Many accomplished and mid-handicap golfers work so hard on shallowing the club that they end up at the opposite extreme: dropping the clubhead too flat, too deep, and 'stuck' behind their trail hip on the downswing, leading to heavy turf contact, blocks, and hooks.
GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher in America and PGA Master Professional Tim Cooke (Director of Instruction at The Sea Pines Resort) sets the pathpal to a 60-degree angle with a foam noodle or The Arrow stick to train the club's sweet spot to travel on top of the plane into the back of the ball.
See the full step-by-step station on the The Vertical Swing Plane Drill page, or watch Tim demonstrate the setup below.
The drill
Tim Cooke (Director of Instruction at The Sea Pines Resort; 2017-2027: Golf Magazine Top 100 Teachers in America, 2014: Carolinas PGA Teacher of the Year, 2009: Earned PGA Master Professional in Instruction) uses the pathpal training system to give golfers immediate physical and visual feedback on every repetition.
Designed by Top 100 Teacher Tim Cooke, this drill uses the pathpal to correct a downswing that is too flat, deep, and "stuck" under the plane. By setting the alignment rod and safety noodle to a 60-degree angle, it creates a precise visual and physical boundary that forces the club's sweet spot to travel down a proper vertical swing plane for crisp, center-face contact.
Setup
- Set the pathpal base on the ground and set the primary alignment rod to a 60-degree angle (matching the rough lie angle of a 7-iron).
- Place the protective foam noodle over the alignment rod for a safe practicing boundary (or use the arrow ).
- Position the golf ball directly at the end of the base alignment stick that runs away from the 60-degree angled rod.
How to run the drill
- Start by taking slow, deliberate practice swings without a ball.
- On the downswing, visualize and feel the sweet spot of the club traveling on top of and down the angle of the noodle, rather than dropping low and deep underneath it.
- Once the feeling is comfortable, introduce a ball and hit slow, controlled shots, matching the club's path to the 60-degree angle.
- Gradually increase swing speed as you get the sweet spot consistently lining up with the back of the ball.
Instead of letting the clubhead drop low and deep underneath the 60-degree rod on the downswing, feel the sweet spot travel right down the top angle of the noodle into the golf ball.
Watch the drill
View the full guided drill on pathpal →
Why it works
When your downswing gets overly flat and under the plane, the clubhead approaches from too far inside and too shallow. Because the sweet spot is trapped behind your hands, you either hit the ground before the ball or flip the clubface shut at the last second.
Guide the sweet spot down the top of the 60-degree plane to turn trapped, stuck iron swings into pure compression.
Tim Cooke sets the primary alignment rod in the pathpal's 60-degree slot (matching the approximate lie angle of a 7-iron), covers it with a protective foam noodle (or uses The Arrow padded stick), and places the golf ball at the end of the base alignment stick. Visualizing the sweet spot riding on top of that 60-degree angle restores crisp, center-face compression.
Who this is for
- ✓Golfers who get the club 'stuck' too flat and deep behind their body on the downswing
- ✓Players who over-shallow the club and struggle with fat irons, blocks, and snap hooks
- ✓Anyone looking to improve iron compression and center-face contact with a 7-iron
- ✓Golfers who want a Tour Top-100 plane station calibrated to a 60-degree 7-iron lie angle
Try it
Set your pathpal on the ground with a padded Arrow stick (or alignment rod with a foam noodle) in the 60-degree slot and position the golf ball at the end of the base stick.
- Insert a padded Arrow stick (or alignment rod with foam noodle) into the 60-degree slot on the pathpal
- Position the golf ball at the end of the base alignment stick running away from the 60-degree rod
- Make 10 slow practice swings feeling the sweet spot travel on top of and down the 60-degree angle rather than dropping underneath it
- Hit 15 controlled 7-iron shots matching the 60-degree plane, then ramp up speed as center-face contact locks in
This drill uses the pathpal magnetic 14-angle training station and alignment sticks. Shop pathpal, pair it with The Arrow padded alignment sticks, or explore the Complete Training System with Free U.S. Shipping.
Related drills
If this drill matches what you are working on, these three guided drills build on the exact same movement pattern:
Tommy Fleetwood's Club in Front drill
Taught by David Potts. Prevent Getting Stuck and Maintain Clubhead Position. View drill →
The Forward Swing Plane Match
Taught by Brian Jacobs. Correct Your Exit Path to Eliminate Slices. View drill →
The Shaft Plane Match Drill
Taught by Janean Murphy. Dial In Your Plane for Every Club in the Bag. View drill →
About Tim Cooke
Frequently asked questions
Why does Tim Cooke choose the 60-degree slot on the pathpal for this drill?
A 60-degree angle closely matches the functional lie angle of a standard 7-iron, providing a true reference plane for the sweet spot to follow on the downswing.
What does it mean when a golfer's downswing is 'stuck'?
A golfer is stuck when the club shaft drops too flat and deep behind the trail hip on the downswing, trapping the arms behind the body and causing heavy contact, blocks to the right, or flipped hooks.
Should the club travel underneath or on top of the 60-degree rod in this drill?
Unlike anti-slice drills where slicers swing underneath a high stick, Tim Cooke's drill is for under-plane players: you visualize and feel the sweet spot traveling on top of and down the 60-degree angle into the back of the ball.
Where do I place the golf ball in Tim Cooke's setup?
Place the golf ball directly at the end of the base alignment stick that runs away from the 60-degree angled rod.
Why use a foam noodle or The Arrow stick on the 60-degree rod?
Using a soft foam boundary (either a pool noodle over a standard rod or The Arrow's padded foam shaft) lets you practice tracking close to the 60-degree plane with zero risk of scratching your irons.
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