The Best Free Golf Video Lessons565 Free Golf Lessons from the Best ProsOver 120,000,000 views
565 lessons from professionals, selected and summarizedOver 120,000,000 views across all videos
Body RotationSwing and Swing PlaneSpeed, Power, and Distance All clubs Expert / Intermediate ⏱ 22 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Xander Schauffele and His Father's Side-Step Drill

Xander Schauffele's swing was developed by his father, Stefan, a former athlete. Together with Chris Como, they demonstrate the classic drills: the hammer and nail, the side step, the baseball pitcher's back foot, and the left heel hitting the ground.

▶
Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

10 minSame problemGolf Swing Follow-Through: Translation, Rotation, ExtensionKevin Faivre · Intermediate2 minSame problemJustin Rose's ball drill: rotating without liftingJustin Rose · Intermediate4 minFrom the same proXander Schauffele's Short Approaches: Ball Behind the GreenXander Schauffele · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Stefan Schauffele comes from track and field, where we learn that Speed is developed during adolescence: He encouraged his son to hit hard from an early age. Speed comes from the ground and from a fluid sequence of movements, just like the hammer—you had to learn to bring it down on a nail in a single stroke. The key exercise is the side step: With the club raised to the quarter position, Xander takes a step toward the target, feels the weight shift to his right buttock, then pushes hard off his left heel, which initiates the transition. On the course, he replaces this with a slight lift of the left heel.

The back foot It remains square or slightly closed, never open, like a baseball pitcher pushing off the mound. Her trainer’s rule: the right knee never extends past the big toe, and the pressure remains on the inside of the foot. The left heel, as it lands, provides the momentum and timing for impact. Other tools: a break at the top, with your eyes closed, to make sure everything is loaded; the image of a rubber band to “leave the club behind” on the downswing; and a marked club to help you find your ball position from one week to the next.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Position your back foot square or very slightly turned in.
  2. Raise the club to the top of the backswing, with your feet together.
  3. Take a step toward the target with your left foot, feeling the tension in your right glute.
  4. Keep the pressure inside your right foot: your knee should not extend past your big toe.
  5. Push hard with your left heel—that's what initiates the transition.
  6. Leave the club “behind you” as your lower body moves back toward the target.
  7. On the course, replace the step with a slight lift of your left heel, which you then set down again at the start of the downswing.

Key Takeaways

Speed comes from the ground and a fluid sequence of movements, like a hammer striking a nail.
Side step: Shift your weight to your right buttock, then push off with your left heel.
Hind feet square or slightly turned in, never turned out.
The right knee should not extend past the big toe during the backswing.
The left heel striking the ground provides the momentum and timing for impact.
On the downswing, “leave the club behind” as if it were a rubber band stretching out.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Open the back foot: Do not push off with a foot turned outward.
  • Let your right knee extend past your big toe, and let the pressure flow to the outside of your foot.
  • Keep your weight on your left foot during the backswing: without weight transfer, there’s no power at impact.
  • If you swing too hard, you'll hit the club down, making it hard to get the clubface square.
  • Bend your left arm at the top of the swing without control: the club will then go in the wrong direction.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Side steps at a slow pace, without a ball, then with balls
  2. Pause at the top of the swing, then do the same with your eyes closed
  3. Check the right knee above the big toe
  4. Lift your left heel, then set it down firmly to feel the club load up

Your Questions

How do you do the side step exercise?

Schauffele takes the club back to the quarter-backswing position, takes a step toward the target, feels the weight shift to his right buttock, and then pushes hard off his left heel. His father considers it simple, old-school, and greatly underrated: it works on both the weight transfer and the timing of impact.

Why shouldn't the back foot be turned out?

Just like a baseball pitcher on the mound, you should push off with a foot turned inward, not outward. If your foot is turned too far outward, your hip rotates more easily, but your right glute no longer engages.

What is the purpose of pausing at the top of the swing with your eyes closed?

He has to check that everything is properly loaded at the top and that it’s in the right position, without being able to see. His father stands behind him to check.

What does “leaving the club behind” mean?

This is what Stefan Schauffele looks like: at the transition, his lower body moves toward the target while the club continues backward for a moment, like a rubber band stretching. That’s what creates the lag in his wrists.

Learn More

All “Body Rotation” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Swing and Swing Plane” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Speed, Power, and Distance” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Golf Swing Follow-Through: Translation, Rotation, ExtensionSequential hip support recovery (lateral translation, rotation, extension): club on the shoulders; a stick is used to correct those who turn and stand up too early. Pete Cowen's Golf Pivot: The Spiral SwingPeter Cowen builds the posture from the hip bones, then describes the pivot as a spiral that rises from the left foot to the right shoulder and uncoils. Hitter vs. Thrower Swing: The Real DifferencesCompare the swing of someone who hits the ball with someone who throws it to the target: intent changes the setup, the move, the release and the finish; change the start and the end. Xander SchauffeleAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Xander Schauffele). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

* Amateur competitions with guidance from the pros