How to Play Better Golf: 7 Golf Swing Connection Drills Every Golfer Needs
Have you ever wondered how to play better golf? Well, If your golf swing feels inconsistent, your arms feel disconnected from your body, or you struggle with problems like a flying elbow, chicken wing, or coming over the top, practicing golf swing connection drills can help you develop a better understanding of your swing.
Connection is about learning how your arms and body work together throughout the golf swing. Rather than trying to memorize a long list of swing positions, these drills are designed to help you feel the relationship between your arms and body.
Do these seven drills and watch your golf game improve instantly.
What Is Connection in the Golf Swing?
In simple terms, connection refers to the relationship between your arms and torso as you move through the golf swing.
A connected swing doesn't mean keeping your arms rigidly pinned against your body. Instead, it means learning how your arms and body can move together in a coordinated motion.
When golfers lose that connection, they may develop compensations such as a flying elbow, chicken wing, casting, or an over-the-top move.
The goal of these drills is to improve your awareness of that relationship.
Drill 1: The Connected Address Drill
Purpose:
Learn what a connected setup feels like before you start swinging.
How to do it:
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Take your normal golf stance without a club.
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Let your arms hang naturally.
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Place your hands together as if you were holding a club.
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Gently rotate your shoulders while keeping your arms relaxed.
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Notice how your arms and torso move together.
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Repeat the movement several times.
Practice:
Perform 10–15 slow repetitions.
What you should feel:
Your arms should feel connected to your torso without being tense or forced.
This is your starting point. Before trying to change your golf swing, learn what the movement feels like.
Drill 2: The Towel Connection Drill
Purpose:
Practice keeping your arms and body working together during a small swing.
How to do it:
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Place a small towel underneath both armpits.
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Take your normal golf stance.
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Make slow half-swings.
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Keep the towel lightly in place as you rotate.
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Gradually increase the size of your swing.
Don't squeeze your arms tightly against your body. The goal is awareness, not restriction.
Practice:
Start with 10 slow half-swings.
What you should feel:
Your arms and torso should feel coordinated rather than like they're moving independently.
Drill 3: The Slow-Motion Golf Swing
Purpose:
Learn the feeling of connection throughout the entire swing.
How to do it:
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Take your normal address position.
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Make your backswing extremely slowly.
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Pause at the top.
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Slowly transition toward impact.
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Continue through to your finish.
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Pay attention to how your arms and torso move together.
Try doing the drill at approximately 25% of your normal swing speed.
Practice:
Complete 5–10 slow-motion swings.
Then make several normal-speed swings while trying to recreate the same feeling.
Why it works:
Slowing the movement down gives you more time to notice what your body and arms are doing.
Drill 4: The Feet-Together Drill
Purpose:
Improve awareness of your body rotation and arm movement.
How to do it:
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Place your feet together.
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Take a comfortable golf stance.
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Make small swings.
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Keep the motion controlled.
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Gradually increase the length of the swing.
Because your stance is narrower, you naturally have to pay attention to balance and rotation.
Practice:
Make 10–20 controlled swings.
Focus on rhythm rather than speed.
Drill 5: The Half-Swing Connection Drill
Purpose:
Build connection into a repeatable golf swing movement.
How to do it:
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Start with a short backswing.
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Rotate through the ball.
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Finish with your hands around waist height.
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Keep the movement smooth.
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Repeat the same motion several times.
Once the movement feels comfortable, gradually increase the swing length.
Practice progression:
Half swing → Three-quarter swing → Full swing
The idea is to build the movement gradually instead of immediately trying to change your full-speed swing.
Drill 6: The Golf Swing Shirt Drill
Purpose:
Use physical feedback to practice arm-body connection.
The Golf Swing Shirt was designed specifically around the concept of connection and can be used as part of your golf practice routine.
How to do it:
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Put the Golf Swing Shirt over your regular golf shirt.
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Place both arms through the center sleeve.
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Start with slow practice swings.
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Pay attention to the relationship between your arms and torso.
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Gradually increase your swing length.
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Remove the shirt and make several practice swings.
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Try to recreate the same feeling without the training aid.
Practice:
Start with 5–10 slow swings and gradually work toward full swings.
The goal isn't simply to swing repeatedly while wearing the shirt. The goal is to feel the movement, practice it, and then try to reproduce the feeling in your normal swing.
[Learn more about the Golf Swing Shirt →]
Drill 7: The No-Ball Practice Drill
Purpose:
Practice your golf swing without worrying about where the ball goes.
One of the easiest ways to work on a movement is to temporarily remove the ball from the equation.
How to do it:
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Take your normal setup.
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Make a slow practice swing.
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Focus entirely on your arms and body.
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Repeat the movement at different speeds.
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Gradually increase the length of the swing.
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After several repetitions, hit a golf ball while trying to recreate the same feeling.
Practice:
Try 5–10 practice swings before hitting each set of balls.
This allows you to focus on the movement rather than immediately judging every swing by the result.
How Often Should You Practice These Drills?
You don't need to spend an hour doing connection drills.
Try 5–10 minutes at a time.
A simple practice session could look like this:
2 minutes: Connected address drill
2 minutes: Slow-motion swings
3 minutes: Half swings
3 minutes: Full swings
If you're using the Golf Swing Shirt, finish by removing it and making several normal swings to see if you can recreate the feeling.
How to Take the Feeling From the Drill to Your Golf Swing
This is one of the most important parts of practicing with any golf training aid.
Don't become dependent on the drill or training aid.
Instead:
FEEL IT
↓
PRACTICE IT
↓
REMOVE THE AID
↓
RECREATE THE FEEL
↓
HIT THE BALL
The ultimate goal is to develop enough awareness that you can recognize the connected feeling during your normal golf swing.
Common Mistakes When Practicing Connection
Trying to hold the arms too tightly
Connection doesn't mean squeezing your arms against your body.
Swinging too hard
Start slowly. Speed can make it harder to notice what your arms and body are doing.
Changing too many things at once
Pick one feeling and practice it consistently.
Only practicing with a training aid
Use the training aid to develop awareness, then practice reproducing the feeling without it.
Judging every swing by the result
During a drill, focus on the movement first. Ball flight comes second.
Can Golf Swing Connection Drills Help With a Slice?
A slice can have many different causes, so there isn't one drill that will fix every golfer's slice.
However, golfers who struggle with disconnection, an over-the-top movement, or inconsistent arm movement may benefit from practicing how their arms and body work together.
If you're specifically trying to fix a slice, see our guide:
How to Fix a Golf Slice →
Practice the Feeling of Connection
The best golf swing drills aren't necessarily the most complicated.
Start with simple movements. Practice slowly. Pay attention to what your arms and body are doing. Then gradually transfer that feeling into your normal golf swing.
The Golf Swing Shirt was created around this simple idea: help golfers feel the connection so they can practice it.
Ready to Practice?
See how the Golf Swing Shirt helps golfers practice connection.