Why Does My Golf Ball Go Left When I Swing Harder?

In order to hit the golf ball farther, we have to hit it harder. There are a few other things that count, too, but hard hits are vital to get distance. The problem for many recreational golfers is that trying to hit the ball harder leads to wilder shots. A ball that goes left is a common problem. Here's why it happens and what to do about it.

1. Golfers feel they can hit the ball harder by playing the ball more forward in their stance than normal, so the body can swing around and hit the ball hard from behind.

Remember that when the club comes through the ball, it's traveling on an arc, not on a straight line. The farther the club moves beyond the center of the stance, the more of a leftward direction it is moving in. The clubface is also changing its orientation, from square to left-facing as it travels past the center of the stance. Both conditions would cause an otherwise perfectly struck ball to go left.

2. Virtually every golfer plays with their dominant, and strongest, hand trailing the swing. This is the power side, the one you rely on to deliver your maximum strength. When a right-handed golfer tries to hit the ball hard, the right arm can take over the swing and overpower the left arm. The right hand lurches over the top of the left hand, turning the club counterclockwise, closing the clubface, and the ball goes left.

3. Getting back to the problem in number 1., trying to stay behind the ball, if you don't get your weight back to the left side on the downswing, but keep it right so you can hit the ball from behind, that will cause your swing to lurch to the left almost every time.

So how do you hit the ball harder and still hit it straight? While you have to swing harder, that alone is not enough. The primary requirement is that you hit the ball on the center of the clubface, with a square clubface. In that way, the maximum energy of your swing will be imparted to the ball. Only after you have mastered this can you think about hitting harder.

Practice with your wedges the feeling of giving a square, centered hit to the ball. It's not hard to do with these clubs, mainly because you aren't trying to hit them hard. Now hit the longer clubs with the same feeling of the square, centered hit.

When you start making ideal contact, that in itself will get you more distance, and straight. Gradually speed up your controlled swing to start adding on the yards to your laser-straight shots.

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