If you have a swing fault that makes you hit slices or hooks then you need to learn how to hit a ball straight of the tee. Apart from the satisfaction of hitting the ball down the middle of the fairway, you will also increase your distance of the tee. What’s more, you will find yourself with an easier second shot to the green when you are nicely positioned in the middle of the fairway.

So why do so many golfers struggle to hit a golf ball straight? First, we have to understand why the golf ball moves to the right (a slice) or to the left (a hook). After you have learned how to fix a slice or a hook, you can then move on to how to hit a draw (a controlled shot that moves to the left) and how to hit a fade (a controlled shot that moves to the right.)

In order to keep this article short, I will describe what causes the slice and how to cure a slice; for the hook, the description and cure are the opposite of a slice. When the golf ball has a significant tilt of the spin axis to the right or in a clockwise direction, a slice will occur. With a slice, the ball ends up to the right of where you are aiming and the phrase is used when the flight of the ball is acute or inadvertent. The less severe version of the slice is called a “fade.”

When you understand the basics of the golf swing you will know that you have to return to the original place at impact if you want to hit the ball squarely and straight. When the club face is open at the point of impact, a slice will occur and the ball will spin in a clockwise direction. Generally, the swing path is correct but the golf ball is not hit squarely at impact; this is normally caused by a “weak grip.”

The first thing to check is your grip when you find that you can’t hit a ball straight. The one cause that can shape the path of the balls flight is the strength of the grip - it doesn’t matter if you use an interlocking grip, an overlapping grip, or a ten finger grip. To fix a slice, experiment with moving your hands around on the grip, over to the right, into a more strong grip position.

Other factors that can cure a slice are the grip pressure; don’t grip the club so tightly that the muscles of the wrist and forearms are tense. Try to increase the speed of your golf swing, not only will that add more distance it can also cut down on the amount of slice that you impart on the golf ball. The flex of the clubs shaft can also affect your shots; big hitters will need a stiff or extra stiff shaft, medium hitters should use a firm or regular flex, and shorter hitters should use a senior or ladies flex.

The setup position is also important if you want to hit a golf ball straight. Keep everything square and parallel to the target. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should all be parallel to the target line. With a driver, place the ball opposite the instep of the left foot and don’t stand too close or too far away from the ball - the sole of the club should be grounded and not tilting forwards or backwards.

Remember all the swing basics that you were taught; feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly flexed, spine straight and chin up, and keep your eyes on the ball. There is no time for detailed golf swing instruction here but just try to keep your club on the same plane from your back swing to your downswing. Whatever you do, don’t try to over hit the golf ball - maintain the same swing speed during your complete golf swing.

Finally, another couple of swing faults that will not allow you to hit a golf ball straight down the middle of the fairway are the push and the pull. Unlike the slice, the push shot is when the ball goes off directly to the right, and the pull shot is when it goes directly to the left. A push is an action of the golf swing and is normally an in-to-out swing path and the pull is an out-to-in swing path. The push or pull comes from an improper golf swing and not knowing the basics of the swing.

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