How to Stop Pushing the Ball

By Steve Silverman

Pushing the golf ball is a frequent mistake of golfers new to the game. It is frequently caused by a weak grip and the desire not to make a mistake. New golfers may be under the mistaken impression that they can guide the ball with a somewhat softer swing and keep their shot out of trouble. This is a major mistake.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1

Fix your grip immediately. While you don't want to choke the club too tightly because it can have a negative impact on your hip and shoulder rotation, you don't want to have a grip that's too light, either. You need to grip the club at a "5" on a scale of 1 to 10. This will keep the club from slipping once you make impact with the ball.

Step 2

Square your shoulders to the target. You may be hitting to a small fairway, but you can't guide the ball to the fairway. You have to strike the ball, and you must do it with the correct stance. Your shoulders should face the green, and your left foot should be directly under your left shoulder.

Step 3

Turn your hips to the right to begin your swing. After you have started to turn your hips, make sure your shoulders and hands follow. However, don't speed up your swing. Your hips must lead on the back swing and the downswing.

Step 4

Keep your head down when you make impact. Many people struggle to make solid contact because they take their eye off the ball. They don't even realize they are doing it, but when the ball goes every direction but straight, that is often the reason. Golfers who have made this mistake decide they don't want any more errors, so they take a softer swing and hope to guide the ball so it stays out of trouble. They are rarely successful.

Step 5

Finish your swing. A strong follow through means you are completing your hip turn. This means that you are not pushing the ball but instead you are striking it correctly. A golfer with a good follow through almost never pushes the ball.

Tips & Warnings

Strike the ball firmly, and put the thought of avoiding a poor shot out of your mind. You need to hit the ball firmly and keep a positive mental attitude

About The Author

Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.