Hitting a towering draw that starts out right of the flag and curls back toward it is one of the most satisfying shots in golf. This is the product of an inside-out swing path, a motion that elite players use to control the ball and unlock more power. This article gives you a step-by-step guide to dialing in your own inside-out swing, covering the proper setup, the feelings you need in your swing, and simple drills to make it second nature.
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What Exactly is an Inside-Out Shot?
First, let's get on the same page. An "inside-out" swing refers to the path the clubhead travels on during the downswing and through impact. Imagine a straight line that goes from your ball to your target (the target line).
An inside-out path means your clubhead approaches the ball from inside this target line and travels out to the outside of it after impact.
An outside-in path (the cause of the dreaded slice) is the opposite. The club comes from outside the line, cuts across the ball, and moves back inside.
A neutral path travels directly down the target line.
To hit a draw (a ball that curves right-to-left for a right-handed golfer), you need two things to happen: an inside-out path and a clubface that is closed relative to that path. So, if your path is swinging 4 degrees to the right (inside-out), but your clubface is only pointed 2 degrees right at impact, the ball will start right and gently curve back to the target. This relationship between path and face is what creates that beautiful, controlled flight.
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You can make the inside-out path much easier to achieve before you even take the club back. The right setup encourages the right swing path. Most slicing golfers do the opposite: they open their stance to compensate for a slice, which only encourages the out-to-in path even more.
Adjust Your Alignment
This is the simplest way to pre-set an inside path. Think of it as aiming your body where you want the swing to go, and your club where you want the ball to end up.
Aim the Clubface: First, place your clubhead behind the ball and aim the face directly at your final target (the flagstick, the middle of the fairway, etc.).
Close Your Stance: Now, set your feet, hips, and shoulders on a line that points slightly to the right of your target (for a right-hander). A good guide is to aim about 10-15 yards right of a target that's 150 yards away. This creates a "closed stance."
Just by setting up this way, you've given your body a clear runway to swing from the inside. You've essentially tricked yourself into making the correct motion.
Adjust Your Body Tilt
A subtle but powerful setup change is adding a slight spine tilt away from the target. When you address the ball, simply feel your spine tilt slightly to your right, so your head is behind the golf ball.
This does two things:
Promotes a Rounder Arc: The tilt helps your shoulders turn on a steeper plane going back, making it easier for the club to drop to the inside on the way down. An upright posture often leads to a flat shoulder turn and an over-the-top move.
Encourages Inside Attack: With your center of gravity slightly back, it becomes much more natural to approach the ball from behind (from the inside) rather than coming down steeply on top of it.
The Backswing: Turn and Create Space
A faulty takeaway or a weak turn will kill your chances of an inside-out path before you even reach the top. Your goal in the backswing is to create enough space for the club to drop onto the correct path in the downswing.
Focus on a One-Piece Takeaway
The first few feet of the backswing are so important. So many golfers immediately snatch the club inside with their hands, which forces them to "reroute" over the top on the way down. Instead, focus on a "one-piece takeaway."
Feel like your chest, arms, and hands all move away from the ball together. As you rotate your torso, the club should feel like it stays in front of your chest and the clubhead stays outside of your hands for the first couple of feet. From there, your wrists will begin to hinge naturally as your body continues to turn, moving the club up and around your body.
Complete Your Turn
The single biggest cause of an over-the-top, outside-in slice is an incomplete body turn powered mostly by the arms. If you don't turn your hips and shoulders enough going back, you leave no room for the club to approach from the inside. Your only choice is to come down from the outside.
Feel your back turn towards the target. You should feel a stretch in your trail side (your right side for a righty). A full turn loads your body up like a spring and, most importantly, creates the necessary space behind you for the club to shallow in the downswing.
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You've done the work in the setup and the backswing. Now it's time to initiate the downswing in a way that lets the club fall into "the slot" - that perfect inside position.
Start with the Hips, Not the Hands
This is the move. At the top of your swing, your first thought should not be to hit the ball. Resist the urge to fire your hands and shoulders at the ball. Instead, your first move should be a small, gentle shift of your lower body towards the target. Your lead hip (left hip for a righty) bumps forward and starts to open up.
By starting with the lower body, you create lag and allow the hands and arms to simply drop down behind you. It will feel like the club is falling.
The "Tucked Elbow" Feeling
As your hips start the downswing, a great feeling to have is your trail elbow (right elbow for a righty) dropping down and staying connected to the side of your body. Imagine there’s a string connecting your right elbow to your right hip.
Slicers do the opposite: their right elbow flies away from their body, pushing the club “over the top.” By keeping that elbow tucked, you ensure the club stays behind you and on an inside path.
Swing Out to the Right
Because you're starting the downswing correctly, the club is now approaching the ball from the inside. To hit that draw, you now need to release the clubhead. Feel like you are swinging the clubhead out to a point about a foot to the right of your target. Don't try to steer the ball back to the flag, your setup and the natural release of your hands will take care of that.
As you swing "out to right field," allow your hands and arms to rotate naturally. This squaring of the clubface relative to your inside-out path is what will impart the draw spin and bring the ball back to the target.
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Knowing is one thing, but feeling is everything in golf. Here are two simple drills you can do at the range to get that inside-out feel.
The Gate Drill
This drill provides immediate feedback on your club path through impact.
Place your golf ball down as you normally would.
Place an object (a headcover, another golf ball, or a water bottle) about 6 inches behind and 6 inches outside the ball.
Place another object about 6 inches in front of and 6 inches inside the ball.
You’ve now created a “gate” on a diagonal inside-out line. Your only objective is to swing the clubhead through the gate without hitting either object. If you come over the top, you'll hit the outside object before the ball. If you pull the club drastically inside after impact, you'll hit the inside object. It forces you to get the path right.
The Headcover Drill
This is a classic drill for a reason - it works.
Set up to your golf ball.
Place a headcover on the ground directly outside your ball, along the target line, about a clubhead’s width away from your ball.
Your goal is to hit the ball without hitting the headcover.
It’s simple but brilliant. If your swing path comes from outside-to-in, you will hit the headcover every single time. To miss it, you have no choice but to have your clubhead approach from the inside.
Final Thoughts
Building an inside-out golf swing comes down to creating the right conditions. A closed stance and solid body turn give you the space to work with, while a proper downswing sequence - led by the hips, not the hands - allows the club to drop into place and deliver a powerful strike from the inside.
Mastering a new shot shape takes practice and trustworthy feedback. It can be hard to know if you're working on the right thing on your own, or even when to deploy this new shot on the course. To help with that, we built Caddie AI to act as your personal coach. If you're on a dogleg left and wondering if a draw is the smart play, you can get instant, expert strategy right on your phone. It's designed to take the guesswork out of your game so you can stand over every shot with a clear plan and full confidence.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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