golf tips

Free golf tips – Correcting Swing Problems

Learn From Your Ball Flight

Whether you’ve been playing golf for years or a beginner, you have the ability to be your own teacher. By watching your shots, you can determine and correct your flaws.

Ball flight is determined by two variables; the path of the club on the downswing and the position of the clubface at impact. Study your shots to determine the variables that created them and you can make corrections.

In a perfect swing, the club approaches the ball from inside the target line, is square to the target at impact, and comes back inside in the follow-through. A common fault is the inside-out swing, approaching the ball from inside, and then pushing the club to the outside.

If the face is square to the inside-out path, the ball sails dead right, called a “push”. If the face is closed, the result is a roundhouse hook, starting right then curving left. With an open face, the ball bends right to right.

In order to correct an inside-out swing you need to bring the club straight back as long as possible during the takeaway.

An outside-in path brings the club into the ball from outside the normal swing path crossing over the ball to the inside. These shots will begin going left of the target line.

If the clubface is square, the ball flies dead left, called a “pull”. An open face makes the ball curve sharply left to right. A closed face makes the ball curve even further left.

You can correct an outside-in swing by bringing the club inside the line during the takeaway.

A proper inside-square-inside swing starts the ball straight. Any subsequent movement is the result of clubface alignment: Off an open face, the ball bends right; a closed face curves it left.

Ideally, the clubface is square at impact, aiming in the direction of the swing path. If you’ve determined from watching your shots that the face is open, strengthen your grip at address by turning the hands slightly away from the target. If the clubface is closed, weaken your grip by turning your hands toward the target.