No. We want to go down and through, not up and through.

Brady had it worse. His irons used to be the best part of his game, and now they were all over the place. He was pushing the club out at the ball. I like to say we're not fishing for a salmon. We're trying to hit a golf ball. You want to be pulling the club through the ball, not pushing it.

Start at impact, not at the top

Instead of swinging back and trying to connect with the ball, start at the impact position and swing back and forth from there. Your hands should start and finish in roughly the same place.

To find it: take the club back until it's just behind your trail foot, straighten your lead leg, keep your trail leg bent, and turn. Hands ahead of the club, shaft leaning forward. Then hit little shots from there and add speed.

Jason's consistency fix: start at impact, then back, half and through.

One thing at a time. With Jason, I'd have loved his shoulders a little more to the right too, but that's getting too complicated. Fix impact first.

Fix your setup: closer, lower, hands behind the line

Sometimes the problem is baked in before you even swing. Jimmy was struggling with consistency, and from swing one it was clear he was too far from the ball, with his arms way out in front of him.

So we:

• moved him a little closer to the ball,
• got his hands a little lower,
• and had him imagine a line in front of his hands that they stay behind at all times.

Then little shots, keeping the hands behind the line. Then a little longer. If you're also catching some off the heel, that's the same line I use for shanks: How to Stop Shanking Your Irons.

The 3 drills for a consistent golf swing

1. The half and full. Take it back halfway, then swing through with full power. The whole idea is that your lower body drives the swing. You start the lower body turning, and that pulls the rest of the club through. While you're doing it, think about your lead butt cheek moving back to touch a wall behind you. Some days I'll hit my whole bucket this way, then hit two full swings at the end and call it good. The feeling is just fantastic, and it trains your impact position to be powerful and repeatable.

2. The bottle drill. Put an object, like a bottle, on the ground just inside the target line, back behind the ball. Take the club outside it on the way back and inside it on the way through. Out, in. That's the good loop. It may produce a draw, it may even produce a hook, and I'm perfectly happy with that. What it gets rid of is the deadly over-the-top move that gives you chunks, tops and shanks.

3. The towel drill. Put a towel (or any piece of fabric) under your lead armpit to keep that arm connected. Then do the half and full with the towel in there. By doing it over and over, you get the feel of pulling the handle through. If you can master that impact position, oh boy, you're in great shape.

Bonus: you can't do this drill enough

Here's the one I practise all the time. The chip shot is nothing more than a short version of your golf swing, so it's the perfect place to learn ball striking. And you don't need a range. A practice green, or a living room with some ping-pong balls, works fine.

Set up in your hitting position: butt pushing back, lead hip opening up, shaft leaning forward, club face pointed at the target as long as possible. Hit little shots, back and through. When you hit them well, you can feel how the ball pops off the face. Then go a bit longer, then up to a 40-yard shot, keeping the same feel. You can even practise spinning it right to left and left to right right there on the chipping green.

You can't do this drill enough: ball striking practice with nothing but a chip shot.

If you've got a club face that's square for a long time through impact, there's a big hitting area where the ball goes straight. If the club passes your hands, there's really no margin for error. That's consistency in one sentence.

FAQ: a consistent golf swing

How do I make my golf swing more consistent?

Get to the ball the same way every time, with the shaft leaning forward. Start at your impact position, groove it with short swings, then add speed.

Why is my golf swing so inconsistent?

Usually it's your hands. They end up somewhere different at impact than at setup, or you're throwing the club at the ball. Check your distance from the ball and your hand height too.

How do I hit my irons more consistently?

Pull the handle through instead of pushing or flipping the club. The half and full drill and the towel drill are the quickest ways to feel it. For the strike itself, see How to Compress the Golf Ball.

How long does it take to get a consistent golf swing?

It depends how much you practise the right thing. The good news is you can practise impact all year, even in the winter, with a ping-pong ball in your living room.

Can my clubs help with consistency?

They can make it easier, but they won't replace the drills. I play same length irons, which means one setup and one swing for every iron: One Swing, Ten Clubs: The Real Benefits of Single Length Irons. If you're curious, my Avoda link is here (I get a small commission if you buy through it).

Ready to make it repeatable? 30 Days to Better Ball Striking masters your impact position slowly, adds speed to it, then drills consistency so it sticks. Pick one of the three drills for your next range session and let me know how it goes.

Learn to hit it where you want it to go. All of my courses, from ball striking to chipping, putting and bunkers, are in the Big Swing Kings store →