Common myths to address
Myth: A golfer must hit a draw in order to achieve maximum distance.
Question: If your goal was to maximize the distance of a 30-foot rope from a specified point, would you curve the rope or would you straighten the rope to maximize the rope's distance from the specified point?
Fact: If your goal was to maximize the distance of a 30-foot rope from a specified point, you must pull the rope straight. A golf shot works the same way; if a golfer's goal was to maximize the distance he or she could hit a golf ball, he or she must hit a straight shot rather than a curved shot such as a draw.
Myth: Achieving distance is more important than achieving accuracy.
Fact: In 2009, 59-year-old Tom Watson was in a playoff to win the PGA Tour's British Open. If that does not convince you that accuracy is more important than distance in lowering a golfer's score, you might be a Democrat (just joking).
Myth: Skilled golfers draw their golf shots from the right to the left, while unskilled golfers fade their golf shots from the left to the right.
Fact: Many of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour prefer to hit fades rather than draws (e.g. Bubba Watson, J.B. Homes, K.J. Choi, Lee Trevino, etc... ).
How to shape (curve) shots
The draw: A draw is a golf shot that curves from the right to the left for right-handed golfers and from the left to the right for left-handed golfers. For a right-handed golfer to hit a draw, he/she must swing the path of the club 1:00 (right) of the target while aligning the club face at the target. A left-handed golfer must do the exact opposite to hit a draw. This creates side-spin on your golf ball causing it to curve as a draw.
The straight shot: A straight shot in golf is achieved using the same dynamics for both right and left-handed players. To hit a straight shot, a golfer must swing the club along a path that is 12:00 to his/her target while aligning the club face at the target.
The fade: A fade is a golf shot that curves from the left to the right for right-handed golfers and from the right to the left for left-handed golfers. For a right-handed golfer to hit a fade, he/she must swing the path of the club 11:00 (left) of the target while aligning the club face with the target. A left-handed golfer must do the exact opposite to hit a fade. This creates the side-spin on your golf ball that is required to produce a fade.
To become more consistent ball-strikers, golfers should implement the following pointers during their golf rounds:
Taking the hands out of the golf shot provides more consistency.
Explanation: The face of a golf club opens up, or rotates, during the golfer's backswing. If a golfer is right-handed, the golfer should take the hands out of his/her swing by swinging left of the target, or 11:00, while leaving the hands open and fairly inactive throughout the swing (this creates a consistent shot that curves left to right).
A golfer who swings the golf club along a path directed right of the target, or 1:00, will have to flip his or her hands over to square the club face to the target before impact (this is difficult to do consistently and is, therefore, not recommended by me to be a golfer's shot of choice).
A golfer should think about where he or she wants to hit their golf ball rather than where he or she does not want to hit it.
A common phrase states that golf is 90% mental and 10% physical. Therefore, the thoughts that go on in a golfer's head contribute a significant amount to his or her scoring outcome.
Negative thinking, such as "do not hit this golf ball in the water to the left and do not hit this golf ball into the bunker on the right", is the type of thinking that golfers must avoid and overcome.
Positive thinking is the only type of thinking that will help you on the course.
Regardless of a golfer's level of experience, he or she should always remember to practice the fundamentals to the game.
Keep your eye on the back of the ball; focus on a dimple.
Keep your head still until after impact.
Keep your knees bent during your backswing (do not sway and do not lock your knees).
Have a fairly relaxed grip (as though you are holding a tube of toothpaste or a baby bird).
Myth: A golfer must hit a draw in order to achieve maximum distance.
Question: If your goal was to maximize the distance of a 30-foot rope from a specified point, would you curve the rope or would you straighten the rope to maximize the rope's distance from the specified point?
Fact: If your goal was to maximize the distance of a 30-foot rope from a specified point, you must pull the rope straight. A golf shot works the same way; if a golfer's goal was to maximize the distance he or she could hit a golf ball, he or she must hit a straight shot rather than a curved shot such as a draw.
Myth: Achieving distance is more important than achieving accuracy.
Fact: In 2009, 59-year-old Tom Watson was in a playoff to win the PGA Tour's British Open. If that does not convince you that accuracy is more important than distance in lowering a golfer's score, you might be a Democrat (just joking).
Myth: Skilled golfers draw their golf shots from the right to the left, while unskilled golfers fade their golf shots from the left to the right.
Fact: Many of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour prefer to hit fades rather than draws (e.g. Bubba Watson, J.B. Homes, K.J. Choi, Lee Trevino, etc... ).
How to shape (curve) shots
The draw: A draw is a golf shot that curves from the right to the left for right-handed golfers and from the left to the right for left-handed golfers. For a right-handed golfer to hit a draw, he/she must swing the path of the club 1:00 (right) of the target while aligning the club face at the target. A left-handed golfer must do the exact opposite to hit a draw. This creates side-spin on your golf ball causing it to curve as a draw.
The straight shot: A straight shot in golf is achieved using the same dynamics for both right and left-handed players. To hit a straight shot, a golfer must swing the club along a path that is 12:00 to his/her target while aligning the club face at the target.
The fade: A fade is a golf shot that curves from the left to the right for right-handed golfers and from the right to the left for left-handed golfers. For a right-handed golfer to hit a fade, he/she must swing the path of the club 11:00 (left) of the target while aligning the club face with the target. A left-handed golfer must do the exact opposite to hit a fade. This creates the side-spin on your golf ball that is required to produce a fade.
To become more consistent ball-strikers, golfers should implement the following pointers during their golf rounds:
Taking the hands out of the golf shot provides more consistency.
Explanation: The face of a golf club opens up, or rotates, during the golfer's backswing. If a golfer is right-handed, the golfer should take the hands out of his/her swing by swinging left of the target, or 11:00, while leaving the hands open and fairly inactive throughout the swing (this creates a consistent shot that curves left to right).
A golfer who swings the golf club along a path directed right of the target, or 1:00, will have to flip his or her hands over to square the club face to the target before impact (this is difficult to do consistently and is, therefore, not recommended by me to be a golfer's shot of choice).
A golfer should think about where he or she wants to hit their golf ball rather than where he or she does not want to hit it.
A common phrase states that golf is 90% mental and 10% physical. Therefore, the thoughts that go on in a golfer's head contribute a significant amount to his or her scoring outcome.
Negative thinking, such as "do not hit this golf ball in the water to the left and do not hit this golf ball into the bunker on the right", is the type of thinking that golfers must avoid and overcome.
Positive thinking is the only type of thinking that will help you on the course.
Regardless of a golfer's level of experience, he or she should always remember to practice the fundamentals to the game.
Keep your eye on the back of the ball; focus on a dimple.
Keep your head still until after impact.
Keep your knees bent during your backswing (do not sway and do not lock your knees).
Have a fairly relaxed grip (as though you are holding a tube of toothpaste or a baby bird).
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