Stop hitting your shot into trouble on the left

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Korea Times Golf Columnist

When you notice a striking hazard on the left, you’ll immediately decide to aim with your driver for another place. But only your decision cannot help you achieve your goal. You need skill to stay clear of the left side of the fairway. Indeed, you don’t need many ways to do this. You need only one technique. Select one that suits you and practice until you feel comfortable and easy.

Keep your hands ahead of the clubhead

Be sure to keep your hands ahead of the clubhead when you hit your ball. That means you did not throw your club outside the target line with your hands. That also means you are delivering your club to your ball on the proper inside path, not from the outside to inside the target line. To this end, you’d better focus on keeping your hinged right wrist constant for as long as you can. Also critical is starting your downswing with your lower body. That encourages your wrists to remain cocked longer.

Preserve the room between your right shoulder and the target line

Preserve the space between your right shoulder and the target line as you start your downswing. At address there exists a room between your right shoulder and the target line. The space increases as you turn your right shoulder behind your head on the backswing. To stop cutting across your ball, you need to preserve the space for as long as possible. That will allow your arms and club to drop inside the target line so you can swing your club toward your target, not to the left.

Also, tuck your right elbow into the side of your body as you start down. That way you will prevent your right shoulder from jutting out toward the target line. You need to know the eventual goal of tucking your right elbow is preventing your club from going outside the target line.

Set up your downswing by leading with your left side

Lead with your left side on the downswing. To avoid hitting your ball into the trouble on the left, you need to let your left side dominate your downswing. This will also help you increase your distance. You will feel it natural to use your right hand to create power and distance to the maximum. However, you need to lead your downswing with your left side, hitting your ball with your left hand.

When you try to hit your ball with your right hand, your right shoulder will stick out. You will throw your club outside the target line. That causes your arms to separate too much from your body, spelling an outside-to-in swing path. You will hit a pull. Worse yet, you will lose the angle created between your forearms and the shaft prematurely. This prevents you from speeding up your club as fast as you want a split second after impact. To avoid hitting left and increase your distance to your satisfaction, you need to lead your downswing with your left side. To this end, you’d better feel your left arm pulling your right arm all the way to the finish.

Move your right hip diagonally to the right of your target

To keep your shot from disappearing into the left rough, you’d better move your right hip diagonally to the right of your target as you start down. Set up your downswing by doing this once you’ve turned your hip level on the backswing the way you twist. Or rather, turn your right hip toward the target rather than pull your left hip directly behind you. That helps you create torque between your upper body and lower body, helping you hit your ball farther. More importantly, that helps you swing your club from inside to outside the target line. Remember if you turn your hips behind too early, you are prone to throw your club outside and cut across your ball. That also limits your swing speed you create with your arms.

Swing your club with the big muscles of your body

To stop hitting poor shots including a pull, swing your arms and club with your body. Your arms are faster than other parts of your body including your legs. Allowing your arms and hands to dominate your swing, your lower body and upper body cannot work in tandem. Typically, you will snatch your club back too much inside or outside the target line. When that happens, you will come over the top and cut across the ball, pulling or pull-slicing your shots. To avoid swinging your club back off plane, you need to take your club back leisurely as you turn your body. To this end, imagine your club is a heavy object you want to lift over your right shoulder. To do this properly, you will have to use your body.

Namely, don’t swing your club back with your arms and hands only. Instead, keep them passive and quiet during the entire swing. Let the big muscles of your body swing your club up and down throughout the swing. This way you will swing your club more harmoniously, moving your upper body and lower body in tandem. Critically, you’ll stop yanking your club down and tugging it to the left only to incur nasty pulls.

Incidentally, to encourage your body to work better, you’d better let your left heel come off the ground as you complete your backswing. That ensures a full backswing turn, helping you reach a perfect top-of-the-backswing position. Once you’re in position at the top, you’ll swing your club down properly and stop hitting your ball to the left.