The drive is the most important shot in golf. It sets up the hole for success and who doesn’t love to hit one right down the middle!
Sometimes this need for accuracy can lead us to swinging with apprehension, or trying to “steer the ball straight” by over-controlling the club face. If you are steering the ball straight, the result is often a push or sliced shot (ball going left of the target for right-handers). Technically the golfer is not allowing their club to release properly through impact, thus leaving the club face open through and past the point of impact.
Through impact, when your shaft is parallel to the ground, the club-face angle should be perpendicular to the ground (Figure 1). When we are steering it straight, we tend to hold our club-face angle through impact which actually results in an opening-the-face angle through impact (Figure 2), not allowing it to release properly and square up through the impact zone.
Practice achieving this position in slow motion and static practice to get a sense of what you are trying to accomplish. Build this into a swing and allow yourself to let the club release into this position. Trust yourself and don’t be so controlling.
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