How to fix this shot that feels great but sends the ball off line

One move a lot of golfers make to create power is using the upper body to start the downswing. The problem is, it causes the trail shoulder to shift outward, and the club goes with it, setting up an out-to-in path. The result often is a slice, but sometimes the player squares the face to that path and hits a pull.

The pull feels very powerful because the upper body is going hard and the clubface is often delofted, which gives that feeling of compressing the ball against the turf. So when you look up, you’re surprised to see the ball tracking to the pull side.

I’ll demonstrate the fix in the video below, but first, let me explain why this is going to work.

The best way to get rid of the pull—or a pull-slice if you close the face to that pull path—is to focus on keeping the trail shoulder back and in as you start the downswing. When the shoulder stays in, the hands and arms drop so you can swing to the ball from the inside.

Practice this move with some slow-motion swings at first so you can really feel the motion. Swing back nice and easy, then start down by shifting your lower body toward the target, letting your hands and arms fall from the top. From there, you can swing the clubhead out to the ball and down the target line (photo, top).

A great swing thought here is trying to hit the part of the ball nearest to your trail foot—the inside-back portion. You can’t do that swinging from out to in. You have to let the lower body lead the downswing, with your arms and the club approaching impact on an inside path.

If you tend to use your upper body for power, this move will take some time to get used to. That’s why I like the slow-motion swings. When you get it right, you’ll actually feel more power on that inside path, where your body and arms are working together.

And when you look up, no more bad surprises, just straighter shots.

Butch Harmon heads Golf Digest’s list of the Legends of Golf Instruction.