Being able to hit the golf ball straight is extremely important. Hitting the ball straight can mean two things: either the flight of the ball is straight or it could mean hitting the fairway ‘straight down the middle’.
If you tell someone you have hit the ball straight down the middle it doesn’t necessarily mean you hit it with a straight ball flight. You could have drawn the ball or faded the ball down the middle.
In this article I am going to teach you how to hit the ball ‘straight’. But if I can give you some advice, try picking either a fade or a draw, whichever you are more comfortable with or able to, and try to hit it ‘straight down the middle’ with that shape.
Here are the topics we are going to cover
- Golf Swing Techniques
- Golf Ball Contact
- Golf Stance and Posture
Golf Swing Techniques
To hit the ball straight your club face and club path need to have a zero degree angle (another term is square) to your target at impact. Half a degree either side of that will make you hit a draw or fade.
You can see why hitting the ball straight is very difficult. For the purpose of this article your straight shot is going to be one of three things; slight draw, slight fade and straight.
To hit a slight draw or fade your club face or club path can be up to five degrees open or closed to your target, this will give you a lot more margin for error.
In my book, a shot hit down the middle of the fairway no matter the shape is a straight shot.
Proper grip
To hit a straight shot the ideal grip would be a neutral grip. The easiest way to explain this would be to have the V’s that your thumb and index fingers create, point between your chin and shoulder.
This will give you the best chance at returning your club face square to your path and target at impact.
The issue with a neutral grip like I alluded to before, is that your hands can easily be slightly open or closed at impact, which will cause you to hit a draw or fade. This may not sound bad, but if you are aiming straight and hit a shape you do not want it can get you into trouble.
I prefer a slightly strong grip, this will allow for some margin of error and prevent you from having a two way miss. I dive into some more details on the stronger grip in this article
Backswing and downswing
To hit a straight shot your backswing and downswing needs to be perfectly on plane. The best way to explain being on plane is to have a look at the images below.
Draw a line from your ball through your shoulder and another line along your shaft and through your pelvis.
Place a 7 iron upright on the ground and place your phone on top of the grip, position yourself in between the clubhead and feet of the person you are taking a video of to get the perfect angle)
To be on plane you need your club and hands to be within the two lines throughout the swing. If you are slightly over or under that is fine too.
Initiate the downswing with a slight shift of your weight to your front foot, while maintaining the angles created in the backswing. Rotate your hips and torso through impact, ensuring that your hands and arms stay connected to your body. This promotes a proper inside-to-square-to-inside swing path, resulting in straighter shots.
Follow-through
- After impact, extend your arms fully and allow the club to naturally release. Maintain good balance and a relaxed posture throughout the follow-through. Avoid collapsing or rushing the finish, as it can affect the direction and flight of the ball.
- Strive for a high finish position, where your chest faces the target and the club is wrapped around your shoulder. This position indicates that your swing has followed a proper path, increasing the likelihood of a straight shot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Swaying or Sliding: Excessive lateral movement during the swing can disrupt your balance and lead to inconsistent ball striking. Focus on maintaining stability and rotational movement rather than lateral motion.
- Overactive Hands: Allowing your hands to dominate the swing can cause the clubface to close or open, resulting in slices or hooks. Practice maintaining a synchronized swing where your body leads and your hands follow.
- Improper Alignment: Failing to align your body and clubface properly can introduce unwanted curvature into your shots. Always take the time to align yourself correctly to the target.
Golf Ball Contact
Ball Position
Irons + Wedges: I recommend starting your wedges to 9 irons slightly forward of the middle of your stance. From there move each of your irons slightly more forward. This encourages a downward strike on the ball and promotes a crisp, divot-taking impact.
Driver: With the driver, position the ball more towards the front of your stance, just inside the left heel (for right-handed golfers). This allows for a sweeping, upward strike to maximize distance and launch angle.
Everyone has a unique swing, so it’s essential to test out slightly different positions with the ball to get what works best for you.
Angle of Attack
The angle of attack is the direction in which the clubhead makes contact with the ball.
Irons: Aim for a slightly downward angle of attack with your irons. This helps ensure a clean strike, compressing the ball against the turf and producing a desirable ball flight.
Driver: With the driver, aim for a slightly upward angle of attack. This promotes a higher launch, lower spin, and optimal distance off the tee.
Tips for Making Solid Contact
- Keep your head relatively still throughout the swing. Excessive up-and-down or lateral movement can lead to inconsistent contact and a loss of balance.
- Focus on hitting the ball with the center of the clubface. This maximizes energy transfer and minimizes unwanted sidespin.
- Shift your weight smoothly from your back foot to your front foot during the downswing. This ensures a descending blow into the ball and helps create solid contact.
Golf Stance and Posture
Having the correct stance and posture is going to be extremely important when it comes to hitting the ball straight
Stance: From your driver down to your irons you should always have your stance shoulder width apart. This will allow you to rotate correctly on your backswing and follow through, as well as have the proper weight distribution throughout your swing.
This is going to help you hit the ball straighter. The only time your feet should be less than shoulder width apart is when you are hitting a pitch shot.
Never ever have your feet more than shoulder width apart.
Posture: I always like to paint a picture in my students heads when thinking about posture.
Think of a soccer goalkeeper. He is standing on his toes in an ‘athletic’ posture. He isn’t standing straight up or hunched over. This is the same for golf.
Follow this step below to get into the perfect posture, remember to be relaxed throughout the process.
- Stand straight up with your feet shoulder width apart
- Take a club and hold it out in front of you with you arms parallel to the ground (the club pointing straight up)
- Bend your knees slightly
- Bend directly from your hips until the club touches the floor
- Make sure your weight is towards the balls of your feet.
- Lastly try to get your right shoulder (right handed golfer) slightly lower than your left.
Keeping the head down
Please never try keeping your head down in the golf swing, this could possibly be one of the worst things you can do.
Your head will naturally rotate in the swing as your chest turns through the ball.
Always allow your head to rotate, if your head is coming up in the swing focus more on maintaining your pelvis position, when your pelvis thrusts towards the ball your head will come up automatically. I dive into some more detail in the article.
Proper alignment
Ideally to hit the ball straight your shoulders, hips and feet need to be aiming directly at the target. Your feet can be slightly left, but they need to be parallel to your shoulders.
This is going to give you the best chance to get your club on plane throughout the swing and help you deliver the club square at impact.
Remember I like to think of any shot that goes down the middle of the fairway as straight. So if you want to play a slight draw or fade you need to align yourself accordingly.
- Draw: start square to the target with your alignment, once you are set, drop your right foot (right handed golfer) slightly behind your left, and aim your shoulders slightly right of target. This will help you path come from the inside, giving you a little draw.
- Fade: start square to the target with your alignment, once you are set, move your left foot (right handed golfer) slightly behind your right, and aim your shoulders slightly left of target. This will help your swing path move left during the swing, giving you a little fade.
Weight Distribution
- Address Position: Begin with a balanced distribution of weight between your feet. This helps you maintain stability and control during the swing.
- Backswing: Shift your weight slightly to the back foot during the backswing to load power and create the necessary rotation for generating clubhead speed.
- Downswing: Transfer your weight smoothly onto the front foot during the downswing to initiate a proper strike and promote a straight ball flight.
Conclusion
In conclusion, achieving the goal of hitting a golf ball straight each time requires a combination of fundamental elements and techniques.
By focusing on proper alignment, ball position, angle of attack, swing speed, grip, and making solid contact, golfers can significantly improve their accuracy and consistency.
Remember hitting it straight sometimes means hitting down the fairway, if you hit a slight draw or fade down the middle of the fairway, I consider that a straight shot. Hitting a head straight shot is much harder than hitting a slight draw or fade.
Additionally, maintaining a stable head, distributing weight effectively, and adopting a correct golf stance and posture will also help you hit the ball straighter.
Through practice, patience, and attention to detail, you can develop the skills necessary to consistently hit the ball straight.
