Solid impact but ball flies right of target. Your left side may feel it is in the way of the forward swing

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 9 of 20

Diagnosis: You make solid impact but the ball flies right of target. Your left side may feel it is in the way of the forward swing.

Explanation:   Most often a player who currently pushes shots to the right is one who previously hooked shots to the left. They no longer hook because he has corrected his grip resulting in a square rather than closed clubface at impact. His impact with the ball is solid but the ball flies right because the club is moving in that direction at impact.

As I explained in an earlier lesson because we stand to the side of ball the club must be swung along an arc rather than a straight line. In the forward swing the club arcs from the inside to along the target line then arcs back to the inside. An analogy would be a swinging door closing from right to left.

Players who previously hooked the ball will instinctively aim the club and his body to the right of the target. This forces the player to play the ball too far back (to the right) in their stance. This rearward positioning of the ball causes his club to contact the ball too early in the forward swing. The club is still moving to the right on an in-to out arc.

Players who aim to the right also tend to make a backswing that is too steep. Aiming right positions the shoulders to the inside before the swing begins. Rather than turn the right shoulder to the right during the backswing they will lift it upward. The reaction of rocking the right shoulder upward during the backswing is a lifting of the left hip on the forward swing. When the left hip lifts or rocks upward it cannot turn and clear to the left as it should. This blocks the forward swing causing the ball to go right

Correction:     Play the ball farther forward (to the left) in your stance. This allows you more time to return the club to an on-line path before contacting the ball. Your shots will now start out on target rather than to the right. Playing the ball forward also allows you to align correctly – more to the left – at address. This corrected alignment will encourage you to turn rather than tilt your right shoulder during the backswing.

         The turning of the right shoulder to the right during the backswing will allow you to turn and clear the left hip during the forward swing. The clearing of the left hip to left will enable your arms to swing the club freely through impact on the correct path. The result will be straighter shots with little or no curve.  

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