Fix A Slice And Hit A Golf Ball Straight Every Time
If you have a swing fault that makes you hit slices or hooks then you need to learn how to hit a ball straight of the tee. Apart from the satisfaction of hitting the ball down the middle of the fairway, you will also increase your distance of the tee. What's more, you will find yourself with an easier second shot to the green when you are nicely positioned in the middle of the fairway.
What causes so many golfers the inability to hit a golf ball straight? The first thing to understand is why the golf ball moves to the left (a hook) or to the right (a slice) of the tee. Once you know how to fix a slice or a hook, you will then be in a position to learn how to hit a draw or a fade - which are basically just controlled versions of the hook and the slice but with less movement on the ball.
The following descriptions and instruction deals with the slice; for the hook everything is generally reversed. A slice is created by a significant tilt of the spin-axis of the golf ball to the right, or a clockwise spin. A slice usually ends up right of the target line, and the term is often used when the curve in the trajectory is extreme and unintentional. The less extreme version of a slice is called a "fade".
When you understand the basics of the golf swing you will know that you have to return to the original place at impact if you want to hit the ball squarely and straight. When the club face is open at the point of impact, a slice will occur and the ball will spin in a clockwise direction. Generally, the swing path is correct but the golf ball is not hit squarely at impact; this is normally caused by a "weak grip."
The first thing to check is your grip when you find that you can't hit a ball straight. The one cause that can shape the path of the balls flight is the strength of the grip - it doesn't matter if you use an interlocking grip, an overlapping grip, or a ten finger grip. To fix a slice, experiment with moving your hands around on the grip, over to the right, into a more strong grip position.
If you want to cure a slice, then try changing some of the following factors: Don't grip the club too tightly so that your muscles tense up in your wrists and forearms. If you can work on increasing your golf swing speed then not only will you increase your distance, you should be able to reduce the amount of side spin and therefore cut down on the chance of slicing the ball. Check the flex of the shaft that you currently use; if you are a powerful hitter of the ball then use an extra stiff or stiff flex; if you are a medium hitter of the ball then use a regular or firm flex; and if you can't drive the ball more than 200 yards, then use a ladies or a senior flex.
If you want to hit a golf ball straight then you have to setup correctly. Line up your feet and shoulders square and parallel to the target line. Even though your right shoulder will be lower than your left, they should still be parallel to the target. The ball position is also important; with a driver, place the ball opposite the instep of your left foot. Stand the correct distance away from the ball so that the club is grounded properly; if it is tilted forward then you are too close to the ball, if it is tilted backwards then you are too far from the ball.
Remember all the basics of the golf swing; keep your eyes on the ball, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly flexed, spine straight and chin up. I won't go into detail about the golf swing here, just take your club back straight and bring it down again on the same plane. Maintain the same swing speed throughout the backswing and the downswing - don't try to over hit the ball.
Lastly, there are an other two types of swing faults that will prevent you to hit a golf ball straight - the push and the pull. As opposed the slice, the push shot happens when the ball shoots straight off to the right, and the pull is when the ball goes straight off to the left. The push is a result of an incorrect golf swing when the club goes through an in-to-out plane, and the pull is an out-to-in swing plane. The push or pull shot comes about due to an improper golf swing action and forgetting the basics of the golf swing.
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July 07 2008 06:16 am | Golf