Every time I see Justin Thomas on the range, he's got some obstacle behind himself and the golf ball. Often it's a series of alignment sticks poking out of the ground (you can spot him doing that often on Instagram). At the FedEx St. Jude this week, first it was a range basket, placed just behind and to the right of the golf ball.
Then it was a golf ball, placed just in front and to the left of the golf ball.
There's a method to the madness, which is why JT does it. And not just with his own golf swing, but with amateur golfers, too.
"It just started with my dad at a very young age...it's something I've always done. I feel like I just react and respond well to objects or sticks or whatever it is, and I'm able to just kind of react to them, and like I said, I'm just trying to put something to that sort of thing," he says. "I do it all the time in pro-ams, too. Guys that slash across it; if I put a head cover in front of you to the left, you need to swing and avoid that head cover."
It's that simple. Put something in the way so you're forced to swing the way you want to. Here's a quick explanation on how to do it.
Step 1: Put something (soft) in the way
You'll want to pick something that you won't be heartbroken about, or hurt yourself with, if you do hit it. That's what makes headcovers, empty water bottles, golf balls and other similar options good choices.
It's important to place your objects where you need them, as JT alluded to above.
💡 Remember: You're always trying to place the objects in the way of your bad swing. If you avoid them, that means you made a good swing.
So assuming you're looking down at the golf ball and aiming in the direction of the arrows...
↙️ If you swing over the top, or out-to-in, place an object outside the golf ball before your club approaches the ball, then another inside the golf ball after the clubhead hits the golf ball.
Swinging around the objects will force you to swing more from the inside.
↖️ If you get stuck, or swing too in-to-out, place an object inside the golf ball before your club approaches the ball, then another outside the golf ball after the clubhead hits the golf ball.
Swinging around the objects will force you to swing more from the outside.
Step 2: Focus on the feel
This, obviously, is something to be done on the range, or at home without a golf ball. The key to making it work for you is to ingrain the good technique using the drill, but then finding a feel while you're doing it to help you do it on the course.
JT explains:
"Everybody reacts to different things differently, but for me, it's just if something is there I'm subconsciously going to miss it, then what I'm trying to do is associate a feel to what I'm doing to miss that, which I feel like is swinging properly or moving how I want to."
A common-sense method, and a tour-tested one. So try it yourself.