Golf Alignment & Direction Drills
Golf alignment drills and gate drills train start direction and face control — so you fix a slice, reduce a pull, or hit it where you aim. This guide covers the best golf alignment drills and gate drill golf exercises you can do at the range, with scoring and par.
What are gate drills in golf?
Gate drills use two sticks or targets to create a “gate” you hit the ball through. They train start direction and face control — where the ball starts and how much it curves. Gate drill golf exercises are among the best golf alignment drills because they give you a clear pass/fail on each shot and a score to improve. This guide covers gate drills and other golf alignment drills you can do at the range, with par and scoring so your practice is measurable.
What's a gate drill and how do I do it?
Gate drill setup: place two alignment sticks or clubs a few paces in front of you, in line with your target, to form a gate. Hit shots through the gate. Start with a wide gate, then narrow it as you improve. Score how many out of 10 go through — that’s your golf practice drill with a number to beat. At TeeBetter we have challenges like Thread the Needle and Shrinking Goal Posts that turn gate drill golf into structured golf practice with par and scoring.
What drills help with golf alignment?
The best golf alignment drills for start direction and face control:
- Gate drills — Thread the Needle, Shrinking Goal Posts. Hit through a gate; score how many through. Train start line and face.
- Start-line test — Start Line Test: hit to a target and note where the ball starts. Score consistency of start direction.
- Two-target switch — Two-Target Switch: alternate between two targets; score how often you hit the chosen target. Builds face and path control.
- Curve drills — Curve From the Line, Curve to the Line. Train face and path so you can reduce slice or hit a draw.
Each works best with a par to beat and scoring. See our Start Direction challenges for full setup and scoring.
How do I fix my slice at the range?
Use golf alignment drills and face-to-path work: gate drills, start-line tests, and curve drills. Practice with a par and score every shot so you have a number to improve. Structured golf practice — with clear drills and scoring — is what fixes a slice at the range. For more on building a session, see how to structure a golf practice session and our challenges.
FAQ
What are gate drills in golf?
Gate drills use two sticks or targets to create a 'gate' you must hit the ball through. They train start direction and face control — where the ball starts and how much it curves. Score how many through the gate to measure improvement.
What's a gate drill and how do I do it?
Set two alignment sticks or clubs a few feet in front of you, in line with your target, to form a gate. Hit shots through the gate. Start wide, then narrow it. Score how many out of 10 go through. It's one of the best golf alignment drills for start direction.
What drills help with golf alignment?
Gate drills (thread the needle, shrinking goal posts), start-line tests, and two-target drills. Each should have a par or score to beat so you get measurable feedback. TeeBetter’s Start Direction challenges include these as scored golf practice drills.
How do I fix my slice at the range?
Use start direction and face-to-path drills — gate drills, curve-from-the-line, and face control challenges. Practice with a par to beat and score every shot so you have a number to improve. Our Start Direction challenges give you setup and scoring.
Use these drills in the app — track every score, beat par, and see your progress. Free to start.