Used Callaway Irons

Golf Tips – Hit the Ball Forwards

I know, hitting the ball forwards in the game of golf sounds like it's something obvious. After all, you don't want to re-play the last hole in reverse!

Here's a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at getting the golf ball from the tee and into the hole. I hope you get a kick out of the article, by guest author Mike Jackson.

Where is that Golf Ball Anyway?

There's nothing more frustrating for golf enthusiasts than playing what they think is the same as they've played before, only for the ball to end up nowhere near their intended target. Certainly, I know that's the case for me, anyway.

That's where you - like me - will benefit from some advice from a professional golfer. I've had many lessons over the past few years, and I'm passing on some of the wisdom that I've learned in a series of articles. Starting with the most important lesson - keep the ball moving the right way.

I learned very early on from my professional golf coach that perfect technique is unlikely to be attainable by all but the most dedicated / most naturally gifted of golfers. Many amateurs obsess over keeping their left arm (for right handed players) straight in the backswing, having their fingers in exactly the right grip position etc.

More important than any of this, though, is hitting the ball so it heads in the right direction. That is, keep the ball moving towards the green. To demonstrate the importance of this 1 factor above all others, my coach showed me exactly what he meant.

Taking an outrageously off-centre backswing, and letting go of the club with one hand, he proceeded to bring the club down in such a manner as to send the ball flying straight from the tee. There wasn't a huge amount of power in the shot, but it was certainly in the right direction.

I realised from this that the key element of the whole shot was the club face hitting the ball. So long as you have this under control, you can send the ball towards the hole. Which is where I started to focus my efforts in practice.

It would be silly for me to suggest that having control over the other things is irrelevant, and obviously things such as your choice of club and the power you put into the shot will affect the distance the ball travels.

Fundamentally, though, the aim of the game is to get a little white ball from a little wooden / plastic tee, all the way to a little hole which may be several hundred yards away from where you start. If you can keep that ball heading in the right direction, like me, you'll find your game improving and can start working on the other aspects over time.

About the Author:

Mike Jackson runs an online golf equipment store, where you can buy golf clubs, golf balls, golf gifts, golf bags etc.