The straight goods for lower scores

You’ll hit straighter shots if you practise the following three tips. And straighter shots mean you’ll hit more fairways and greens in regulation, a sure way to help lower your scores and stop donating balls to the tree and water gods!

Bring the elbow into the hip halfway into the downswing

To put your hands and arms into this position on the downswing, practise hitting shots using a strong grip (a strong grip is when you can clearly see four knuckles of the left hand, or right hand if you shoot left). You’ll find that the only way you can do this is to drop the club in so that the elbow moves toward the hip on the downswing. Now try to imitate the same move with your regular grip.

Develop a smooth, even rhythm

Develop a smooth, even rhythm throughout your swing and you’ll find the club head will be square at contact, producing straighter shots. Many golfers believe that they have to swing hard for distance. The opposite is true. A slow, even-tempo swing will move the ball farther and straighter. To develop this rhythm, practise hitting long irons short distances. For example, try to hit a target a hundred yards away with a five iron. You will be forced to slow down your swing tempo and focus on the target.