SWING TRAINING DRILLS FOR SWING PLANE, PATH AND ROTATION
Use these Stryper drills to make swing plane, club path, hand path and rotation visible. Set up, swing, adjust, repeat, improve.
KEY STRYPER DRILLS
These drills show how to use SwingMate and StanceMate as visible practice references for the movements golfers are usually asked to feel: stance width, ball position, swing plane, club path, hand path and rotation.
The list is not limited to these examples. You can use the same practice station for long game, short game, bunkers, putting, indoor practice and range sessions. The aim is simple: create a physical reference, rehearse the movement, check the result and adjust from there.
Everyone should start with this video
Watch the slice/draw setup video (below) first, even if you do not slice the ball. It explains the core SwingMate drill logic and shows how ground path, swing plane and hand path work together.
Start with 50% swings for 10 repetitions. Build toward 90% speed over the next 10. When one movement changes, other parts of the swing can change with it, so use the references to check the whole pattern rather than chasing one feel alone.
Explanation of the Three Key SwingMate Drills: Swing Plane, Club Path, Hand Path and Rotation
SwingMate is built around three core drills: the Hand Path Drill, the Swing Plane Drill and the Rotation Drill. Together, they give golfers visible references for the movement patterns they are usually told to “feel”.
1. Swing Plane Drill
Use the raised rod as a visible swing plane reference. This helps you see whether the club is working too steep, too shallow, above the intended window or buried too far underneath.
2. Hand Path Drill
Use the hand-path rod as a checkpoint for the hands and handle. This is useful when the hands throw out, lift, get trapped behind the body or move away from the intended delivery window.
3. Rotation Drill
Use the rotation rod as a body checkpoint. The goal is to rehearse turning through the shot instead of stalling, flipping or relying on the hands to save the swing.
SwingMate is not designed to force every golfer into the same swing. A slicer may need a draw-biased feel. A hooker may need a fade-biased feel. A player who gets steep may need one reference, while a player who gets too shallow or stuck may need the opposite.
The point is not to build a permanent exaggerated opposite fault. The point is to use visible references to feel the correction, exaggerate it when needed, then work back toward a more neutral and repeatable delivery.
Fix a Slice: Draw-Biased Setup for In-to-Out Practice
If your club path works across the ball from outside the target line, use the draw-biased setup as a visual rehearsal cue. You do not have to become a draw player. The drill gives you a physical reference for feeling the opposite of an out-to-in pattern, then working back toward neutral.
Right-handed draw setup
Left-handed draw setup
Draw-biased practice reference
- Use the DRAW ground-path rods as the visual club-path cue.
- For a right-handed golfer, start with the RH DRAW holes on the base plate.
- For a left-handed golfer, mirror the setup with the LH DRAW holes.
- Add the Swing Plane Drill using Hinge 2 as the raised swing-plane reference.
- Add the Hand Path Drill using Hinge 1 if the hands throw out or move away from the intended delivery window.
Fix a Hook: Fade-Biased Setup for Less Inside Delivery
If your club path gets too far from the inside, or the club gets trapped behind the body, use the fade-biased setup as a rehearsal cue. The goal is not to cut across the ball forever. The goal is to feel the club more in front of you, reduce the excessive inside path, and then work back toward neutral.
Right-handed fade setup
Left-handed fade setup
Fade-biased practice reference
- Use the FADE ground-path rods as the visual club-path cue.
- For a right-handed golfer, start with the RH FADE holes on the base plate.
- For a left-handed golfer, mirror the setup with the LH FADE holes.
- Use Hinge 2 as the main swing-plane reference.
- Use Hinge 1 to monitor hand path if your hands get trapped behind you.
Which SwingMate Setup Should You Try?
Use this table as a starting point. The right drill depends on your current movement pattern, not just the ball flight. If you work with a coach, use their diagnosis first and set SwingMate to rehearse that instruction.
| CURRENT PATTERN | TYPICAL MISS | SWINGMATE SETUP TO TRY | WHAT TO REHEARSE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Out-to-in / over the top The club path works across the ball from outside the target line. |
Slice, pull-slice, pull. | Use the DRAW ground-path rods. Add Hinge 2 as the swing-plane reference. Add Hinge 1 if your hands throw out. | Rehearse the club moving under the swing-plane rod while the ground rods remind you of the path you are trying to feel. |
|
Too far in-to-out / stuck underneath The club path gets too far from the inside, or the club gets trapped behind the body. |
Hook, push-hook, block, stuck block. | Use the FADE ground-path rods. Use Hinge 2 as the swing-plane reference. Use Hinge 1 to monitor hand path. | Rehearse a less trapped delivery. The goal is to feel the club more in front of you, then work back toward neutral. |
|
Steep but left The club is steep and the club path is still moving left across the ball. |
Pull, wipey fade, weak slice. | Use Hinge 2 first. Then add Hinge 1. Use DRAW ground-path rods only if the club still exits sharply left. | Do not assume the answer is only “more in-to-out.” First improve the plane and hand-path window, then fine-tune path. |
|
Too shallow / under plane The club gets too low, too inside, or buried behind the body. |
Hook, push, stuck block, heavy inside delivery. | Use the FADE ground-path rods. Use Hinge 2 as the swing-plane boundary. Add Hinge 3 if the body stalls. | Rehearse the club staying more in front of the body instead of getting buried behind you. |
|
Poor rotation / stalled body The body stops and the hands flip, save, or reroute the club. |
Blocks, flips, hooks, inconsistent strike. | Use Hinge 3 as the Rotation Drill. Pair it with Hinge 1 or Hinge 2 if rotation changes your hand path or swing plane. | Rehearse turning through the shot without stalling at the ball. Start slowly and rebuild the movement before adding speed. |
How StanceMate and SwingMate Work Together
For the complete practice station, combine setup references from StanceMate with swing movement references from SwingMate. StanceMate gives you measured stance width, ball position and setup structure. SwingMate then gives you ground path, swing plane, hand path and rotation references.
Right-handed draw station
Left-handed draw station
Right-handed fade station
Left-handed fade station
Want the complete station?
The Stryper Plus Golf Swing Training System combines StanceMate and SwingMate so you can train setup, ground path, swing plane, hand path and rotation from one practice station.
More Quick Drills
Once you understand the main setup logic, use the same idea for shorter and more specific practice sessions. Keep the movement slow enough that you can see the reference and repeat the pattern.
Short Game Drill
Stop Swaying Drill
Low Hands Drill
Where to Go Next
Golf Training Index
Return to the full Stryper training hub for setup, swing plane, ball flight, indoor practice and product support guides.
SwingMate Swing Plane Trainer
See the adjustable swing plane, club path, hand path and rotation trainer used in these drills.
Stryper Plus Golf Swing Training System
Get the full setup-and-swing practice station with StanceMate and SwingMate together.
SwingMate Support
Use the support page for setup help, product instructions and practical usage guidance.
Watch More Swing Change Videos
Head to the Stryper Golf YouTube channel for more drills, setup examples and swing-change videos.
For more written drills, browse the Golf Drills Blog.