The Low and Left Path Neutralizer

A blocked shot typically comes from a swing path that's too far in-to-out combined with a clubface that doesn't square up in time. The club is approaching from too far inside the target line, and if the face stays open relative to that path at impact, the ball starts right and holds its line or drifts further right — producing the classic "block." This is functionally the directional opposite of a slice, which comes from an out-to-in path and an open face.

Rico places the pathpal TrueStrike trainer flat on the ground in a position that creates the physical sensation of keeping the club low and to the left through impact. This low-and-left cue counteracts an excessively in-to-out path by training the hands and club to release more toward the target and slightly left, rather than continuing to swing out to the right after contact — which is what produces the block.

This cue describes the direction your hands and the club head travel immediately after striking the ball. Rather than the club continuing to track out to the right (which happens with an exaggerated in-to-out path), "low and left" trains the release to move the club more toward and across the target line. Rico notes that doing this correctly can even start to produce a slight fade, which is a sign the path has been successfully neutralized from too far in-to-out toward a more balanced delivery.

No — a moderate in-to-out path is actually associated with powerful ball-striking and is often a goal for golfers working to escape a slice. The problem only arises when the path becomes excessive, which is what Rico is addressing here. At that point, the face-to-path relationship breaks down and the player starts blocking shots right rather than hitting a controlled draw. The drill's goal is neutralizing an over-correction, not eliminating in-to-out entirely.

Rico Riciputi is the founder of Coach Club, an indoor golf training facility in North Hampton, New Hampshire (with a second location in Newburyport, Massachusetts), featuring TrackMan simulators and year-round coaching. He is a PGA Class A Member, was named New England PGA Teacher of the Year in 2022, and has appeared on Golf Digest's "Best Young Teachers in America" list across multiple consecutive cycles.