Improve Your Golf Game and Lower Your Scores – Be Your Own Teacher

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned golfer you know that golf is a great game that can frustrate the best. Golfers are always looking for that adjustment that will help them improve their golf game. You can become your own teacher by observing the flight of your golf ball.

Ball flight is determined by the swing path and the position of the club face at impact. By studying the way the golf ball travels you can get a better understanding of what adjustments you can make to correct a misguided golf shot.

The ideal swing is one where the golf club approaches the golf ball from inside the target line, is square to the target at impact and then comes back inside during the follow-through.

One of the most common swing faults is an inside-out swing. The golf club approaches the ball from inside the target line, but then continues to travel to the outside, never actually squaring with the target at any point in the swing.

Most of the golf shots from this type of golf swing will start to the right. Where the shot actually finishes is determined by the position of the club face at impact.

If the face is square to the inside-out path, the golf ball will continue to travel right.

If the club face is closed (aiming left), then the result will be that of a hook with the golf ball starting right then curving left.

If the club face is open (pointing right), the golf ball will start to the right and continue traveling to the right.

To counter an inside-out swing try bringing the golf club straight back as long as possible during the takeaway phase of your back swing. During the forward portion of the swing try to have your hands roll over just after impact. This will cause to golf club to return to an inside path.

An outside-in swing brings the club face into the ball from outside the target line and continues to move to the inside of the target line, never actually squaring with the target at any point in the swing.

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

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

A proper inside-square-inside swing starts the ball straight. Any subsequent movement is the result of club face alignment:

If the club face is open the golf ball will bend to the right.

On the other hand, if the club face is closed the golf ball will curve to the left.

For more help with your golf swing, check out: Full Swing Fundamental DVD

© 2010, David Wakeman. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.

Tagged with: improve your golf game • Improve Your Golf Swing • Learn to play golf • play better golf

Filed under: Golf Training Tips

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