Learning how to hit a golf ball straight every time takes a lot of practice. However, armed with some helpful tips and the right attitude, you should be hitting it straight in no time.
On the golf course, hitting the ball straight is the hardest thing to fully master. In golf, you swing a clubface that has grooves on it. A great majority of amateur players swing the club head at an average of 80 miles per hour.
For such a golfer to get a straight hit on the ball, the clubface has to make an impact with the ball at the precise spot each time. Otherwise, the result will be the ball spinning to the side, causing the golfer to hit either a slice, a fade, or a hook.
Tips on Driving Golf Ball Straight Each Time
Consistency in your performance is a key ingredient if you are looking for success on the golf course. Golf is a game that is mostly based on estimation. Making the correct estimation requires your shots to be consistent.
It is highly improbable to drive your ball straight every time. Nonetheless, you can increase your total driving metrics by driving straight most of the time, and such consistency in performance only comes from practice.
In addition, tiny details of your stance, teeing height, ball placement, etc., have a significant impact on how straight and far the ball goes. It might come as a surprise to realize that, to cover every situation, you are required to have two different drive swings.
The guide below will be helpful in the visualization of the driving process of the golf ball. Your current swing can be monitored to check for any issues that may often result in slices and hooks. You can also keep track of your body movement.
What You Need
Golf clubs
It is worth emphasizing that the golf club you select is very important. You should have all the clubs you might need at your disposal.
Tee
The accuracy of your drive is dependent on how high your tee is. Teeing makes a significant impact on the accuracy and power of your drive.
Practice
Practice your swing many times. As you practice the motion, you are going to realize the performance of your driving gradually improving.
Procedure
There are two important things to consider as you learn to drive a golf ball straight. Your swing either goes for maximum distance with all the power behind it, or for total ball control. The two are entirely different shot types and need varying swing mechanics and tee placement. You will need to learn to drive the ball straight in both instances.
Power Drive
Teeing
The ball is teed high with this approach. The tee is driven just slightly into the ground to allow most of its body to stand out. With this, you will get the maximum distance from the drive.
Positioning
You should be positioned such that the ball is to the front of the left toe. As you bend into a swinging position, there is an automatic alignment of your body into the power stance.
Grip
The club should be gripped near the grip’s top end. This ensures that maximum power is brought down on the forward swing. The golf ball will thus be driven long and straight. Avoid placing too much force in the grip by relaxing your arms and wrists.
Stance
Stand with the hips wide, keeping your feet wider than the distance of your shoulder. More flexibility is attained in the movement of the swing.
Club shaft
The shaft of the club should be angular, leaning towards the golfer. For a low-strength golfer, you will choose high-flex graphite shafts. Those who are usually able to hit longer distances should choose stiff shafts.
Body
Before the swing, manage the weight on your two feet. The head comes way behind the ball and your hip and legs should be relaxed but action-ready.
Backswing
Move the arms back, right from your shoulders. When you swing back, the head moves further from the ball, but keep your eyes on the ball. Most of the weight shifts to your right leg. At the top, the shoulder will have rotated 90° and the left arm will be straight. At this point, you will want to hold your face straight while keeping your eyes on the ball.
Wrist hinge
Approximately midway through your backswing, the left arm will swing straight. The right arm, however, will retreat closer to the body. The right wrist at this point must hinge 90°. If not, the trajectory is going to be very wide, making you lose coordination during the downswing. Your left wrist should be kept flat. Do not close or open your left wrist, as this will close or open the club face. This will help you hit the sweet spot each time as the club face is kept square.
Control Drive
Teeing
With this approach, tee the ball low. The tee is pushed roughly halfway into the ground. Low tee height decreases speed and high tee height reduces ball control.
Positioning
Your body should be positioned in such a way that the ball is farther back from the left toe. Still, it should be closer to the left foot but away from the middle of the stance. Avoid pulling it back any further, as this will decrease the power to the golf ball. This is because the club’s momentum from a backward point will be reduced.
Grip
For better swing control, the radius has to be reduced. Therefore, choke down on the grip and move a few inches down from the end of the club. Trying to swing will now give you the feeling of being in more control of the club’s weight.
Club shaft
The shaft should be straight and aligned more vertically than when doing a power drive.
Stance
Comparatively, your stance should be narrow for a control drive. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. This way, you have improved control over the movement of the upper body. Relatively, the shoulders will be straight as the ball is teed back.
Body
Your body weight must be evenly distributed to both legs. The torso and head should be facing straight towards the ball.
Backswing
Keeping your left arm straight, swing the shoulders at moderate speed. Weight shifts here are more gradual. At the top of your backswing, just half of the body weight is on the right leg.
Wrist hinge
When swinging back, the left wrist should be kept flat. Its movement in the horizontal plane produces an angle in your swing. The face of the club will not hit the ball square, causing the shot to slice or hook. Your right wrist should hinge 90°, giving you the feel of flicking the head of the club towards the target line above your head. The swing will thus be shortened, even though the power of the swing will not be reduced.
Conclusion
Having the skill of driving a golf ball straight is going to significantly bring your golf handicap down, and you will gain more confidence in your ability on the golf course.
