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Pete Cowen Spiral Staircase Drill: Coil Up and Unwind
Your drill at a glance
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Rehearse the feeling of coiling up and around, then unwinding through. The Pete Cowen Spiral Staircase Drill is a movement rehearsal without hitting a ball.
The three steps below follow Worldwide Golf’s demonstration of Cowen’s signature drill. The five-minute session and score out of 18 are our practice format.
Watch the Drill.
Watch on YouTube. Watch the demonstration before starting your rehearsals.
Step 1. Set Your Posture
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Find your stance | Stand comfortably with your feet about shoulder-width apart. |
| Hinge from the hips | Tip forwards from your hips and keep your knees soft. |
| Place the club | Rest it across the back of your shoulders and hold the ends. |
Step 2. Coil Up and Around
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Begin slowly | Picture the movement spiralling upwards rather than sliding sideways. |
| Load the trail side | For a right-handed golfer, let the right hip move up and back as the right shoulder loads. |
| Keep it comfortable | Use an easy range of movement. Reverse the sides if you play left-handed. |
Step 3. Unwind and Reset
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Unwind through | Let the movement unwind down, around and through. |
| Reset | Return to your starting posture before the next rehearsal. |
| Complete two sets of nine | Count one complete setup, coil and unwind as one attempt. Rest between sets. |
Our practice format: eighteen complete rehearsals in two sets of nine. Count the quality of each attempt, rather than how far you turn.
| Score | When to award it |
|---|---|
| 1 point | You complete the setup, coil and unwind smoothly, then reset in balance. |
| 0 points | You rush, lose your balance or skip part of the rehearsal. |
Record one total out of 18. A missed point is simply feedback for the next attempt.
This is a rehearsal, with no ball to strike. Choose a clear space with room for the club and keep the movement comfortable.
George’s Practice Tip.
Give the first nine rehearsals one simple job: get familiar with the sequence. Before the second nine, choose the part you found hardest and give it your attention. There is no need to add a second swing thought halfway through the set. Finish by writing down one cue you would like to remember next time.
For a different rehearsal cue, try Rory McIlroy’s Club in Front Drill.
