The Basics

We need to understand the basics to enable us to swing the golf club in such a way that the clubface is returned square to the ball at impact while travelling on a line towards the target - the target line.

To gain an understanding of what can go wrong and how it affects our shots it is worth explaining the different ways in which we can strike the golf ball.

Alignment of the clubface and swing path are the two most important variables a golfer needs to understand.

The Basics, Fig 1, shows a golf swing diagram with the ideal combination ie: at the moment of impact the club face is square and travelling on a line towards the target. The swing arc traces a path from inside the target line, along the target line at impact and then back inside the target line after impact. This will produce a straight shot, moving on line towards the intended target.

The Basics, Fig 2, shows the club head still travelling along the target line at impact and on the correct swing path but with the club face open (rotated clockwise). This will produce a shot that starts straight but turns to the right, (slices), towards the end of its flight.



The Basics, Fig 3, shows the club head still travelling along the target line and on the correct swing path but with the club face closed (rotated anti clockwise). This will produce a shot which starts straight but turns to the left, (hooks), towards the end of its flight.



The Basics, Fig 4, shows the club head travelling along a swing path beginning on the outside of the target line and moving to the inside of the target line after impact. The club face is square to the swing path at impact. This will produce a shot which flies straight but left, a pull.



The Basics, Fig 5, shows the club head travelling along a swing path beginning on the outside of the target line and moving to the inside of the target line after impact. The club face is open (rotated clockwise) to the swing path at impact. This will produce a shot which flies left but veers right at the end of its flight, a slice. The majority of amateur golfers have these swing characteristics.



The Basics, Fig 6, shows the club head travelling along a swing path beginning on the outside of the target line and moving to the inside of the target line after impact. The club face is closed (rotated clockwise) to the swing path at impact. This will produce a shot which flies left and veers to the left towards the end of its flight, a pull hook.



The Basics, Fig 7, shows the club head travelling along a swing path beginning on the inside of the target line and moving to the outside of the target line after impact. The club face is square to the swing path at impact. This will produce a shot which flies straight but to the right, a push.



The Basics, Fig 8, shows the club head travelling along a swing path beginning on the inside of the target line and moving to the outside of the target line after impact. The club face is open (rotated clockwise) to the swing path at impact. This will produce a shot which flies right and turns further right towards the end of its flight, a push slice.

All golfers must hit the ball using one of the combinations above. If you have the tendency to hook, slice, pull or push your shots then you need to determine what exactly is going wrong.

Alignment of the clubface can be determined by hitting balls with your driver. The driver is used because the low loft maximizes the sidespin of the ball’s flight, indicating a misaligned clubface. Shots that curve to the right indicate a clubface open at impact. Conversely, shots that curve to the left result from a closed clubface. Shots that fly straight, whether left or right, show that clubface alignment is not a big problem but direction needs to be addressed.

The direction of the clubhead during the swing can be determined by hitting balls with 8 - 9 iron or pitching wedge. The loft of these clubs creates backspin with little sidespin. The direction that the ball travels shows you the clubhead swing path. A ball flying left indicates an outside to inside swing path of the clubhead at impact. Shots that start to the right result from an in to out swing path. Shots that fly straight indicates the correct in-to-square-to-in swing path.

Also check the line of your divots for clues. These will indicate the direction of your swing path.

Open and closed clubfaces and a wayward swing path are merely a problem of incorrect grip or set up. These are discussed in the following articles.





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