Golf Exercises at Home: Danny Maude's Workout Routine
No driving range? Danny Maude suggests a 10-minute circuit in the backyard, like a workout: a putting drill, a chipping drill, a distance drill, a path exercise using a tennis ball, and a final drill to learn how to use the ground.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
When it comes to putting, consistency is key. Danny Maude takes a a rolled-up towel under the arch of the foot, toes and heels on each side: the pressure must remain even between the heels and toes, all the way to the finish. Second tip: you can follow the ball, but with your eyes, not with your head. At the chip, a garden stick placed along the grip serves as a reminder not to overuse your wrists: if it touches your side, your hands have taken over. It should pass under your left arm, with your body turning with the club. Then a game: make the ball land on each step of a ladder, without leaving the workshop until he has successfully completed all three.
For the swing, an exercise he credits to Peter Cowen: in the setup position, throw a tennis ball toward the ground or against a wall, and catch it. If you go over it or too far on the inside, it goes off to the side. Goal: catch five balls in a row. Last exercise: the skater—cross the yard by pushing off with one foot and then the other, to feel that The backswing and the downswing start from the ground, then the torso, the arms, and finally the clubhead. Six swings while accelerating, then back to the normal swing.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Putting: Place a rolled-up towel on the ground with your feet on either side of it, and take 5 to 10 putts while maintaining even pressure.
- Add this eye-tracking instruction: Follow the ball with your eyes without turning your head, for 5 to 10 putts.
- Chip: Hold a cane along the grip, rotate your body with the club, and hit 5 to 10 chips, just grazing the ground.
- Ladder Game: Place a ladder on the floor and try to land a ball on each rung.
- Swing: From a standing position, throw a tennis ball toward the ground so it hits a wall, and catch it five times in a row.
- Skater: Cross the garden six times, pushing off with one foot after the other, getting faster and faster.
- Finish with a few swings while maintaining contact with the ground.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Shift your weight to your toes or heels when putting.
- Turn your head to follow the ball.
- Break the chip's wrists: the cane strikes the side.
- Move on to the next workshop without having completed the challenge.
- Start the backswing with your hands instead of the ground.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- A daily 10- to 15-minute tour, workshop by workshop
- A challenge to complete before switching workshops
- Putting Progress: Flip the club cover to make the target smaller
- Finish with the skater, then a few regular swings
Your Questions
What is the purpose of the rolled-up towel when putting?
It is placed under the arch of the foot, with the toes and heel on either side. Danny Maude uses it to feel even pressure between his heels and toes and stay stable all the way to the finish.
How do you play the ladder game?
We set a ladder on the floor and practice so the ball lands on the first rung, then the second, then the third. We don't leave the workshop until we've succeeded at all three.
What does the exercise of hitting a tennis ball against a wall reveal?
The Swing Path. From your stance, throw the ball toward the ground against the wall: if you throw it too high, it goes to one side; if you throw it too far inside, it goes to the other. You have to catch it five times in a row.
Why the skater exercise?
To feel that the swing starts from the ground: the feet lead, followed by the torso, the arms, and finally the clubhead. Danny recommends taking six steps while accelerating.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Danny Maude). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.