The Best Examples of Driving Range Drills for Beginners: 3 Simple Examples That Actually Work

Let’s skip the theory and jump straight into real examples of driving range drills for beginners that you can use today. We’ll build everything around three core drills:

• A contact and balance drill
• A direction and aim drill
• A rhythm and tempo drill

From those three simple examples, we’ll add a few beginner-friendly variations so you walk away with 6–8 specific practice ideas instead of just one or two.

These are the best examples for newer golfers because they:

• Don’t require special equipment
• Work with any club
• Are easy to remember the next time you go to the range

Drill 1: The “Feet-Together” Contact Drill (Core Example #1)

If you only remember one example of a driving range drill for beginners, make it this one. It’s simple, slightly awkward at first, and incredibly effective for teaching balance and clean contact.

How to do it:

Stand with your feet almost touching—no more than a clubhead’s width apart. Use a short iron (like a 9-iron or pitching wedge). Tee the ball up just a little bit, about a half-inch off the mat or grass.

Make half swings, focusing on:

• Staying balanced throughout the swing
• Brushing the ground in the same spot each time
• Finishing with your chest facing the target

If you swing too hard, you’ll lose your balance immediately. That’s the point: your body will force you to slow down and move in a more controlled way.

Why this drill matters for beginners:

Most new golfers try to swing harder to hit the ball farther. But distance comes from clean contact and centered strikes, not brute force. This drill trains your body to stay centered and stable, which is the foundation of every good swing.

Beginner variation #1: The “3-in-a-row” challenge

Use the same feet-together setup and see if you can hit three solid shots in a row before you allow yourself to widen your stance and swing normally. If you lose balance or top the ball, reset the count.

This variation turns the drill into a simple game and helps you focus under a tiny bit of pressure—just enough to make it interesting.

Beginner variation #2: Alternate feet-together and normal swings

Hit one shot with your feet together, then one shot with your normal stance. Repeat this pattern for 10–15 balls.

You’ll start to feel how the balance and control from the feet-together swing carries over into your regular swing. This is one of the best examples of how a simple drill can directly influence your full-speed shots.

Drill 2: The “Railroad Tracks” Aim and Direction Drill (Core Example #2)

One of the most underrated examples of driving range drills for beginners: 3 simple examples is an aiming drill. New golfers often think they have a swing problem, when in reality they’re just aimed in the wrong direction.

The railroad tracks drill teaches you how to aim like a golfer, not like a baseball player.

How to set it up:

Lay two clubs or alignment sticks on the ground:

• One club points directly at your target line (this is the “ball line”)
• The second club is parallel to it, closer to your feet (this is your “feet line”)

It should look like two railroad tracks running toward your target.

Place the ball on the line of the first club, and stand with your toes along the second club.

What to focus on:

• Aim the clubface at the target first
• Then set your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line
• Keep checking your alignment between shots—don’t just assume it’s still correct

You’re teaching your eyes and body what “square” actually looks like.

Beginner variation #3: The “10-ball same target” rule

Instead of firing balls all over the range, pick a single target—like a 100-yard marker—and hit 10 balls in a row at that same target using the railroad tracks setup.

Notice the pattern:

• Are most balls starting left or right?
• Are they curving the same way each time?

This pattern is your “default shot” right now. Once you know it, you can start aiming intelligently on the course.

Beginner variation #4: Narrow the fairway

Pick two targets on the range (for example, the 100-yard sign and a tree or post off to the side) and imagine a fairway between them.

Use your railroad tracks setup and challenge yourself to keep every ball inside that imaginary fairway. This turns a simple alignment drill into a direction-control game—another real example of a driving range drill that translates directly to the course.

Drill 3: The “1-2-3 Tempo” Rhythm Drill (Core Example #3)

If you watch tour players, you’ll notice something: their swings look smooth, not rushed. Tempo is one of the big differences between beginners and experienced golfers.

The 1-2-3 tempo drill is one of the best examples of a driving range drill for beginners because it slows everything down and gives your swing a rhythm.

How to do it:

Use a mid-iron (like a 7-iron). As you swing, count out loud:

• “1” on the start of the backswing
• “2” at the top of the backswing
• “3” as you swing through and hit the ball

The idea is even timing, not speed. You don’t want “1-2-3!” like a rushed drum roll. You want “one… two… three” like a steady metronome.

Research on motor learning and skill acquisition suggests that consistent rhythm and timing help your body build repeatable movement patterns more quickly, especially for beginners learning complex skills like a golf swing. The same principle shows up in other sports and even physical rehabilitation programs supported by organizations like the National Institutes of Health.

Beginner variation #5: The slow-motion set

Hit 5–10 balls in almost slow motion using the same 1-2-3 count, but exaggerate the slowness:

• Long, smooth backswing to “2”
• Gentle, unhurried downswing to “3”

If you can make decent contact at slow speed, your mechanics are improving. Speed can come later.

Beginner variation #6: Mix tempo with club changes

Try this simple pattern:

• 3 balls with a wedge using the 1-2-3 tempo
• 3 balls with a 7-iron using the same tempo
• 3 balls with a hybrid or fairway wood, still counting 1-2-3

This shows you that the rhythm doesn’t change just because the club changes. It’s another real example of a driving range drill that builds consistency across your entire bag.

Putting It Together: A 45-Minute Beginner Range Session

Now let’s build a full practice out of these examples of driving range drills for beginners: 3 simple examples plus their variations. Imagine you have a medium bucket of balls—say 60–70 balls—and about 45 minutes.

Here’s how you might structure it, woven into a simple flow instead of a rigid checklist:

Start with a quick warm-up: a few stretches for your shoulders, hips, and back. (If you want safe, general stretching guidance, resources from the Mayo Clinic offer good overviews.) Then grab a wedge or 9-iron.

Spend your first 15–20 balls on the feet-together contact drill. Mix in the 3-in-a-row challenge and alternate between feet-together swings and normal swings. Your only job here is balance and solid contact.

Next, move into the railroad tracks alignment drill for the next 20–25 balls. Lock in your setup to one main target. Use the 10-ball same-target rule, then narrow your imaginary fairway and see how many balls you can keep “in play.”

Finish with the 1-2-3 tempo drill for your last 20–25 balls. Start with slow-motion swings, then work up to your normal speed while keeping the same rhythm. Mix in different clubs, but keep the count steady.

By the time you finish, you’ll have:

• Worked on contact
• Trained your aim
• Smoothed out your tempo

Those three pieces—contact, direction, and rhythm—are the backbone of every good beginner practice plan.

Extra Beginner-Friendly Examples to Try in 2024–2025

Golf instruction content has exploded online in the last few years, and newer players in 2024–2025 are practicing differently than they did a decade ago. Many are using simple external focus cues—things outside the body—to speed up learning.

Here are a few more examples of driving range drills for beginners that fit right into that trend and pair well with the three simple examples you’ve already learned.

The “Tee Gate” Contact Drill

Place two tees in the ground just wider than the clubhead, about 4–5 inches in front of the ball. Your goal: swing the club through the “gate” without hitting the tees.

This encourages a shallow, sweeping motion instead of a steep chop. It’s a great real example of a driving range drill that improves both contact and direction.

The “Halfway Back, Halfway Through” Control Drill

Pick a mid-iron and make swings where the club only goes:

• Back until your lead arm is parallel to the ground
• Through until your trail arm is parallel to the ground

This smaller, controlled motion helps beginners feel the clubface and body rotation without the chaos of a full swing. You can combine this with the 1-2-3 tempo count for an even more powerful practice.

The “Target Ladder” Distance-Feel Drill

Pick three different targets at increasing distances—maybe 50, 80, and 110 yards. With a single club (like a pitching wedge), try to hit each target in order: short, medium, long, then back down the ladder.

This drill teaches distance control and feel, which becomes more important as you start playing real rounds.

How Often Should Beginners Use These Driving Range Drills?

If you’re just getting started, you don’t need to live at the range. A realistic, healthy schedule for most adults might be:

• 1–2 range sessions per week
• 45–60 minutes each session

Within those sessions, spend most of your time on these examples of driving range drills for beginners rather than mindlessly smashing drivers.

If you have any health concerns—especially related to your back, shoulders, or knees—it’s smart to check with a healthcare professional before dramatically increasing your practice volume. Organizations like the CDC and NIH offer general guidance on safe physical activity and injury prevention that applies well to golf.

FAQ: Examples of Driving Range Drills for Beginners

What are some simple examples of driving range drills for beginners?

Some of the best examples include the feet-together contact drill, the railroad tracks alignment drill, and the 1-2-3 tempo drill. Add in the tee gate drill, the halfway back–halfway through drill, and the target ladder, and you’ve got 6–8 real examples you can rotate through every practice.

Which example of a driving range drill should I start with if I’m brand new?

Start with the feet-together contact drill using a wedge or 9-iron. It’s forgiving, teaches balance, and forces you to slow down. Once you can hit 5–10 solid shots in a row without losing your balance, layer in the railroad tracks alignment drill.

How many balls should a beginner hit during these drills?

Quality beats quantity. For most beginners, 50–80 balls is plenty, especially if you’re using these examples of driving range drills for beginners: 3 simple examples as the backbone of your session. Take breaks, reset your alignment, and avoid rapid-fire swings.

Can these driving range drills help me on the course, or are they just for practice mats?

Every drill here is designed to transfer directly to the course. Good contact, better aim, and smoother tempo are exactly what you need when there’s a scorecard in your hand. The key is to imagine real targets and fairways during practice instead of just “hitting into the field.”

Do I need a coach to use these examples of driving range drills for beginners?

No. A good coach can definitely speed up your progress, but these drills are intentionally designed so a beginner can follow them alone. If you do work with an instructor, bring up these drills; many teachers use similar examples and can help you fine-tune them for your swing.

If you walk onto the range with nothing more than these examples of driving range drills for beginners: 3 simple examples and a bucket of balls, you’re already ahead of most new golfers. Practice with a plan, stay patient with yourself, and let small improvements stack up over time.