Lower Your Golf Score – Tips to Drive the Golf Ball Straight

How to Drive a Golf Ball Straight

It’s a given that every golfer wants to know how to drive a golf ball straight. The challenge is the driver is one of the most difficult clubs to master. A simple rule of thumb is the longer the club, the harder it is to use properly. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to learn how to drive a golf ball straight; you’ll just need a few tips and some consistent practice.

The very best shot off the tee is one that does not impart a lot of backspin to the ball, travels low, and has enough power to add yards by rolling once it lands. If you can achieve all of these elements, your game will improve significantly.

One of the first steps to learning how to drive a golf ball straight

– is understanding the importance of leverage throughout the entire swing. To achieve proper leverage, keep your head behind the golf ball from address to impact.

The second most important issue is that distance comes more from club head speed than arm strength. Golfers who try to muscle their way through the shot will almost always end up with a poorly hit ball. It is the hips and legs that generate speed and power, so use them.

Other clubs may be somewhat flexible when it comes to swing path, but not the driver. As you begin your back swing, keep the swing plane low (or shallow).

Another factor to keep in mind when learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to have your hands lead the club head at impact. This is what people mean when they say to “let your wrists break”.

A common mistake some golfers make is to try to suddenly stop their swing once they hit the ball. To avoid that, let your arms and body move all the way through the swing, including the follow through.

Another key to learning how to drive a golf ball straight

– is to not grip the club too tightly. Concentrate on whipping the golf ball with the club rather than chopping at it.

If you have a tendency to slice the ball, try slowing your downswing. You may be coming down too fast or too hard, causing you to come out of the proper swing path. Another tip for avoiding the slice is to examine your grip. If you cannot see two or three knuckles when looking down at your grip, you are setting yourself up for a slice.

This same grip tip applies to those who hook the ball. If you look down at your grip and see more than two or three knuckles, your grip is going to change at impact and cause a severe hook.

One last tip for learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to make sure you are not pulling or pushing the ball. This can happen whether you are coming off the tee or hitting off the fairway.

You can tell if you are pushing or pulling the ball by looking at the divot that’s left behind. If the divot is pointing to the left or right of your target line, your body is not properly aligned.

Try implementing some of these tips and see if your game improves. Remember, the best tip for learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to keep at it. One other thing is keeping your back muscles loose and from fatiguing. One product that can help is AMR-7 arthritis and muscle pain relief gel by Performance Health, LLC.

Your Golf Swing Starts with the Back Swing – Learn to Perfect It

Ready to perfect your golf back swing? You’ve come to the right place.

There is no reason your takeaway phase of the swing has to be complicated or difficult. We’ve compiled some golf back swing tips that cover the most important aspects and can be put into action right now. These tips are are great for any age. We have taught these tips to young golfers just starting out but it works for any age and any level of play.

Of the many golf back swing tips you will hear or read about, one is crucial. To make a successful shot, you have to play the ball correctly in your stance. Every shot you make has a proper ball position, and you should learn these as soon as possible.

When you take stance, make sure your hands are gripping the club properly. Most players use a neutral grip, neither too weak nor too strong. Do not choke the club too tightly—strive for a firm grip.

Another important golf back swing tip is to put a little flex in your knees. This allows your hips, which are the power behind every shot, to turn fully.

Keep both arms straight as you bring the club back. This promotes a constant distance between the club head and your hands. If you start bending your arms too early, the distance will shorten and will need to be corrected before impact. This can be prevented by keeping both arms straight during the first part of the takeaway.

When the club and your hands are about waist high, your right arm must bend at the elbow. As you start your takeaway motion, try not to allow your hands to rotate. This will achieve a wide arc as you bring the club back.

Swing speed is key to distance, however, back swing should be slow and easy

As your hands get to waist level, you should also turn your upper body and shoulders. Continue this motion until the club is at the top of your back swing. This coiling action generates the energy needed at impact. Many players have trouble mastering the skill of turning the hips until the top is reached. If that is true for you, try some flexibility exercises for your hips, legs, and shoulders.

Another effective golf back swing tip is to know where your “top” is. The top of the swing differs from one person to the next. Some players are able to bring the club well past parallel at the top, while others cannot make it all the way up. No matter where you fall on that scale, it is important to get the maximum height possible, as this will greatly increase the club head speed on the way down.

The last tip involves the transition that leads into the downswing. Avoid jerking the club; maintain smooth movements and initiate the downward swing with your hips, not your hands.

The first part of the overall swing is vital, because it sets up all subsequent movements.

If you find that you are missing a lot of shots, keep these golf back swing tips in mind. Often, a missed shot can be caused by something that went wrong in the first part of the swing. If possible, have an experienced golfer watch you as you do a few slow motion swings. This is the fastest and more effective way to pinpoint and resolve a problem.

For additional golf tips to lower your score read golf chipping and pitching tips.

Process to Correcting a Slice – Golf Slice Swing Correction Tips

Like any golf strategy, correcting a slice is a process. By working your way through the possible culprits, you will eventually find the cause of your problem. Here are some time-tested tips on correcting a slice.

Although there are countless issues that can lead to slicing the ball, some are more common than others. One of the most frequent causes happens during address.

Most golfers prefer a square stance at address, where the feet, hips, and shoulders are in line with the target. If you move your left foot too far forward, the club face is likely to open at impact and the ball will fly to the right. The left foot should be directly under the left shoulder.

The same holds true for the shoulders and hips. If they are not square, the ball will not fly straight and true.

Your Grip is Key in Correcting a Slice:

The next step is correcting the grip. Many newer players grasp the club too tightly, which can cause the club head to open as it strikes the ball. Again, this will make the ball fly to the right. If the grip is too loose, the head will wobble at impact and that, too, can lead to slicing or hooking.

Along with tightness, your grip on the club should be neutral. Check your grip by looking down at it. You should be able to see two or three of your left-hand knuckles. If you cannot see any knuckles at all, this is a sign of an improper grip. As your hands come back into the hitting zone, they will rotate to a neutral position, causing the face to open.

Rotate your hands—not the club, just your hands—until you see a couple of knuckles. Try hitting a few balls using this new grip. Keep in mind that minor adjustments to your grip can go a long way. Keep working at it until you discover the right position for you. Once you have it, remember it!

Tempo, Do this and Correct Your Slice:

When correcting a slice, swing tempo is important. Many golfers have a tendency to try to use their arms as their power source to get some extra yards, but this almost never works. Once they get to the top of their backswing, they allow their hands to take over and lead the downswing. As the hands come down, with everything else following, the club face will almost undoubtedly open.

From start to finish, your swing should be smooth and relaxed. Avoid the temptation to jerk the club once you get to the top of your back swing. Let your hips start the downswing and everything else will follow.

Take a Look at Your Divot, Learn to Notice a Slice Divot:

Another useful tip to correct your slice is to look at your divot. If your divot is pointing too far to the right, this may be your problem. Again, check your posture at address and make sure your feet, hips, and shoulders are in line with the target.

Above all, correcting a slice is a matter of finding the one or two things you are doing wrong and fixing them. This, of course, takes time and patience. If you work through the possible causes, you will eventually find the solution, and your enjoyment of the game will soar to new levels.

More tips on hitting the ball straight in this post.

Hitting Fat – Try these tips

A golf swing problem that is as common as a slice is hitting the golf ball fat, and it can be just as frustrating. As with all golf swing procedure, once you know what you are doing wrong, you can begin working on correcting it.

When trying to correct this problem, get a golfing buddy if possible to watch your swing, and ask him or her to be on the lookout for the items discussed below.

Do You Drop Your Shoulder when Hitting the Golf Ball Fat:

The most common problem with hitting the ball fat is dropping your shoulder. This is the one that is farthest away from the target or back shoulder: right shoulder for right-handed golfers, left shoulder for left-handed golfers.

When your rear shoulder drops, the club hits the ground before it should, resulting in a nasty shot. More often than not, hitting the ball fat happens when a player tries to swing excessively hard, causing the downswing to start with a lot of hip motion.

As an example, try this effortless exercise. Take a club and assume your standard address. Bring the club up to the very top of your back swing and stop. With the golf club is at the top, shift your hip toward the target area, horizontally, and notice what happens to your back shoulder. It’s as expected dips down too!

If your friend is around, do this exercise over again, bit by bit, and ask him or her to observe your hips and shoulder and see if your shoulder dips. If so, you’ve possible found the cause of the trouble.

To right this issue, you have to learn how to use your lower body appropriately during the swing. Your hips need to twist, but don’t allow them to move. A straight forward way to make this happen is to concentrate on starting the downswing with your arms, and your hips will naturally follow.

Practice and Watch Your Shoulder on Your Back Swing:

Another good practice is to focus on keeping your forward shoulder down. During practice shots, your body will get the message. Always take into account to keep your forward arm straight as you go into your back swing. When you get to the top, think “down” for your forward shoulder, and then move into your downswing. Your hips will uncoil, but do not allow them to move laterally.

The ideas presented here are easy enough to apply, but they require some time spent practicing and experimenting. The practice range is the best place to do this, also if you do not have a buddy available, you might be able to find someone to observe your swing.

As you work on this fix, remember to go through all of your clubs, not just the driver. Striking the ball fat can occur with any club, and you need to practice with each one to truly master a solid, crisp ball strike. Many players favor to start with the short irons and work their way up when learning a new skill set.

Fatigue and Sore Muscles Can Cause Hitting the Golf Ball Fat:

I am sure that you have been on the back nine and playing well when you go to hit that 180 yard approach shot to the green and thud you take out a big divot behind the golf ball. This could be from fatigue. I have found that a great way to prevent this is with a good muscle pain relief gel like AMR-7. AMR-7 is a specially formulated menthol based gel that is cool to touch and immediately provides a relaxing and soothing relief form sore muscles. For me it also prevents muscle spasms on the back nine.