One of the biggest differences between amateur golfers and elite ball strikers isn't just how they move the club, it's how they interact with the ground. Creating speed begins from the ground up, and one of the first opportunities to generate force happens during the backswing. That's exactly what the Trail Heel Smash Up the Hill drill is designed to teach.
Why Trail Leg Loading Matters
Many golfers make their backswing by shifting pressure toward the outside of the trail foot. While it may feel like you are making a bigger turn, this movement often creates problems such as:
- Excessive sway
- Loss of balance
- Reduced leverage
- Hanging back through impact
- Coming over the top during transition
Instead of creating a stable platform to push from, you have actually moved away from the strongest position to create force.
Elite players do something different. They load pressure into the inside of the trail heel, creating a stable foundation that allows them to push powerfully back toward the target during the downswing.
Why We Raise the Trail Side
With the Force Board Pro, this drill becomes much more than simply feeling pressure. The trail side of the board is elevated, creating a downhill lie. That setup naturally wants to push your body toward the target and away from the trail heel.
Rather than making the movement easier, we intentionally make it more challenging. At SuperSpeed Golf, we believe in feeding the fault. If a golfer struggles to apply force correctly, we don't remove the challenge, we exaggerate it, so the athlete learns to own the movement.
Once you can perform the drill under a more difficult condition, the movement becomes much easier on level ground.
How to Perform the Trail Heel Smash Up the Hill Drill
- Raise the trail side of the Force Board Pro using the oval attachments.
- Position the green round under the inside of your trail heel.
- Address the golf ball as normal.
- As soon as the club begins moving away from the ball, aggressively press your trail heel into the green round.
- Focus on maintaining pressure throughout the backswing.
- Repeat several rehearsals before hitting golf balls with the same feeling.
The goal isn't simply shifting weight. It's learning to create lateral force through the correct part of the foot.
Why the Inside of the Heel?
The inside of the trail heel provides the strongest position for producing horizontal force. When pressure rolls onto the outside of the foot:
- The ankle becomes less stable.
- The hips lose leverage.
- The body begins to sway instead of coil.
- Transition becomes slower and less efficient.
Keeping pressure inside the heel allows you to stay centered while storing energy for the downswing.
Take the Feeling Into Full Swings
After several rehearsals, begin hitting golf balls while maintaining the exact same sensation. As soon as the club starts back, think:
"Smash my trail heel into the green circle."
This simple cue helps organize the entire backswing without adding unnecessary swing thoughts. Many golfers immediately notice:
- Better balance
- Improved centered contact
- Less sway
- A stronger transition
- More efficient ground force production
Build Better Ground Forces
Every Force Board Pro protocol builds upon the previous one. If you haven't completed the Step Back drill first, start there before progressing into Trail Heel Smash Up the Hill.
Together, these drills teach golfers how to create force in the correct direction and establish the foundation for faster, more efficient golf swings.
Learning to load the trail leg correctly isn't just about improving your backswing. It's about creating the leverage and stability needed to produce more speed, better contact, and more consistent golf shots.