The Golf Slice

A lot of new golfers forget one of the basic principles of golf: you have to swing down in order to make the ball go up. This applies to every golf club you have in your golf bag except for the putter and your driver.

Beginners sometimes think they have to lift up during their swing to get lift on the ball and that’s just not true. When you hit the golf ball on a downward swing the ball gets lift based on the clubhead alone.

You don’t need to “lift” up to get the ball in the air during your swing. When you do try and force that lift you end up missing the ball completely or hitting an awfully weak shot.

As always, if you’re unsure turn on the television and watch the professionals swing to get a better idea of what you should and shouldn’t be doing.

There are days when I could put on an absolute clinic on how to hit the ball fat. I have had rounds where I left nothing in my wake but fairway ditches. It’s embarrassing.

The worst part is that I know exactly what causes a fat shot. If you’re hitting the ball fat you are probably moving your head during your swing. It’s just that simple. All you need to do is keep your head steady. Most people hit fat shots when they either dip their head down or their head sways to the right during their swing.

The easy way to stop the head dip is just through concentration. There’s no need to do it so quit it. A neat tip for stopping the sway is to push down hard on the inside of your right foot while you’re in the middle of your backswing. Try that out once and see if it helps.

If you aren’t sure what your head is doing during your swing ask someone to watch you take some practice swings. They should be able to spot right away what’s going on.

The most important factor in deciding how quickly and how far your ball travels is the club you use. That’s common sense for most golfers but a few beginners (and veterans alike) think it takes a big and powerful swing to get your ball to go far. Unfortunately for these heavy hitters, there is more to it than that.

You need to take two things into account when deciding how fast to swing: your choice of club and the force you put into the swing itself.

It’s key to remember that not all clubs are the same. A shorter club, like your pitching wedge, has a steep angle that limits how far the ball can travel regardless of how hard you swing. If you swing too hard or too fast you’re more likely to lose control and get a bad shot. If you swing with the right speed and force you’ll take full advantage of the club you’re using and get a much better result.