2 Very Important Skills Involved in Truly Watching the Golf Ball
Second on the list of the SIX Golf Swing Basics that help you Learn to Play Golf Better is Watching the Golf Ball. By applying this one fundamental, you will probably see a more rapid improvement in your game than with any other fundamental.
But you have to know HOW to watch the golf ball in order to master this fundamental.
Have you ever tried to hit a cue ball in billiards without keeping your eye on it until the ball is struck by the cue? This spells disaster in billiards. Well, what about in golf? Watching the Golf Ball is a SKILL that must be perfected.
There are TWO skills involved in Watching the Golf Ball. The FIRST is being able to watch the ball all the way up to impact. The SECOND is being able to watch the ball after impact until it comes to rest where you hit it to.
Watching the Golf Ball BEFORE Impact
The best advice that I have been given about watching the golf ball before impact is to not just stay your mind on the ball but to actually see and stay your mind on the back center edge of the ball. You could even try to stay your mind all the way up to contact on a specific dimple on the back middle edge of the ball.
Watching the Golf Ball AFTER Impact
The task of watching the golf ball does not end at contact, though. The actual flight of the ball will tell you whether your swing path was straight into the back of the ball and also if your club face was open or closed. A ball that CURVES one way or another is due to a club face that is either open or closed to the swing path of your club head.
A ball that DOESN’T CURVE but still goes left or right is due to a swing path of the club head that is not on line with the intended target. These shots are called either “pushing the ball” (if it goes to the right of the target for a right-handed golfer) or “pulling the ball” (if it goes to the left of the target for a right-handed golfer).
So, by seeing the flight of the ball, you will be able to know what needs to be corrected in your swing so that the same result doesn’t occur again. Correcting your swing should normally only be done at the practice range or during a practice round. Only the very best golfers will be able to see the flight of the ball and then correct the flight next time by making changes.
But during a round of golf, what you can easily correct is where you AIM the ball to go on your next shots so that the same inaccuracies are not repeated.