USGolfer.net Golf Tip for April, 2001.

How do I hit the ball straight?


This lesson could also be titled, how do I hook the ball or how do I slice the ball? For that matter it could be, how do I hit the ball high, or how do I hit the ball low? No matter what we call it or how we want to hit the ball, the fact is we must realize that we don’t control where the ball goes, the club does. As of yet, the USGA rules of golf don’t allow you to pick up the call and throw it. Therefore, in order for you to control where the call goes, you must first control how the club moves. Before you begin to move the club, you must first understand and assimilate how the club moves the ball.

Now, let’s go back and answer our original question. How do I hit the ball straight? In order for the club to move the ball toward a specific target it must have three things:

1. Proper alignment or aim – Like a marksman with a rifle, you must place the target in your site and align yourself to shoot straight. Aiming the club is like aiming a rifle; the ball or the bullet has a better chance of hitting the target if the implement used to move it if is aimed correctly.
2. Proper path and club face position - Like a tennis player with a racket, you must move the club in the direction of that target to move the ball in the direction of the target. Since the head of the club was aimed properly at the start, it follows that it should not be altered during its movement toward the target.
3. Balance – In any sport or athletic activity, the importance of balance is obvious. Golf is no different. To move the club back and forth on the proper path and strike the ball cleanly you must maintain your balance and posture throughout you’re swing. Any change in posture or balance will undoubtedly alter the position of the club.

Think about the three fundamentals listed above. Are you spending any of your time improving your alignment or concentrating on path or balance? When you hit that big slice in your last round, did you consider that you need to control the club differently or just hit the ball differently?

For the next two weeks, be diligent in aligning your club and body properly to the target. When you practice, be sure to lay golf clubs on the ground; one club aiming at your target and one club parallel to your target for the alignment of your body and feet. Then, take some short swings with your pitching wedge, maybe waist high in the back swing and move the club in one motion back and through toward a specific target. You are not swinging for distance now, just for accuracy. Be aware of maintaining your balance and of keeping the clubface in its original address position being careful not to change it. Once you have moved the call toward your target 25 times; you are ready to lengthen the swing. Just remember it’s the club that moves the ball not you. Keep your focus on moving the club and the ball fly just fine.

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