Bend it like Bubba

Knowing why your ball curves the way it does gives you the power of intervention -- if you don't like it, you can change it. Bubba Watson used his powers of intervention effectively when he hooked his way out of the woods and onto the green to win his first major at the Masters.

The spin on the golf ball comes from its rotation around its axis. You can imagine a line though the center of your golf ball at 90 degrees from the ground, and that's your axis. When you hit the ball with a clubface that is not perfectly square to the path of your club, the axis of your ball tilts either to the left or right as the ball leaves the face. It is this tilt that causes your ball to curve.

If your clubface is open to the path, it's a slice; if it's closed, you'll hit a hook. A square clubface at impact causes no axis tilt, so the ball rotates with backspin only, and the shot goes straight with no curve.

So if you're slicing or hooking, you can fix the curve by fixing your clubface. Here are some of the most common causes of hooking and slicing. Since they vary depending on the student, I suggest making an appointment with a good teacher who can show you the specific adjustments you need to make.

Causes of a slice:

1. Minimum forearm rotation through impact

2. Spinning your shoulders at the start of the downswing

3. Arms that are slow

4. Hips that are fast

5. An open clubface

6. Ball forward in stance

7. Excessive front foot flare

8. Weak grip

Causes of a hook:

1. Extra rotation of forearms

2. Excessive shoulder rotation

3. Arms that are fast

4. Hips that are slow

5. A closed clubface

6. Ball back in stance

7. Too little front foot flare

8. Strong grip

An open clubface here will cause the ball to curve to my right. If the face is closed at impact, the ball will curve left.