HOW TO HIT IT STRAIGHT

PERCEPTION : Keep the clubface pointing towards the target during the follow-through, 

This might not seem right, but never try to hit a golf ball straight. Good golfers don't. The ball flies further with right-to-left spin on it.

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Our problems begin the moment we first try to hit a golf ball, and two things usually occur. Firstly, the hands are always in the wrong position. The left hand is invariably in what is known as a "weak" position, where only one knuckle is visible on the back of the hand.

The right hand is always in a "strong" position, where the palm of the hand is visible, or too far "under" the club. Secondly, most beginners try to keep the clubface pointed towards the target as they swing the club through, similar to a cricket shot. This would obviously seem like the logical way to hit a golf ball straight but it doesn't work that way.

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The single most noticeable difference between beginners and good golfers is that beginners use only their hands and arms while good golfers use more torso than hands. You must feel your chest turning during the backswing and follow-through, with your hands basically staying in front of your chest.

Your hands MUST 

be in this position

This is not appropriate golfing attire

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In a perfect swing the grooves on the clubface will always be aligned to the centre of your axis, your torso. That means, when the clubhead is to the right of the ball, the club face is pointed to the right of the target and when the clubhead is left of the ball it is pointed to the left of the target.

The clubface must point to the target for the tiniest fraction of a second, just as it strikes the ball. When beginners try to keep the clubface pointed towards the target it is, in fact, "open", or pointing to the right. This causes the ball to fly to the right.

In order to keep the grooves on the clubface aligned with your axis, there must be a slight "rotation" of the hands in the hitting area, where the right hand is allowed to "roll" over the left. In order for this to happen, the left hand must be in a "stronger" position, where two or three knuckles are visible on the back of the hand. With the left hand in a "weak" position, with only one knuckle showing, it is physically impossible to roll the hands and the clubface will point to the right of the target as it strikes the ball.

The reaction to this is also predictable. What then happens is that the golfer will try to "pull" the ball back on line, swinging the club from outside the target line and way through to the left, with the hands and wrists still completely rigid. The result is simply a slice that takes off further left.

Don't try to keep the clubface "straight".

Secondly, never try to keep the clubface pointed towards the target. As you swing the club through, you must allow the hands and arms to "rotate", so that the right hand rolls "over" the left. Imagine that just after the club has struck the ball, you can see the back of your right hand.

It is possible, without any magic, to put any spin on any ball. The slice has left-to-right spin on it while the draw has right-to-left spin on it. You now have to work against the slice and put right-to-left spin on the golf ball.

Start off by hitting the ball off a peg and try to do nothing other than getting your hands to "roll over" as you swing the club through. Work at this until the ball turns from right to left every time you hit the ball. Once you get every ball to curve to the left, simply readjust your grip, where you can see only two or three knuckles.

Keep your grips dry

LESSON LEARNED : Don't try to hit a golf ball straight.

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