hitting the ball straight

[Troll_Inc]

So with my current swing, my most accurate shot is to try and hit the ball straight when playing.

On the range, if I take out an 8 iron or something and then "dial it in" after a, then I can work the ball right or left within ten yards or so. But this takes a while. If I try to hit a slight fade or a draw on the course, this ends up being pretty inaccurate.

My hcp is at 17, my first goal is to break 80 and to get hcp under 15 and then 10.

Should I continue to try and develop a slight fade and draw, or spend my full shot range time on striking the ball better and distance control?

[LetItBe]

Just hit your natural ball and work on better striking and distance control. What benefit, at this point, will you get from hitting a slight fade or draw? I don't think it will help you in breaking 80.

[dzh90]

post a video of your swing if you can.

Work on hitting the ball solid every time and then figure out which way it goes later.

[black knight]

You REALLY don't need to worry about 'working' the ball until you're <10 cap, and even then it's not until you get <5 and you want to make the push to scratch or better that it helps. I'm a scratch and I don't try to work the ball very often. However, it IS one of the parts of my game that I'm working on.

Being able to work the ball is only really important when conditions get so tough that the green won't hold certain shots, or they're just too risky so you have to work it away from you 'natural' shot. Personally, mine is a tight draw, and I spend most of my time just understanding my own shot shape, instead of trying to force something else...unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

IMHO, your time will be FAR better spent getting comfortable with your own shot shape, whatever it happens to be. So, I vote for working "on striking the ball better and distance control"

[ntnBO]

There is no reason for any player with a handicap higher than 5 or so to try and work the ball on the golf course. The best way to improve is to just go with your normal swing on the course and bust your butt practicing on your short game. You can probably crack 80 without hitting a ball on the range if you do that.

BO

[BrunoThePug]

I'm a 15 and the only time I try to "work" the ball is when I try to hit hooks and slices around trees and such. But I do so knowing that I am not going to execute the shot 100% correct every time.

I've never looked at an approach shot and thought "I should hit a soft fade into this pin position" or anything like that.

[RacersEdge]

I'd say you're thinking to much about "working the ball". On most regular courses you could shoot par just by hitting the ball pure without ever need to shape your shots.

[TripleH68]

Your first goal is to break 80.

Your first priority should be to keep the ball in play. And work on good course management.

[ClubChamp04]

[ QUOTE ]
There is no reason for any player with a handicap higher than 5 or so to try and work the ball on the golf course.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. Working the ball shouldn't be a concern at all if you can't shoot right around 75 regularly. It just brings in too many new problems for people who don't have total control over the ball. Just try to hit your natural shot all day long until you get very consistent, then you might benefit from working it a little bit.

[Troll_Inc]

Lot's of good advice in this thread. Thanks for setting me straight.

It made me realize that I have two questions really.

The first one was answered well...basically don't bother trying to work the ball until you are AT LEAST under a 10 hcp as there is no need. This makes sense. When I play with 10 hcps and those that can just break 80 occassionally, they hardly seem to have the ability to work the ball.

The second question I realize is "what should my normal shot be?". When you are a bogey golfer, I think you could certainly have enough problems that you shouldn't blindly plug ahead with a "normal shot" that indeed have faults that could stunt future growth. I guess fundamentally I can't really think of any real problems with a straight shot and no one seems to offer and problems.

I guess my concern with my normal shot being a straight shot is that it seems more than a little unusual. Most pros seem to either favor a draw or a fade. In fact didn't Ben Hogan himself say the only time he ever hit the ball straight was by accident?

I guess when I play I'll just aim straight down the middle but at the range and at the range focus on making solid contact...and see how that works for the rest of the season. But will still spend a little time each session working the ball right and left.