Ball flight laws

Too many golfers come to the driving range and try to hit every ball straight. Any shots that curve a particular direction other than reasonably straight seem to frustrate them, as they continually pound away at golf balls in search of the 'dead arrow' ball (one that flies directly at their intended target with little or no deviance from the target line). What they don't realize is that, in order to hit a ball fairly straight, you first have to understand why it does not go straight. Through this understanding of the physics of ball flight comes awareness and control.

First of all, it's impossible for a ball to go 100% 'straight'. In an indoor driving range where there is no wind and the ball is caught perfectly square at impact, that ball might fly very close to straight, but still, not completely straight. Whether the ball moves one millimeter or 100 yards to the left or the right in the air, it always curves from one direction to the other in varying extremes. So, it stands to reason that the more we understand what makes a ball move from one direction to the other, the more control we gain over our ball flight.

Also, once we start noticing our 'ball flight tendencies', we can start accounting for this out on the course. This helps take trouble out of the way and again, gives us more control over our game. For instance, if you begin to notice that you have a tendency to hit a ball that curves anywhere from 10 - 20 yards from left to right, then you simply aim about 15 yards left of your intended target to give yourself the best odds.

As the club head travels down and through the impact zone (I consider this to be approximately the foot behind the ball and the foot ahead of the ball), there are three possible swing paths. Inside-to-outside of the target line, outside-to-inside of the target line, and perfectly square to the target line.

Of these three possible swing paths, there are three possible club head angles for each path. Closed, open, or perfectly square to the swing path. There are varying degrees of how open or closed the club head is, but generally speaking, these are the three possible club head angles.

So, three swing paths times three club head angles equates to nine possible ball flight directions:

1. Inside to outside swing path with an open faced club head = push slice (or 'double cross' right)
2. Inside to outside swing path with club head square to path = push
3. Inside to outside swing path with closed faced club head = draw

4. Square swing path with open faced club head = slice
5. Square swing path with club head square to path = straight
6. Square swing path with closed faced club head = hook

7. Outside to inside swing path with open faced club head = fade
8: Outside to inside swing path with club head square to path = pull
9. Outside to inside swing path with closed faced club head = pull hook (or 'double cross' left)

Obviously, number 3 (draw), number 5 (straight) and number 7 (fade) are the most desirable ball flights. But since a ball never flies 'perfectly' straight, we should always plan for at least a slight fade or draw. Of course, if you are hitting around a dogleg or trying to avoid trouble, a slice or hook may actually be the intended ball flight.

To put it in different terms, if the club head 'swipes' across the ball from the right side to the left side, clockwise (slice) spin is put on the ball. The more it 'swipes' across the ball in this fashion, the more slice spin is imparted on the ball and the more the ball will curve from left to right.

Adversely, if the club head 'swipes' across the ball from the left side to the right side, counter-clockwise (hook) spin is put on the ball. The more it 'swipes' across the ball in this fashion, the more hook spin is imparted on the ball and the more the ball will curve from right to left.

The easiest way to hit a draw or a fade is to keep your club head square to your intended target, open your stance for a fade, or close your stance for a draw, and swing the club on a path parallel to your stance (or 'foot line'). The foot line can be determined by laying a club on the ground touching the front of your shoes, then looking at which direction the club is pointing. If properly executed, this will start the ball to the left (for a fade) or right (for a draw) and curve it back towards the intended target. The more you open or close your stance, the more dramatically the club head will swipe across the ball, and the more your ball will curve away from and back towards the target, due to increased spin.

I always tell my students to 'practice in extremes'. That is, practice hitting giant hooks and giant slices just to get the feeling down. Also, you never know when you might actually want to hit a shot like that on the course. Once they really get the feeling of 'a lot of curve' down I have them scale it back a little and try more subtle draws and fades.

To set up for a 'giant hook', I have a very strong grip, a very closed stance and a moderately closed club face. I assure that I make a complete coiling motion on the way back. I make sure I brush my right elbow by my right pocket on the down swing to assure I am approaching the inside half of the ball with the club on a flat plane. I am also very conscious of the right hand rolling over the left hand as the club head releases and travels through the impact zone. Then, I make sure to follow through with the club rotating fully around the back of my body.

To set up for a 'giant slice', I have a very weak grip, a very open stance and a moderately open club face. I do not make as big of a shoulder and hip turn on the way back. I let the right elbow separate from the body on the downswing to assure I am approaching the outside half of the ball with the club on a steep plane. I 'hold on' through the impact zone, not allowing my right hand to roll over the left. I 'chicken wing' my left elbow a bit a (separating it from the body) after impact to 'hold on' even longer and delay the release of the club head. Then, I stop short of a full follow through by finishing with the club in front of me rather than fully rotated around the back of my body.

Once these 'extreme' shots are learned and the feel is established it's easy enough to tone things down and hit shots that don't curve as excessively. Consequently, when the golfer goes back to trying to hit fairly straight shots, they will find that success comes easier due to the understanding of the ball flight laws. However, I think every golfer should always aim slightly left or slightly right based on their tendencies or the shot they are trying to accomplish.