Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I’m a Malaska Golf-certified coach based here in the UK. Today’s question comes from Sax Roberts. While it was more of a comment than a question, he said something along the lines of: “I love the teachings, Mike. It looks like Sam Snead has watched this video.”

The video Sax was referring to is Handle Away. I absolutely love this drill. When I do it with my clients, their speed just pops—they suddenly get it.

To recap, the Handle Away drill works like this. Take hold of the golf club and grip down slightly, leaving a bit more of the handle exposed at the end of the club. This positions your hands closer to the shaft. From there, make a practice swing while focusing on a key feeling. In the backswing, hinge your wrists and point the handle away from you. As you transition into the forward swing, unhinge, rehinge, and focus on pointing the handle toward the target.

This drill wakes up the levers in your swing, and by levers, I mean your wrists. Learning to hinge, unhinge, and rehinge your wrists is crucial for unlocking your full potential in both distance and club control. Modern coaching often emphasizes taking the hands out of the swing and focusing on body movement instead. While this might work for advanced players who tend to overuse their hands, most amateur golfers need to learn how to properly use their wrists—or levers—in their swing. If you can’t do this, it’s something you need to start practicing right away.

The Handle Away drill is an excellent way to develop this skill. You don’t have to make a big swing to practice it; a three-quarter backswing can work just as well. The key is feeling the handle pointing away from you during the backswing and, more importantly, toward the target on the follow-through. This motion creates a snap—a burst of speed—at the bottom of your swing.

I use this drill frequently with my clients because many of them need to awaken their wrist action. As you practice, you can even say it to yourself as a reminder: Handle away, handle away. Keep focusing on pointing the handle where you want it to go.

I love this drill because it helps golfers fully engage their levers, maximizing their potential for distance and control. It works with all your clubs, so I highly recommend incorporating it into your practice. If you struggle with it at first, keep at it until you get it. Mastering this drill is a must.