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Do your drives tend to end up in the rough or out of bounds?
Whether you’re an amateur or seasoned golfer, one of the hardest things to master on the course is making a clean swing and hitting the ball straight.
More often than not, golfers focus on perfecting their form instead of going back to basics. However, a few simple changes in your posture, grip, swing and positioning above the ball can make a big difference – allowing you to spend less time retrieving your ball and more time launching it past your playing partners!
Here, Clarkes’ Golf Centre offer tips to help you keep on the straight and narrow when taking your shot.
5 tips to hit straighter shots
1. Work on your balance
Balance is frequently overlooked by golfers when playing a round of golf, but it’s key to hitting the ball straight.
Having a stable stance will allow you to make solid contact with the ball, sending it in the right direction.
The trick to keeping your balance on the golf course is to ensure your centre of gravity is centred throughout the backswing, before transferring it forward towards the target. At no point should your weight shift to your back foot.
2. Fix your grip
One of the most important steps to hitting straight is gripping the club correctly.
Many people make the mistake of gripping the club tightly with both hands, causing them to slice the ball instead of hitting it straight. This is because the position of the thumb on the grip affects the angle of the face.
Ideally, you want to have a neutral grip. To do this, ensure that the thumb on your lead hand (the hand closest to the target) is down and just to the right of the centre.
When it comes to positioning your non-lead hand, it helps if you pretend to shake hands with the club, placing it along the side of the grip. The V between your thumb and pointer finger should point at your non-lead shoulder.
3. Pause at the top of your backswing
We know it might sound a bit daft, but taking the time to stop at the top of your backswing can help with ball flight. It allows your body to get into the perfect position to propel the ball in a straight line.
Don’t stop for too long, though – it’s only supposed to be a brief pause.
Next time you’re on the course, count “One. Two.” before you swing down and then come forward with your club.
4. Use a sweeping motion
When you’re hitting the ball off the tee, you need to ensure there is enough spin for the ball to become airborne and in line with the target. Too much spin will likely cause the ball to float high and fall short of the hole.
With that said, practice hitting your golf driver with a nice sweeping motion to ensure a more penetrating ball flight.
5. Keep the shoulders passive
It’s easy to tense up when preparing to take a shot, but your back shoulder needs to remain slightly passive if you’re to hit the ball straight with the right spin and on the club’s sweet spot.
Preventing the shoulder from rotating out towards the club when you swing back will ensure the club returns to its original shaft line at impact.
A top tip to help keep the shoulder passive is to take the club in one hand (your lead hand) and swing it to the top. Place the other hand on your back shoulder and, as you swing down, drop the shoulder down towards the ball.
Want more tips on how to hit straighter?
The team here at Clarkes’ Golf Centre is always on hand to help and will be more than happy to guide and advise you.
Of course, the more practice you can get in at the driving range or lessons, the better you’ll get at hitting the ball in a straight line. However, sometimes, your performance may be lacking because of your golf equipment.
If you haven’t upgraded your golf clubs for a while, it’s well worth investing in new ones. Most modern clubs these days boast a plethora of advanced features and technology, which can benefit all handicap levels.
Another brilliant way to determine which clubs will help you to hit straighter is to arrange a custom fitting. At our custom fitting bay, we use our launch monitor to provide important data on the launch, spin and speed of the ball and predict carry distance, ball flight and curvature.
For more tips on hitting the ball straighter, or help choosing new golf clubs, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Either give us a call on 01744 419 914 or email admin@clarkesgolf.co.uk, and we’ll get back to you soon.
