The Straight Golf Shot: My Love-Hate Relationship With It

Playing 18 holes of golf usually means teeing off with a driver on the majority of holes. While proper ball placement is important, the primary objective of the tee shot is typically distance. For that reason, many golfers prefer to hit a draw — a right-to-left ball flight that produces added roll and maximizes yardage.

A fade, which spins left to right, tends to land softly and stop close to where it touches down. Professional golfers often favor the fade because of its accuracy and consistency. However, most amateur golfers simply do not possess the mechanics or swing speed needed to hit a fade far enough to leave a comfortable mid- or short-iron approach shot.

Then there’s the straight golf shot — the one that comes off the clubface like it was fired from a rifle.

Why I Hit the Straight Golf Shot So Consistently

I often play golf with people who wish they could hit the ball as straight as I do. The OVER THE TOP GOLF® swing has enabled me to hit a straight golf shot consistently for years.

Ironically, there are times when I’m attempting to hit a low, running draw and the ball goes dead straight. That’s usually when the rest of my foursome hears me complaining. “How can you complain about hitting a straight golf shot?” is something I hear all the time.

While straight shots are certainly good, they aren’t always ideal. When my intention is to put spin on the ball — whether a draw or a fade — a perfectly straight shot isn’t the desired result. There are situations where I want to avoid water hazards or out-of-bounds areas, so I’ll intentionally try to hit a controlled fade with a fairway wood.

Because my golf swing method is so geared toward producing straight ball flight, I sometimes find myself joking that I “can’t even hit a fade anymore.”

The OVER THE TOP GOLF® Swing and Shot Control

I created the OVER THE TOP GOLF® swing in 2007. Over the years, I’ve become so comfortable with it that I can usually make the golf ball go wherever I want — draw, fade, or straight. But not always. Some days, despite my best efforts, the golf ball simply wants to fly straight. And honestly, there are far worse problems a golfer can have on the course.