by Matt Mahan

Created on: July 05, 2008

When playing the game of golf, things can go very well, or they can go very badly for you. All the different little nuances that go into a good shot have to come together in harmony. One of the biggest determining factors to a good shot, is how the head of the golf club strikes the golf ball. This is true from the tee all the way to the cup. A square stroke on the golf ball, can lead to a better and much more fulfilling round of golf.

A square golf club hitting the golf ball squarely will lead to a straight shot down the middle of the fairway. This shot should be the goal of all golfers. Unfortunately, this type of shot does not happen all the time. Even Tiger Woods, the best golfer who ever played the game, misses shots.

The Top
The "Topping" of a golf ball happens when the golfer lifts his or her head during the swing of their club. Lifting the head causes the club to raise up slightly causing the club to strike the top of the golf ball. The resulting shot usually gets little to know loft, resulting in their shot skipping across the ground. Other terms for this type of shot are "worm burner", "gopher killer", or "cutting the lawn". If you hit your golf ball in this manner, prepare for giggling or sarcasm from your playing partners.

The Bottom
The "bottoming" of a golf ball is just the opposite of the topping. The club strikes too low on the ball causing immense upward flight with less than ideal distance. For some instances, this is the ideal shot, getting out of the sand trap or having to get up and over an obstacle come to mind.

The Hook
Hooking a golf ball, for right handed players, is when the face of the golf club is slightly turned inward upon striking the golf ball. The further inward the face, the harder the hook. Upon hooking your golf shot, you may here snide references to it such as "a homerun", "back, back, way back", "your shot went 300 yards, 100 out and 200 to the left", or the ever popular "like a boomerang, maybe it will come back to you".

The Push or Shank
Your fourth type of shot is called the push or shank shot. This shot happens when the face of the club strikes the golf ball in a more open position, pushing the ball more to the right for right-handed players. Many times this will cause your ball to land in unfavorable places, such as the woods, a backyard or through a window in a car in a bordering parking lot.

Any or all of the shots explained above can happen on any given shot in the game of golf. The importance of squaring your club to the golf ball can not be over stated in importance. Not only for a better score, but for less ridicule and less chance of financial retribution, being able to hit your golf ball squarely can not be practiced enough.

Learn more about this author, Matt Mahan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.