A pull with the driver can be incredibly frustrating.

What I have always hated about a pulled shot is that, at first, it feels really solid. But then, when you see the ball heading down the left, you know you are in trouble.

With all the hype that slicing a driver gets, you may be surprised that pulling a driver is almost as common of a miss. I have a few ways in which you can help straighten out your driver and stop hitting a pull.

You may need a combination of more than one fix to get the driver straightened out.

1. Your Lower Body Stops Rotating

One of the top reasons that golfers pull the ball is that their lower body stops rotating as they come through the golf ball. In order to create power in the golf swing, you must rotate your body back. However, that rotation must also continue back through the golf ball.

If at any point during the swing, your lower body stops rotating, you will likely notice the golf ball is pulled. Pulling a shot with the driver very often deals with overactivity in the arms.

How to Fix It

There are plenty of drills to work on, continuing to rotate your lower body through the impact zone. However, I find that the majority of players that struggle with this mistake tend to be standing too close to the ball.

As you are setting up to hit your driver, make sure that you are not crowding yourself. When you do this, it’s hard to get the club to pass through impact and continue your rotation.

Another important thing to focus on is transferring your weight; as you move towards the finish position, all of your weight should be on the left foot; this ensures your rotation is considerably better.

2. You’re Coming Over The Top

If you swing over the top and your clubface is slightly closed, the chance of hitting a pull is quite high. An over-the-top swing is one where the golf club is not on a proper plane as it approaches the ball.

Most of the time, the club is above the plane and swinging across the body. This over-the-top motion will, at times, cause a slice.

How to Fix It

An over the top golf swing is common. If the individual parts of your golf swing are not working all that well together, expect to come over the top.

The one thing that I have always found to help players that come over the top is to try to create a slight pause at the top of the golf swing. When you create this pause, it can help you feel the space necessary to drop the club down on the proper plane.

In addition, if you start your backswing with a turn, you should have an easier time keeping the hands and the body working together.

3. Your Hands Are Too Active In The Swing

The hands play a really important role in the golf swing, but many amateur golfers get their hands overly involved in their swing. If you are working on trying to hit the ball straight, it’s best to have less activity in the hands and more arms and body working together.

You can sometimes use your hands to square up a face and hit a straight shot, but it’s certainly not consistent.

How to Fix It

One of the best ways I have found to keep the hands out of the swing is to stay more connected. Take a headcover and put it under each of your arms, near the armpit. Now take some swings without letting this headcover fall out.

You don’t need to take actual shots, instead, use it as a drill and then step up to hit a shot. You should notice that the body stays more connected and the chance of your hands taking over and pulling the ball are a bit lower.

4. You’re Holding Weight Back

The fact that you transferred weight back to your right side (for a right handed player) is a great thing. However, to play great golf with lots of power, the weight also needs to transfer back to the left side as you move through impact.

Golfers that hold weight back on the right side will send the club flying through impact, and it most often has a closed clubface.

How to Fix It

The key to learning how to fix holding your weight back is to learn how to effectively transfer weight in the golf swing. This will take a lot of work without hitting shots and trying to create muscle memory of what it feels like to swing the club back while simultaneously getting that weight to transfer.

Once your weight is loaded up the way it should be, you can go after the ball and explode with power.

This video teaches some of the basics of a great weight transfer and how it can improve your golf game.

5. Your Clubface is Closed

Another one of the more common reasons for pulling a golf shot is the fact that the clubface is closed. To give yourself the best shot at a long driver, you need a square clubface and a proper club path as well.

Sometimes at setup, a golfer will close the clubface to help prevent a slice. The problem, of course, is when the clubface is closed to the target line, it can also create a pulled shot.

While you are checking on the angle of your clubhead, make sure that you are also looking at the ball’s position. The ball position for a driver should be off the inside of your left heel. If you are playing it further back than that, it could result in a pull.

How to Fix It

This is one of the simple fixes in the game of golf. Learn what a square clubface looks like by using a straight edge of some sort. Setup with the club on the straight edge to see what a 90-degree clubface looks like.

On the takeaway, make sure you don’t adjust the shot and start closing the clubface down. A slice is a bad miss, but if you overcorrect too much, you end up with a pull.

6. You Have Poor Alignment

Amateur golfers sometimes take a stance that will set them up to the left of their target line. The pulled shot is not always caused by mistake in the golf swing and is instead caused right at setup.

If you are working on your golf game at the driving range, use alignment sticks to work on your tee shot alignment.

How to Fix It

Always pick a line for your clubhead, and then make sure that your feet, shoulders, and hips are square to this line. If your legs are open and your clubface is square, you could be setting yourself up to hit a slice.

If those feet are closed, and your clubface is square, there is a good chance you are going to pull your tee shot.

Take the time you need in your setup. It’s one of the most important areas of the golf swing. The setup is a way to ensure you get to the perfect impact position. I like to incorporate my aiming routine into my pre-shot routine so that it is done the same way every time.

7. Your Grip Is Too Strong

Our only connection with the golf club is the grip. Golfers with strong grip have their left hand turned more to the right than they should. This extra turn of the hand allows the right hand to fit more under the club.

With one hand rotated more on the bottom of the club, it takes a more active role and makes it easier for a golfer to release the clubhead at impact.

For players that slice the ball, this has always been a great quick fix. However, most amateur players tend to overcorrect. If you overcorrect and your grip starts to get too strong, it will create a pulled shot. Many times these pulls turn into hooks.

How to Fix It

Finding the perfect grip on your golf club is an art. There are grip trainers out there that make it easy to see exactly where your hands should be on the club. However, it’s best to invest time in this process and learn how to grip the club in a neutral position.

Start by ensuring your left thumb is not wrapped too far to the right of the center of the grip. Instead, keep the left thumb a bit more straight down the shaft.

When your left hand is in this potion, the right hand should fit more on top of the club than under it. This positioning takes the right hand out of it a little and allows you to get your golf shot on the proper path.

I would work on keeping this same grip in place for all clubs, aside from the driver.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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Have you ever had your golf cart go dead on you in the middle of a round? If not, take my word for it; it’s a rough experience. A lot of times, when this happens, a faulty controller is to blame.

My cart went dead on the 17th hole at a golf course in Indiana. I had no idea how it happened but thankfully, one of the course marshalls drove by and radioed for help. I had to hitch a ride with him back to the pro shop and didn’t get to finish my round.

A bad controller could be the culprit if your golf cart starts acting up on you while on the course. Here are 8 common signs to look for and some possible solutions.

If you feel uncomfortable trying any of these methods, there’s no shame in finding a golf cart mechanic in your area. Ask the folks in the pro shop about the issue since they usually have a maintenance person on staff that fixes their club cars.

1. The Golf Cart Slows Down Out of Nowhere

Have you ever been cruising on the course at top speed, and your golf cart unexpectedly slows down? This can happen even if the accelerator pedal is pushed all the way down, and it is one of the common symptoms of a bad golf cart controller.

A sudden slowdown can toss your golf bag out of the cart or, worse, cause you or your passenger to be thrown from the cart. That’s why it’s important to troubleshoot this type of problem as soon as possible.

How to Troubleshoot: Sometimes, there’s a communication problem between the speed controller and the speed sensor. If you start slowing down abruptly, the best thing to do is to pull off the cart path to get out of harm’s way. Unexpected slow downs can cause accidents if the person operating the golf cart behind you doesn’t react quickly enough.

After finding a secluded area away from other golfers, hit the Tow Mode button. After doing this, check the battery and all of the wires to see if you can pinpoint the root of the problem.

2. The Cart’s Not Going as Fast as It Should Be

Does your golf cart seem to be losing speed? It could mean your controller is slowly going bad. This is similar to problem #1 but is usually more of a gradual slowing than a sudden one.

How to Troubleshoot: Get to a safe place as soon as possible. After safely parking the golf cart, inspect all the wires. If none of the cables are loose, try hitting the Reset button to see if that fixes the issue.

If neither of these solutions works, it’s best to let a mechanic take a look or go ahead and order a replacement controller.

3. Your Golf Cart Won’t Start

Hopefully, this problem happens before your round starts so that you can rent a cart from the pro shop. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Whether you have an electric cart or a gas golf cart, not being able to get it started is a major pain!

How to Troubleshoot: If you have an electric golf cart and notice a click when you turn the key, the problem is more than likely one of the electrical components. If you have a gasoline cart, it could be a battery issue. If there’s no clicking sound when you turn the key, it could be a problem with the solenoid or the starter.

If your cart is electrical, make sure all of the battery packs are fully charged. If they’re not, let them sit on the charger for a while. If that’s not the issue, check all the battery cables to ensure there isn’t any corrosion or damage.

For a gasoline cart, you want to follow the same procedure for the battery. If that’s not the issue, make sure your cart just simply isn’t out of gas. A lot of times, the gas gauge can go bad and give you a misreading.

4. The Cart Keeps Stalling Out of The Blue

This problem is scary and dangerous when it happens! You’ll just be driving along thinking everything is fine, only to have your golf cart suddenly stall. Though your cart may start back up when this happens, you need to get to a safe place as soon as possible to troubleshoot the issue.

How to Troubleshoot: You need to inspect the controller for any type of damage that may be causing it to malfunction. Take a look at the ignition coil to see if you notice anything strange. If you notice any type of wire damage, attach new ones if you’re comfortable or have an experienced technician do so.

If you’re unsure of what’s causing the golf cart to stall, get it to a trained mechanic. Don’t make the mistake of simply ignoring the problem. Stalling issues never just get better on their own.

5. Sudden Speed Bursts While Driving Your Golf Cart

Have you ever been cruising around in your golf cart when out of nowhere, it starts going faster than normal? This problem may seem kind of fun at first, but it’s a sign that you may need a new controller.

When the controller starts to go bad, you may notice unexpected speed bursts, even if you only have the pedal down about halfway. It’s a scary feeling when you feel like the golf cart is driving you and not the other way around.

This sudden acceleration problem is very dangerous for both you and your fellow passengers. When these types of symptoms occur, the golf cart will often sprint forward for no apparent reason. Get off the cart path and to a deserted location before putting the cart in a neutral position for troubleshooting.

How to Troubleshoot: Before anything else, put the golf cart in Tow Mode while you check for further symptoms of controller failure. If no wires or smaller terminals appear to be loose, it’s probably time for a new controller.

6. The Steering Wheel Starts Shaking

If you’re ever driving on the course and notice any shaking or vibrations from the steering wheel, it could be time to replace the controller. Even if you don’t notice a ton of vibration in the wheel, you may hear an unusual amount of club chatter from your golf bag. This is because the golf cart is stuttering.

How to Troubleshoot: Any type of shaking or stuttering usually comes down to either a bad controller or a faulty throttle sensor. Switch the maintenance switch to Tow Mode and take the black wire out of the battery for maximum safety.

If all wires are firmly connected, try recharging your battery. If that doesn’t fix the issue, replace the controller or have an expert examine it.

7. Controller Doesn’t Show Any Voltage

If no volts are registering on your controller’s voltmeter, it may be time for a replacement. However, this problem could have a simple solution, so don’t panic.

Try resetting your controller by completing the below steps. A controller is like your computer; it needs to be rebooted every so often for peak performance.

How to Troubleshoot: Resetting the controller is a rather simple process. Turn the key switch into the OFF position and put your golf cart in neutral. Put the tow switch into low.

Take the negative battery cable out of the battery set. Flip the tow switch to RUN and flip the reverse switch. Turn the key switch to the ON slot. You’ve now successfully reset your controller.

8. The Operation Light Starts Flashing Repeatedly

This is another telltale sign of a controller that’s starting to go bad. Most golf carts have an operation light that flashes a code when there’s something wrong. If the light starts flashing like crazy, pull over and research what the code means.

How To Troubleshoot: Seeing the operation light come on is never a good feeling. However, there’s no reason to panic. The controller may just need to be reset as we did in symptom No. 7.

Try resetting the controller first. If that doesn’t clear the code, you may need to consider buying a new controller. If you don’t feel comfortable changing it out yourself, take your golf cart to a licensed mechanic.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Swinging over the top is a problem that so many golfers struggle with.

It doesn’t matter if you are brand new to the game or have been playing your entire life; getting a swing path that is a bit over the top is something that needs to be fixed.

For some golfers, a simple swing thought can have you on your way to square shots. However, for most players I have worked with, a combination of drills, training aids, and good old-fashioned practice have been the only ways to fix your over the top golf swing.

Take a look at my six key steps to finally fix your over the top golf swing, and start swinging through the golf ball with confidence.

Step 1: Record a Video

The first step in this process may seem like a simple one but both pro golfers and average golfers that have done it will tell you it’s a must.

Start by recording a video of your golf swing.

One of the most challenging things about the game of golf is that we can’t see the golf club when we swing. Trying to determine where the swing path or swing plane is wont’ be easy. However, with modern technology, a quick video will let you see quite a bit.

So many players say to me, “I don’t know how to diagnose the video.”

I understand you may think that is the case. However, chances are you will be able to see a great deal of what you are doing wrong. Also, you want this video as a comparison when you finish fixing your over the top swing.

Take two videos with the help of a friend. One of the videos should be down the line; another should be a face on video.

If you don’t hit the big slice that has been bothering you, record a few swings so you have some evidence of the problem.

Step 2: Check Your Setup

The next part of this process is to look at the most obvious errors in the game. Players who have their grip, feet position, shoulder line, hips, or even their head position wrong at setup.

So many players want to fix their over the top swing by working on their angle into the ball, their rotation, or ensuring they make a good transition. These are all important but are you setting yourself up to get to this position?

If your feet and your shoulder lines are crossed, straight shots are hard to achieve.

We know that practicing your setup and stance is quite boring compared to other things on this list; it’s well worth getting this down before you try and fix something that may or may not even need to be fixed.

Step 3: Perfect The Takeaway

The takeaway of your golf shots should be low and slow. Taking the club back with just your arms, swinging back really fast, or forgetting that important transition between backswing and downswing can cause poor shots and an over the top swing.

Most golfers struggle at the top of the swing, but there are issues at the start of the swing that can cause this problem.

The golf takeaway is often overlooked by amateur players.

One of my favorite swing tips for golfers working on their takeaway is to take a small blade of grass or even a leaf and place it just a few inches behind the ball.

On your backswing, make sure you may contact with this. To do so, you will have to engage your lower body, keep the arms out of it and ensure you are having the golf club and the body work together.

Step 4: Get To The Inside

Now that the basics are out of the way, it’s time to do the actual work to fix your over the top golf swing. There are two things you need to think about here, getting the club path more on the inside and ensuring the club face is rotated so that it is square at impact.

The first part of this process is ensuring a more inside club path. This club path encourages a golfer to keep their right elbow (right-handed golfer) more connected throughout the swing. The right elbow should even feel as though it is touching your body as you make your transition at the top of the downswing.

One of the simplest and best drills for this is to put a golf glove or even a towel under your right armpit and ensure it stays in place as you make a good transition.

Another drill to consider here is over-exaggerating the inside to out swing path. Most golfers that come over the top have an out-to-in swing path. What this typically looks like is a golf club that starts coming down with the arms and shoulders from the top of the swing.

The club never appears to drop into place and fill in that space that you created with a good rotation.

Exaggerating this move so that you feel as though you are coming way inside on the approach to the ball is a good way to get your lower body sequence worked out and feel what you need to do.

When you go back to hitting balls, chances are you won’t be exaggerating nearly as much, and you will actually be in the correct position. Some players that struggle with this common problem of coming over the top will add an exaggerated inside approach to their pre-shot routine.

The next thing to work on is the club face angle. If you get to the inside, but your club face is not square to the target line, the shot won’t work out. Most golfers struggle to rotate their forearms.

Step 5: Training Aids to Help

Feeling this inside-to-out path and getting rid of the over the top swing plane will be hard for some players. If you have been swinging like this your entire life, you won’t fix it with one good swing. In fact, it will take quite a bit of time and effort to work this out.

Some of the best options for fixing coming over the top is to use alignment sticks or something like the Eyeline Speed Trap. All you need to do with an alignment stick is set it in the ground at an angle just above the golf ball.

The goal is to swing under this alignment stick. If you swing over the top, you will hit the alignment stick.

Start with slow swings here, as you won’t want to make contact with the alignment stick and hurt yourself.

The Eyeline Speed Trap is another excellent device that allows you to see the proper path and eventually leads to golfers having a square face at impact. The latest release of the Eyeline Speed Trap makes it much easier to use the device without damage to your club or yourself.

I love the visual benefits of a tool like this.

When you head out to the golf course, you can be sure that your mind is in the right place and that you are prepared for what impact position should look like.

Step 6: Transfer to The Course

As a golfer (and teacher of the game) who has had issues with swing path in the past, I know how it can feel simple to fix issues on the range and then an entirely different situation to fix them on the golf course.

You are not alone in this frustration of transferring knowledge to the course.

The best way I have found to help this issue is to work on making your driving range practice more like the course.

Most amateur players head to the driving range with a bucket of 75 golf balls and then just start firing away. This is, of course, not the solution. Even if you do come closer to fixing your over the top swing, chances are you have ignored other issues that could be creating inconsistency.

Instead, take some time to work on the drills we talked about. Hit ten or twenty golf balls using the drills. Then take out a training aid like alignment sticks or a path trainer and work with that for some swings.

The idea is that you are building the muscle memory to then use when the pressure is on.

Once you feel like you understand the motion, you have to start putting pressure on.

Pick a target and try to hit it just as you would on the golf course. If you miss the green because of a slice, chances are you were over the top. If you hook it or draw it, maybe you came a little too far from the inside.

Make a mental note of this shot and then move to the next one. Don’t stand there and rapid-fire golf shots; it gets you nowhere. Make your practice like the course, and everything will transition to the course independently.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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Golf is a wonderful game, but one that can be incredibly frustrating. Being off by even the slightest of margins with your swing can often yield disastrous results on the golf course.

When I first started playing golf, I fought a huge banana slice that caused me to lose more than my fair share of golf balls. Luckily, with some time and instruction, I was able to correct it and start hitting straighter shots on a more consistent basis.

Not sure what the difference is between a hook and a slice? You’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll teach you the differences between a hook and a slice, the common causes of each, and tips on how to fix each one. Hopefully, after reading this article you’ll be well on your way to hitting straighter shots and shooting lower scores.

Hook vs Slice: Understanding the Difference

Most beginner golfers struggle with slicing the golf ball, especially with the larger clubs like the driver and fairway woods. But hooking is common too.

What exactly is the difference between these types of golf shots? It’s the way that the ball curves.

For a right-handed golfer, a slice occurs when your shot starts straight but then takes a wicked right turn. Severe slices usually end up in the trees, a water hazard, or just plain lost! Needless to say, this can be immensely frustrating to any golfer since losing a ball or hitting one into the water results in a one-stroke penalty.

The opposite of a slice is a hook. Again using our right-handed golfer example, a hook happens when the golfer’s shot starts going straight but then takes a sharp left-hand turn about halfway through. This also can result in lost golf balls or shots that end up in the trees or water.

What Causes a Slice?

There are several different reasons why golfers slice the ball. We’ll cover a couple of these in detail below.

Improper Grip / Too Weak

The grip is one of the most vital parts of the golf swing. Think about it – your hands are the only link between you and the golf club. Having a grip that is “too weak” will often cause you to slice the golf ball because you have an open clubface at impact.

When we say weak grip, we are not referring to grip pressure. We are talking about how many knuckles you can see on your top hand while holding the golf club. With a grip that is too weak, you’ll only see one knuckle on your top hand. Here’s a good picture to illustrate a grip that is too weak and may cause slicing.

golf-terms.com

Out to In Swing Path

Slicing is also caused by an out to in swing path. This often occurs due to an improper takeaway when starting the golf swing. Folks with an out-to-in swing path often activate their hands, wrists, and arms way too soon instead of simply turning their shoulders away from the target.

What’s the result of an out-to-in swing path? The golfer ends up cutting across the golf ball and putting that notorious spin on the golf ball that causes a slice.

What Causes a Hook?

Just as with slicing, there are plenty of reasons why golfers hook the ball. Here are the two main reasons for hooking.

Improper Grip / Too Strong

We talked above about the dangers of having a grip that is too weak and how it’ll often lead to slices. Along those same lines, a grip that is too strong will usually lead to hooks because the clubface is too closed at impact.

Again, we’re not talking about how hard you’re gripping the golf club but the position of your hands. Here’s a picture of a grip that is too strong. Notice that you can see three knuckles on the left hand.

golf-terms.com

In to Out Swing Path

Those infuriating duck hooks often happen because of an in-to-out swing path. This also happens because of an improper takeaway during the beginning of the golf swing.

An in to out swing path starts when the golfer pulls the club too far inside near their body. When this happens, the golfer will hit more of the inside of the golf ball and the result will be a hook.

Is it Better to Hook or Slice?

To play at your best, you need to eliminate both hooks and slices from your golf game. Both types of mishits can be detrimental to shooting a good score consistently. Both types of swing flaws should be worked on at the range with lots of practice time.

If we had to pick one over the other though, we’d choose the hook over the slice. Hooks can usually be corrected by some slight tweaks while slices often need some major swing adjustments. An interesting observation is that newer golfers often fight a slice while seasoned golfers sometimes fight a hook.

How to Fix a Slice

Here is a list of several tips to try when fixing your slice.

1. Don’t Swing So Hard

I’ve seen it time and time again on the course. Golfers who walk up to the tee and try to “kill” the golf ball usually end up slicing it to “hell and gone” as Will Smith said in The Legend of Bagger Vance.

The reason is that when you overswing, you often grip the club way too tight and the hands cannot turn over properly at impact. This makes it too difficult to square the clubface. The next time you’re on the tee box, act like you’re just trying to clip the tee, not murder the golf ball.

2. Correct Your Grip

Slicers normally have a grip that is too weak. If that is you, try strengthening your grip just a tiny bit. You don’t have to go overboard but try to see two knuckles at address instead of only one. This will give you better control of the club head and make it easier to hit the ball squarely.

3. Correct Your Swing Path

If you’re struggling with a slice, try correcting your swing path. Most of the time, slicers have an out-to-in swing path. Practice a smooth takeaway that is neutral, meaning not too far in and not too far out.

If you are fighting a nasty slice, a great drill that will help correct your swing path is called the Headcover Drill. Head to the practice range with a bucket of balls but put one of your headcovers (or a towel) under your left arm (for a right-handed golfer).

When you go to hit your shots, keep your arm close to your body so the headcover won’t slip out. It will feel a bit weird at first but hang with it. This simple drill will help you keep your arms closer to your body and will help you get used to swinger on a more proper path.

Here’s a video that demonstrates this drill:

4. Try to Hook the Ball

We know this sounds weird but stay with us here. Golf can be a game of opposites. Most of the time you can fix one problem by exaggerating a few things in your swing.

Slicers usually cut across the golf ball at impact. Instead of cutting across and hitting primarily the outside of the ball, focus on making contact with the inside of the ball. You may end up hitting the ball super straight by doing this!

Further reading: How to fix a slice

How to Fix a Hook

Here are a few tips for fixing your hook.

1. Weaken Your Grip a Tad

The typical root cause of a hook is due to a grip that is too strong. This results in the golfer making contact with the ball with a closed clubface. This creates that spin that causes the right to left ball flight.

Grip the golf club like you normally would and do an honest assessment. If you can see three or four knuckles, weaken your grip by one knuckle to see if that cures your hook.

2. Slow Everything Down

Another big reason that golfers hook the ball is being too quick with the hands or hips. Again, this can cause a shut clubface at impact and cause that all too familiar right to left curve.

Practice taking slower, smoother backswings. This should help you keep a steadier pace throughout your swing and may straighten out your hook.

3. Correct Your Swing Path

Just like with slices, be sure to check your swing path when trying to correct a hook. Hooks often come from swinging on a path that is too in to out. Practice a swing path that is more neutral and not too inside out.

Golfers who struggle with hooking the ball can try an easy fix that may quickly fix this common issue. While on the practice range, experiment with standing one to two inches closer to the golf ball at address. This will take some getting used to because you’ll think you’re standing too close to the ball.

When you stand a little closer to the ball, you won’t have enough room to swing from in to out. This will make you swing on a more vertical plane and should help eliminate those annoying hooks.

4. Check Your Alignment at Address

Lots of golfers who struggle with a hook tend to aim way too far to the right of their targets to overcompensate. While this may work okay for a while, consider aiming straight down the middle of the fairway. If you’re trying out a new grip, you might as well try the proper alignment.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Are you constantly hitting a snap hook off the tee? 

Do your iron shots miss to the left also? 

If so, you may be suffering the effects of a left hand golf grip that is too strong.

If your left hand is gripping the golf club too strong, it can cause issues with your golf game. Learn more about what causes this problem and how to fix it. Having a good grip is essential if you want to improve as a golfer.

What is a Strong Left Handed Golf Grip?

There is an easy way to tell if you have a strong left handed golf grip. Take your normal grip on the golf club and line up like you are about to take a full golf swing. While in the address position, count how many knuckles you can see on your left hand.

If you can see three knuckles or more on your left hand, you have a strong left hand golf grip. Beginner golfers are often taught by golf instructors to employ a strong left hand grip with the hopes that it will help them avoid a slice. To make a strong left-hand grip work, the golfer must use a ton of body rotation.

How a Strong Left Hand Grip Can be Problematic

Though there are several pro golfers on the PGA Tour that use a strong left hand grip, it won’t work well for the majority of beginner golfers. Here is why a strong left hand grip can be problematic.

1. It Can Cause Golfers to Hook the Golf Ball

Probably the most common problem of using a left hand grip that is too strong is hooking the ball. Why does this happen?

When a strong grip is used, the left wrist often snaps the clubface shut just before making contact with the golf ball. This causes the ball to go left most of the time and results in inaccurate shots and lots of frustration.

2. Lower Ball Flight

Golfers who prefer stronger grips often hit the ball much lower than folks who use a neutral grip or a weak grip. This happens because a strong grip delofts the golf club, which naturally causes a much lower ball flight.

A lower ball flight may not sound like that big of a deal, especially when talking about the larger golf clubs like the driver and fairway woods. However, a lower ball flight can impede a golfer’s ability to hit accurate iron shots. This is especially true with the wedge shots that are close to the green.

3. Short Game Problems

Another huge problem that a strong golf grip can cause has to do with the golfer’s short game. Many golfers who use a strong left hand grip have a hard time hitting accurate chip and pitch shots. It’s tough to generate enough spin on all short game shots when using a strong grip.

As with a full golf swing, the wrist position with a strong grip delofts the club. This makes it difficult to hit any type of high chip shot. A strong grip also makes the clubface harder to control which is very detrimental to the short game.

How to Fix It

If you are hitting the golf ball just fine with a strong left hand grip and shooting low scores, don’t mess with what you are doing. There is no reason to fix something that is working well for you. 

However, if you’re fighting a hook, hitting the ball too low, or struggling with your chipping, here’s how to fix your grip.

1. Put the Left-Hand Knuckles in Neutral Position

Instead of having three or more knuckles on the left hand visible at address, try weakening your grip slightly so that only two knuckles can be seen. If you can see two to two and a half knuckles at address, this is a neutral left-hand grip, which is our goal.

With a strong left hand grip, you won’t be able to see your left thumb because it is tucked on the other side of the shaft. However, with a neutral left-hand grip, you should be able to see your left thumb.

2. Use the Correct Right-Hand Grip

Instead of seeing no knuckles on the right hand like with a strong grip, you should see one or one and a half knuckles when moving to a neutral grip. This will make it much easier to use either an interlocking grip or an overlap grip style.

3. Check the V’s

When working on a grip change, it’s vitally important to check which way your V’s are pointing. Not sure what we mean by V’s?

When gripping the golf club, each index finger and thumb form a V shape. If your hands are in a truly neutral position, the V of both hands will point at your right shoulder.

4. Practice, Practice, PRACTICE!

Undergoing a grip change is a tremendous challenge, especially if you have been using the same type of grip for years. The best way to get comfortable with a new grip is to spend more time at the driving range.

PGA Tour legends like Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods all went through grip changes at various points in their illustrious careers. You can bet they each spent countless hours on the practice range while getting used to their new grip.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Thanks to my erratic driving game, I had to learn the art of drawing and fading shots out of the woods to get back into play. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your ball flight turns out opposite to your initial intention. As a result, your ball vanishes off its target line. This post is to educate you about what is a double cross in golf?

The aim is to help you identify when it happens and how you can fix it. Those who struggle with other elements of their swings can read our various detailed guides on how to resolve your challenge.

What is a Double Cross in Golf?

In layman’s terms, a double-cross occurs when your golf ball travels in the opposite direction you were aiming.

For example, a tree sits in your line to the green, and the only shot you have is to induce a fade. As a right-handed golfer, you aim to the left of your target, preparing for the left to right-hand shape, but it doesn’t come. Instead, it develops a draw shape and hooks away from your target.

You were aiming left of your target, and you hooked your shot. That means that you are now well beyond the left side of the fairway.

I, unfortunately, endured a double-cross in my last round. My tee shot ended behind a shrub on a par 5, leaving me with the option of hitting a lofted club over the shrub and laying up or fading a fairway wood. Naturally, I opted for the latter option.

I aimed my feet to the left of the target, positioned my open clubface behind the ball, and initiated my backswing. However, my rotation slowed before impact, causing my hands to take the lead and closing my clubface at impact. That led to a snap hook 20-yards in the wrong direction.

A more common scenario for higher handicap players is that you set up for your ball to shape from the left to the right side of the fairway, but you snap hook it left. Since you were aiming left to account for a slice or fade shape, the result is far worse than if you aimed directly at your target.

Causes of a Double Cross

Rotation

Like I described with my experience with the double-cross, it is often caused by lower rotation speed. That leads to your hands moving ahead of the ball and prompts your clubface to close.

As a result, your ball hooks uncontrollably to the left hand side of the course, putting you on the back foot for the remainder of the hole.

It is vital to turn your hips through impact for optimal power and accuracy. Read more about how much hip turn is best for your golf swing in our detailed guide. Understanding these elements will lead to distance and accuracy consistency.

Weight

Those who consistently slice their shots will notice that you often lose your balance at impact and fall back. That is because you struggle to shift your weight forward and leave your body and clubface open at impact.

On the contrary, if your golf shots draw excessively, you may shift your weight too early on your downswing. That closes your body and clubface, causing your ball to hook.

Ball Position

Where you position your ball in your stance can impact the direction it curves. Mark Blackburn from Titleist explains that it is best to place the ball slightly back if you wish to prompt a draw. That position helps you close the angle of your clubface at impact to initiate a right to left curve:

Conversely, Blackburn recommends placing the ball front center in your stance when attempting to fade the ball.

If you place the ball in the incorrect position of your stance, it is difficult to get your clubface to the angle it needs to be at impact. Therefore, you may slice the ball when you had hoped to draw it.

Swing Path

Besides slow hips and the incorrect ball position, your swing path can also cause your golf ball to travel to the opposite side of the course. For example, if your golf swing moves inside-out, you are more likely to prompt a draw than a slice or fade.

Contrarily, an outside-in swing is most likely to produce shots that fade or slice. The bottom line is if you aim right of the target intending to draw the ball but swing outside-in, your ball may slice or fade away from the pin.

In addition, if you set up for a fade by aiming left of your target, but then you produce an inside-out swing, you may hook your ball.

You can learn more about different swings and the types of shots they produce by reading our informative guide.

Clubface At Impact

While your swing, rotation, and ball position may all impact the final result of your shot, your clubface at impact has the final say. When you leave your face open at contact, it results in left to right sidespin, which leads to a slice or a fade.

Inversely, a closed clubface at impact causes increased right to left sidespin, encouraging a draw or hook.

Swing Easy

When golfers swing rapidly and try to smoke their ball, it generally ends in a bad shot. From past experience, I hit double-crosses when I attempted to swing faster than Kyle Berkshire. My advice to the average player is to take it easy and don’t force it.

4 Tips to Fix a Double Cross

1. Rotate Through Impact

The first area you need to work on to eradicate a double-cross from your swing is rotation. Putting the brakes on hip rotation before impact causes your hands to lead the clubhead. That often prompts a closed clubface position and causes you to hook your shot.

Golf coach Alistair Davies provides a simple drill to improve your rotation. Pick up a golf ball and imagine that it is a stone you are trying to skip across a lake. Rotate your body, and release the ball. You will notice how that motion increased your power and accuracy:

Once you have practiced that motion three to five times, take three practice swings. Focus on rotating your hips through impact to propel your clubface along the intended line. As a result, you increase your chance of executing your intended shot shape with added power.

2. Correct Your Weight Position

You can practice inducing a fade by placing your weight on your back foot at address. Once you are over the ball, lift up your front foot, and maintain the weight on your trail leg. That position prompts you to keep your body open through impact, leading to a fade.

Take a few half swings and feel how this position enables you to keep the clubface open at impact, causing your ball to fade.

On the opposing end, lift up your back foot and reposition the mass on your lead leg to prepare for a draw.

Overall, these drills help improve your muscle memory to consistently execute fade and draw shots and avoid the double-cross.

You can learn the best setup for your golf game by reading about employing a proper stance.

3. Correct Your Swing Path

When your club veers off the intended swing path, it is a mission to get your clubface into position at impact. Failure to achieve the desired clubface angle at impact sends the ball traveling in the unintended direction.

When you prepare to strike a draw, you should swing in and out to give yourself the best chance of closing your face at impact.

Instead of repeating myself, you can learn how to execute an inside-out swing by studying my review here. Instead, let me help you with pulling off a fade to put you in the fairway.

A fade or slice is prompted by an open clubface at impact that generates left-to-right sidespin for right-handers. For starters, widen your stance and position the ball in the front center of it. Next, take your club back and out away from your body, then follow an inside path on your downswing.

This angle causes your clubface to cut across the ball and generate sidespin with an open face, resulting in a fade.

4. Fix The Position of Your Clubface at Impact

The angle of your clubface when it strikes the ball determines which direction the ball will travel. By implementing the above steps into your swings, you should see improved ball striking and the position of your clubface at impact.

A drill that I find handy is breaking up your backswing into three parts to ensure that your club is on plane the entire way. Once you hit the top of your backswing, pause for a moment and commence your downswing.

If your club remains off plane after this drill, you need to take it in baby steps. Take a half swing, pause, and focus on swinging inside for a fade and outside for a draw. Familiarizing yourself with the club’s position at that point of the swing helps you improve your consistency and avoid double cross shots in golf.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Amateur golfers often struggle with a slice. It leads to the ball starting right of the target and viciously curving further away from where it should be. While you cannot play successfully with a slice, you can optimize your control with a fade. 

In this post, I am answering whether it is better to fade or slice. My aim is to teach you the difference and how to fix these shots. Plus, I will offer some guidance on how you can identify what is causing you to fade.

(Those who have no time for a fade or slice golf shot should read our step-by-step formula on how to hit a draw golf shot.)

Fade vs Slice: Understanding the Difference

A fade and slice may look like the same shot to the naked eye. However, despite their similarities in ball-flight, they are different. A fade shot is typically a controlled shot that starts left of the target line and gradually shapes from left to right for right-handers. 

A slice shot starts right of the intended target and continues to shape away from it for right-handed golfers. The side spin generated can cause the ball to kick further right and into trouble.

Basically, a fade shot shapes from left to right less than a slice. When you pull off a fade, your club follows a controlled outside-in path. Plus, the ball is sent on a stable flight. Conversely, your golf ball travels right of the target line and continues offline.

The ability to play a controlled power fade can help you escape sticky situations and optimize your distance performance from left to right dog-legs. Tiger Woods is an ideal role model to base your power fade tee shot off. Thanks to this shot, he achieves maximum distance and control on dog-legged holes:

What Causes a Fade?

Grip

Although the determining factor in a fade or slice is an open club at impact, several factors prompt this action. The first of which is your grip. Golf Magazine suggests you set up a weak grip if you wish to get the club face open at impact.

Their advice is to position your right hand on the club handle with your palm and rotate your hand to the left until you see two knuckles. Then swing as you normally would, and watch the ball fade.

If you are unintentionally fading the ball, try to gain a firmer grip on the club to generate a draw shape to compensate.

Golf coach Hank Haney conversely explains that if your grip is too tight, you will find it challenging to release through the ball at impact. That leads to you stabbing at the ball instead of following through, causing the ball to slice into oblivion.

Strong Shaft Flex

The flex of your shaft may cause you to slice your shots. The lack of flex on stiff shafts makes it difficult for slower swingers to produce enough whip on their downswing to get the club-head on plane. Typically, golfers cannot get their clubface square at impact, leaving it open and prompting a fade.

Swing Path

The next factor that causes you to fade your ball is your golf swing path. An out-to-in path causes your clubface to cut across the ball at impact, generating left to right spin, which prompts a fade shape.

If you want to induce a draw vs a fade you need to start your backswing on an inside line. Then, on your downswing, take the clubhead on an outside path.

Open Clubface

The ultimate reason you hit a fade is the position of your clubface at impact. When your clubface is open to the club path at impact, your ball will start on a straight line before fading back to the target before descending.

What Causes a Slice?

Grip

As with a fade, a weaker grip can prompt a slice. Less control of the club throughout the swing can cause the clubface to open on your downswing and stay in that position through impact. 

Before altering any mechanics of your swing to eradicate a slice check if your grip is firm enough. If it is too weak, you will struggle to keep the club on plane.

Insufficient Offset

Those struggling to shake a slice may find that their equipment carries insufficient offset. Using a driver or fairway wood with a high level of offset combats fade side spin and allows for a straighter shot to help you spend more time on the fairway.

Alignment

When you set up for a controlled fade, your stance is open, and you are aiming to the left of the target to account for the curve at the end. A slice, on the other hand, is not planned. Because it is unplanned, you are generally aiming directly at your target. 

That is one of the reasons why the results of a fade are far better than a slice.

Swing Path

The swing path for a sliced shot is the same as a fade. It starts outside and travels on an inside line to impact. That causes the face to cut across the ball and generate a side spin that sends the ball right of your target if you are right-handed.

Clubface Open To The Path

Slicing your shot stems from the same action that causes you to fade your ball, an open clubface at impact. In both circumstances, your clubface is open to the path. That means that the clubhead moves along an out to inline while the face remains open.

Clubface Open To The Target

Keeping your clubface open to the target is what separates a fade from a slice. When your clubface is open to the target, it causes a push slice, which starts the ball right of the target and curves further to the right during its flight.

Is It Better To Fade Or Slice? 

A fade is far better than a slice on any day of the year. It follows a more conservative line, curves less violently, and can give you more control. A slice on the other hand is out of control and leaves you powerless. 

Simply put, you have no business engaging with a slice. If slices are a recurring problem in your game, consider hiring a coach to help you fix it.

How to Fix a Fade

Grip

A firm grip on your golf club is vital to prevent the face from opening at impact. If you feel you have limited control over the club, tighten your grip slightly. 

Be careful not to tighten it excessively, as that can prevent you from releasing it through the ball. Failure to release through the ball at impact will cause you to stab at the ball and prompt a push slice.

Stance

Close your stance for a more flat setup. That means that you will now be aiming parallel to your target and not to the left. Some players automatically aim left because they are used to compensating for the curve.

Putting your body in this position promotes a neutral swing path to help you get the clubface square at impact. 

Club Path

The next area to fix is your club path. A fade is caused by swinging from out to in. This causes the clubface to cut across the ball and generate a sidespin. To prevent any future left to right shape, work on delivering a straighter club path.

Square Clubface

If you correct the above areas of your address and swing, you should have the clubface on plane to square up at impact. When you get your clubface square, it encourages straighter ball flight for added accuracy and consistency.

How to Fix a Slice

While we have written a detailed guide on how to fix your slice, I will leave you with a few key points  here to work on.

Grip

As with a fade, you should tighten your grip if you find that the club is too loose in your hands. Conversely, if you are gripping it too tight, it can also cause you to stab at your shots, producing a push slice.

Club Path

You need to eradicate the inside outside-in swing path from your game if you are to fix your slice. Work on sending your club back on a straight route and through along the same line. If you execute this shot your clubface will remain square at impact. As a result, your ball will fly long and straight.

Square Clubface

The principal solution to your slice woes is an open clubface at impact. This generates left to right side spin and starts your ball left of the target. Following the above tips help you get your clubface to square up before impact.

Offset Golf Clubs

Although I recommend improving your grip, club path, and face position at impact, it does no harm to have game improvement equipment. Clubs that feature exaggerated offset are an ideal companion to help you overcome your slice. 

Manufacturers offset the hosel to reduce side spin that worsens the outcome of a slice. If you are a high handicapper or beginner, it’s worth considering anti-slice clubs with excellent offset. 

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Previously, I took you through the ins and outs of a flat golf swing to help you employ it in your game. However, in this guide, I focus on the pros and cons of a flat golf swing. The purpose here is to help you determine if this is the correct swing for your game.

In addition to outlining the advantages and downsides of this swing, I will also explain what causes a flat golf swing. Plus, I detail ways to boost it if it hampers your performance.

A flat golf swing can produce superb clubhead speed for a maximum coefficient of restitution (COR). However, your mechanics better be well oiled as the slightest mistake can lead to disaster.

Causes of a Flat Golf Swing

A flat golf swing is typically caused by your hands working around your body. In other words, you take your clubhead around until it finishes behind your lead shoulder. This is the opposite of a steep swing. That plane sees you take your hands up, with the clubhead coming to rest above your lead shoulder.

Matt Kuchar takes his clubhead back and up before shallowing the shaft. Then, he commonly maximizes his rotation and sends the clubhead hurtling towards the ball. This is known as a two-plane swing and was even employed by Ben Hogan:

Another example of this type of player is Sergio Garcia. This PGA Tour video provides a clear demonstration of how the Masters Champion approaches each shot:

You could be rotating your hips and shoulders extensively on the backswing to produce a flat swing plane. That leads to your hands taking the golf club around the body.

Furthermore, when you drop your trail shoulder at the top of your backswing, it can lower the club to a shallow angle. It is often caused by golfers with excess weight on their trail foot, causing you to lean back on your shot.

Therefore there are two causes of a flat golf swing. The first is your hands working around your body on the backswing. Secondly, dropping your club into a shallow position at the top of your downswing also flattens your plane.

Pros of a Flat Golf Swing

Lower Body And Shoulder Turn

Many amateurs fail to optimize their hip and shoulder turn during their swing. This causes players to lose distance and accuracy. When you learn to operate with a flat backswing and downswing, you understand the importance of rotation.

If you fail to generate ample hip and shoulder rotation on your downswing, it causes you to hook or slice shots. Swinging from inside out with an open clubface causes you to push your ball. Conversely, you may find that you close the clubface at impact and hook your shot.

Furthermore, excessive lower body and shoulder rotation too early in your swing may encourage your hands to bring the clubhead around your body. The reality is optimal turn is necessary, while too much can bring about problems.

Clubhead Speed

Golfers with a flatter swing plane cause the clubhead to travel further than if they adapted a steeper wind up.

The momentum you generate from added travel distance on your downswing prompts rapid clubhead velocity. As a result, it enhances your ability to maximize your COR and induce explosive ball speed.

Optimal COR and explosive ball speed deliver added mid and long game distance.

Coefficient Of Restitution (COR)

To optimize your ball speed, you need a high COR result. COR describes the quantity of energy transferred from your clubface onto the ball at impact. The more power you pass on, the faster your ball speed is likely to be. Therefore you increase your chance of increasing your yardage.

However, you must strike your golf ball out of the center for superior results. Any mishits will reduce your COR and ball speed, causing you to lose yardage. Obviously, forgiving clubs will mitigate this damage. However, you still stand to lose a few yards.

Ball Speed

The pace of your ball is determined by your clubhead speed and subsequent COR. When you precisely execute a flat golf swing, the added clubhead speed and high COR prompt increase the pace of your ball.

Distance

The distance you gain from a flat golf swing stems from a cocktail of clubhead and ball speed and COR. When these factors align, your ball travels high and long for optimal distance.

Cons of a Flat Golf Swing

Mechanics

The biggest downside of a flat swing path is the various elements of your mechanics that need to gel. Your rhythm needs to kick in from takeaway through impact for consistent results. On top of rhythm, you need optimal hip and shoulder turn for superior weight transition.

Consistency is the challenge with this type of swing, as there are numerous factors to master. That is why I do not encourage the average golfer to employ it.

Rotation

Although rotation forms part of the swing mechanics I touched on before, it is a potential hazard on a flat golf swing.

It is a handicap to the average golfer because you either rotate too early, generating excess turn. But more than likely, you do not rotate enough.

Naturally, imperfect rotation impacts the accuracy and distance of any golf swing. But, it is especially detrimental for a flat golf swing.

The greatest challenge amateur golfers endure is prompting ample hip and shoulder turn. It causes you to leave the clubface open at impact and push your shots. Conversely, you can also close the club at impact and send it hooking.

Hooks

When you are in a shallow position at the top of your swing, you may feel that the clubhead is in an awkward position. Therefore, you may cast the club out and down instead of following a one-plane swing. That causes the clubface to travel along an outside-to-inside line remaining closed at impact.

When the clubface is in this position, it generates excessive right-to-left sidespin causing a hooked shot. Golf instructor Mark Crossfield demonstrates this challenge in this video:

Slices

Slices are the most common shot error that amateurs induce. That remains true with a flat swing. The downside of this setup is that a lack of rotation prevents you from getting your club on plane when your shaft is parallel to the ground.

Subsequently, that causes your clubface to remain open at impact, generating right-to-left sidespin. A flat golf swing is temperamental, and without sufficient rotation and a consistent tempo, you will experience erratic results.

Topped Shots

A flat position at the top of your swing may make you feel like your flexibility is restricted. What amateurs do is drop their trail shoulder and tense their muscles. That prompts them to lean back and come up on their shot, propelling the clubhead into the turf.

If you decide to play with a flat golf swing, you must commit to the process. That means producing optimal hip and shoulder rotation and keeping your club on one plane. Leaning back and not transferring weight will cause you to come up before impact and top your shots.

So, Can a Flat Swing Be Good?

Yes, there is no doubt that a flat swing can be good. It prompts superior rotation and can increase clubhead speed. In addition, it increases your chances of a high COR for added ball speed and distance.

However, it is difficult to execute this swing considering the rotation, weight distribution, and swing plane requirements.

How to Fix a Flat Swing

Takeaway

If you are happy with a flat swing but wish to refine it, I suggest working on your shoulder rotation and controlling your hands.

Dropping your left arm during your backswing will allow your right arm to take over and drag the club around your body. Excessive extension around the body will restrict your ability to rotate and shift your weight back towards your front on the downswing.

However, if you wish to shake a flat swing, focus on your arms guiding the clubhead up and over. A more upright swing will place the clubhead above your left shoulder at the top of your swing. Next, swing down and through.

Obviously, I am not saying eradicate hip and torso rotation. My point is that a reduced turn does not deliver the same devastating consequences as on a flat golf swing.

Control Your Hands

You should use the momentum from the front to back weight distribution to get your clubhead to the top of your swing. However, when you feel like your hands are wrapping around your body and taking control of the club, you need to adjust your backswing.

Work on taking the club back and up instead of around your body. A higher position at the top of your swing will provide increased freedom to free the arms on your downswing.

Don’t Shallow The Club

If your swing is similar to Rory Mcilroy, where you take the club back high and shallow, you may want to eradicate this step from your game. It certainly assists the former World number 1, but it is tricky for casual golfers to execute.

Don’t drop your shoulder to flatten the club at the top of your swing. Instead, keep it on one plane, which will make it easy to swing down and through. As a result, you’ll produce superior accuracy.

Shallowing your club from this position can cause you to drop your shoulder and fall back on your shot. That either leads to an open clubface at impact or a topped shot.

Impact

Making these tweaks will either exterminate your flat swing or optimize it. No matter what swing you opt for, the goal is to get your clubface square or slightly closed at impact.

A flat golf swing will keep you long and straight if your tempo is on point. However, if you struggle with the flat swing, initiate an upright technique to make life easier for yourself.

Flat Golf Swing FAQs

Is It Bad To Have A Flat Golf Swing?

No, it is not bad to have a flat golf swing. There are several positives, including increased clubhead speed, COR, ball speed, and distance. The downside of a flat swing is that it requires precise rotation and mechanics to execute. That is why it is difficult for the average golfer to master.

Is A Shallow Or Steep Swing Better?

They both have pros and cons, which suit different golfers. However, after dabbling with various swings in my career, I can safely say a steep swing is easier for the average golfer. Your punishment is less severe when you do not produce sufficient rotation.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Many golfers think that hitting a wedge shot high is a great benefit. However, there are problems with getting too much ball flight on your shots.

I have been paying close attention to professionals and their equipment, and you can see that they are now working on keeping the ball a bit lower but still including plenty of spin in their shots. For instance, the new Titleist SM9 wedges have a lower launch than previous models to help with this added control.

Here are 5 reasons why you’re hitting your wedges too high and how to fix it.

1. Bigger Swing Than Necessary

One of the first things that golfers should look at when trying to get their ball flight down is the size of the golf swing they are taking. If you are taking a big swing instead of a shorter, more compact motion, you may notice the ball getting up a little higher than necessary.

It’s easier to get a higher trajectory on the golf ball when you have more speed and a larger swing. To fix this issue, you can simply choose a different club and make a more compact motion.

How To Fix This Issue

Take a look at the distance you have to the hole.

Do you need to be using a 60 degree lob wedge to get you to the pin? Could you use something like a pitching wedge, take a more compact motion and keep the ball down just a bit?

The smaller swing is going to help make it easier on you when it comes to controlling the flight of the ball and the angle of your clubface.

2. Opening The Face

When you set up to take your backswing, ensure you are not opening the face of your club too much. For pitch shots and most chip shots, you can let the club sit as it lies and then uses this angle when you make contact with the ball.

Opening the face is really only necessary on full wedge shots where you are trying to go over a bunker or something. You will see some players do this with a sand wedge in the bunkers, but it’s not necessary around the greens.

How To Fix This Issue

Learn what a square club face looks like. Setup with the clubface at a square angle, and then work on maintaining that in your takeaway.

If you have a tendency to open the clubface on the backswing, make sure you have a swing thought of keeping the club square.

3. Ball Too Far Forward

The ball position could be the reason you are hitting your wedges too high.

When you want to hit approach shots to the green from a shorter distance, you will probably want the ball back in your stance. This, of course, does not mean behind your right foot (for right-handed players). Instead, it will just be back of the middle.

Some golfers have a hard time with ball flight being too high when they have the ball in the middle of the stance. Pushing it back just a little allows you to hit the ball on the way down and create a more penetrating ball flight.

How To Fix This Issue

When you are practicing on the driving range, use a golf alignment stick to see where your ball position is. Adjust accordingly and play around with different angles to find something that works for your needs.

Be careful not to get the ball too far back in your stance – this will result in poor shots.

4. Stance Too Wide

Keeping your stance too wide is not just a problem for ball flight, but it is a significant reason that golfers struggle with wedge shots as a whole. Regardless of your skill level, it is much easier to control a golf ball when your stance is more narrow. In addition, keeping that clubhead speed constant and accelerating is also much easier with a narrower stance.

The narrow stance can help players that are struggling with backspin on their golf chip and pitch shots as well. Again, that larger stance opens up the door to inconsistent turf interaction and more movement in the body and the hands.

I have always chipped with a narrow stance that is also slightly open. The open stance encourages a bit more rotation towards the target and a softer overall feel to the golf shot.

How To Fix This Issue

Learning how to get your feet closer together when you chip is one of the easiest adjustments you can make to your game. The average distance your feet are apart is about equal shoulder width. However, on these types of shots, I like to get my feet even more narrow than shoulder width.

It’s important to remember that the further you get away from the hole, the further your feet may need to come apart. Sometimes when you need that extra distance, your feet will have to go back to shoulder width.

5. Incorrect Angle of Attack

An incorrect angle of attack can cause a golfer to hit the ball too high. Many players try to hit the ball up in the air by lifting it.

These golfers often lean back on their right side and try to lift the ball up in the air. It’s so important for golfers to remember that this is not how the ball gets up in the air, and it certainly won’t help you get the spin and ball flight you need to approach a shot in this way.

The proper angle of attack for a chip or pitch shot is to hit down and through the ball. Golfers should hit the ball first and then take a divot after the ball. When you approach from this angle, the ball stays lower, but no spin is lost.

How To Fix This Issue

There are plenty of drills to help you learn to hit down on the golf ball. However, one of my favorites is the line drill. All you need for this is a bit of spray paint, where you can draw a line to use for practice on the driving range.

Spray the line and then set your golf ball up at the beginning of the line. As you hit shots, you are going to want to hit the ball and then take a piece of the line with you. You can keep practicing along this line with the concept of hitting down and through the ball.

The shot will have a cleaner feel, and it will actually even sound crisper. This drill will not only help you from hitting your wedges too high, but you will also have a better time making solid contact with other clubs in your bag. If you can’t spray a line on your green, you can always put a loose tee in front of the ball and focus on hitting this as well.

6. Wrong Equipment

Although playing with the wrong equipment may seem like an excuse for poor golf, sometimes it really does apply. If you have a wedge that is high lofted but also tries to increase loft because of a low center of gravity, you may notice that the combination creates a launch angle that you can no longer control.

As I mentioned, this year, golf manufacturers are starting to put out options to the market that actually help players control the ball flight and keep it down a bit on their wedges. We saw this with the new Vokey line and the Milled Grind options from TaylorMade.

If you watch the pros in person, you can see that their wedges have a much more penetrating ball flight, and the shots have quite a bit of spin as well. The shaft and clubhead combination you choose could encourage you to hit your wedges too high.

How To Fix This Issue

The best way to fix an issue where you are playing with the wrong equipment is to go for a golf club fitting. Launch angle, spin, direction, and total distance are just a few key parameters that a club fitting can teach you about the clubs you have in play.

If you don’t want to pay for a fitting just yet, try a friend’s wedge and see if you hit the ball the same height. If you do, then the equipment may not be the issue.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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