The Pump Drill
Why this drill
The downswing's first move decides everything after it. Pumping the club halfway down — twice, slowly, into the delivery slot — before hitting teaches the club to drop instead of lunge, one rehearsal at a time.
Setup
A 7-iron and twelve balls off a low tee. No targets needed for the first half — this is a movement drill.
The drill
Swing to the top. Pump the club down until your hands reach hip height — club shallow, trail elbow tucking to your side — then return to the top. Pump again. On the third move down, hit the ball. Twelve balls at that rhythm: pump, pump, strike. The pace stays deliberate; the moment it turns rushed, the pumps stop matching the real downswing and the drill goes hollow. Finish with three normal swings feeling the first pump happen on its own.
One thought to take with you
The club falls to the slot before it turns through — gravity first, rotation second.