Instruction
Understanding the “NEW” ball flight laws
Over the last several years, golf instruction has gone through a unique transformation. The advent of 3D motion analysis, video, and ball/club flight launch monitors have proven to golf instructors that some of the “fundamentals” we were taught by our mentors were incorrect.
With the advent of Trackman and Flightscope, advanced Doppler radar launch monitors that cost upward of $10,000, we are now able to understand what actually happens during the impact interval. This has made golf instruction much simpler as a result.
Students are now learning improved fundamental motions in their own way, while instructors are not so much focused on the complex mechanics of the swing itself. For the facilities that have a Doppler radar launch monitors, such as Promontory, our students are learning under the guise of the “in my own way,” not “ in this way” type of golf instruction.
Trackman and Flightscope provide video-based instruction coupled with the data of club and ball interaction, thus correlating exactly what is going on during the swing. Think of this new technology as providing your instructor with a MRI of your current fundamentals so you both can focus on facts, not opinions.
One of the most important things Doppler launch monitors have given us are the “new” ball flight laws. In the past, golfers were taught that the ball begins in the direction of a club’s path, and the curvature of the ball was due to the face angle at impact. Now, we know that this line of thinking is 100 percent INCORRECT.
In fact, the face angle at impact determines 75 percent or more of the ball’s starting direction, and at slower ball speeds it creeps up to almost 100 percent. This has made curving the ball much easier to understand for my students, and below are examples of this fact all backed up by the data that the my Trackman system shows for each shot.
Example 1: Hitting a Fade
In Example 1, I am hitting the ball left to right, or fading the ball for a right-handed player.
- The solid white line represents my target-line (directly at the flag in the distance).
- The blue line shows the path of the club (negative numbers are out to in).
- The red line determines the direction that my club face was pointing during impact (negative numbers mean a closed face).
You can see by the purple line that this ball began slightly left of my target (3.5 degrees left of my target-line) and faded 34.9 feet to the right of my intended target. This proves that when the path is left of the face angle (provide a centered hit on the club face), you will hit the ball left to right. Thus, if you want to move the ball left to right (for the right-handed player), you MUST have your face open to the club’s path.
NOTE: I said that the club face must be pointing to the right of the club’s path in order to hit a fade, not open to the target line.
My path was 6.6 degrees from out to in (Example 1), my face was 2.6-degrees closed and the ball moved from left to right. Yes, it moved left to right WITH A CLOSED FACE! If my club face had been open 2.6 degrees, then the ball would have curved exaggeratedly to the right. But in this case, there was only a 4 degree path to face differential — the lower that number the less the curvature. That’s why the ball only faded a small amount to the right.
Example 2: Hitting a Draw
In Example 2, I am hitting the ball right to left, or drawing the ball for a right-handed player.
- The solid white line represents my target-line (directly at the flag in the distance).
- The blue line shows the path of the club (positive numbers denote from inside to the outside).
- The red line determines the direction that my club face was pointing during impact (negative numbers mean a closed face).
You can see by the purple line that this ball began down the target line (launch direction is 0), while my face was 1-degree closed. These conditions started the ball at my target, and moved it right to left 55.4 feet.
As you can see in Example 2, when the path is right of the face angle at impact, you will hit the ball right to left (provide a centered hit). The ball flight began very close to the face angle as described above. Thus, if you want to move the ball right to left (for the right-handed player) you MUST have your face closed to the club’s path.
NOTE: I said closed to the relative path, NOT closed to the target line. That brings me to my next point about the shot in Example 2.
You can see that my face-to-path ratio was -6.4 degrees, which means that my club face was 6.4 degrees closed relative to my path’s direction. This is why my ball started at the target and then moved left of it instead of starting right of my target and drawing back to the target.
There is a huge misconception that you must have a closed face to draw the golf ball, when in fact all you need to do is have your club face pointed left of your path. So in Example 2, if my face was more open at impact (let’s so 1 to 3 degrees), then you would have seen the ball start to the right and curve to the target — not to the left of the target as mine did in this example.
The golf swings thoughts above might seem complex due to the numbers involved, but the bottom line for you at home is to do the following:
To Hit a Fade
In order to move the ball left to right, you will need a path that is more left than the face is pointing. So if you keep the club face pointing right of the path it will curve from left to right
To Hit a Draw
Understand that in order to move the ball right to left, you must have a path that is more “in to out” than where your club face points at impact. Another way to think of it is to have the face pointing left of your club’s path — this will allow the ball to move right to left
Read More Tom Stickney II : What Flightscope and Trackman can tell you (and me)
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Alec Ordway
Dec 24, 2017 at 9:15 am
This info is as John Jacobs describe for years and years. You’re just proving him right. Swing left go left, swing right go right, swing square go square. Then face angle RELATIVE TO PATH determines ball flight. And all this info has same purpose, control the ball and learn fundamentals to do so. Geesh, same old same old, but now we have new tech to see what our body did as we swung.
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Ian
Aug 3, 2015 at 1:43 pm
“My path was 6.6 degrees from out to in (Example 1), my face was 2.6-degrees closed and the ball moved from left to right. Yes, it moved left to right WITH A CLOSED FACE!” – Closed relative to the target line or closed relative to the swing path? – I know this article is old, but really hope you reply.
Kelly
Aug 11, 2015 at 8:31 am
I’m just another poster, but I am sure he means closed relative to the target line. The face is 4 degrees open to the swing path, but 2.6 degrees closed to the target line.
Chris Howell
May 5, 2015 at 2:49 pm
Way too much confusion on target line and path. I was taught over 20 years ago that club face has to be closed relative to path for the ball to move right to left (right handed golfer) the clubface must be open relative to path for the ball to move right to left (right handed player). This really isn’t new information just that new technology makes it easier to see. As long as your club face is square to your path you will hit the ball straight, but it could be straight left or straight right.
corey
Mar 7, 2014 at 5:39 pm
so much confusion comes from people not having the same definition of a draw and fade. some say a draw or fade starts on the target line and then (for a rh player) will draw to the right of the line or fade to the left of it. others say the ball should start right of the target line and draw back to the line or start left of the target line and fade back onto it. the second example i think should be considered a pull fade or push draw, this is what sean foley teaches. a lot of it comes down to what you are more comfortable using as your target line.
Adrian
Feb 28, 2014 at 2:36 am
I am glad that articles like this continue to be written as there are still a great deal of people who still either have not been exposed to the correct information or have not quite grasped it fully yet. It is so important for this information to be understood.
Jakub Budaj
Feb 22, 2014 at 9:00 am
Clubface starts the ball, path curves the ball.
Michael
Oct 19, 2013 at 11:14 pm
Guys, does anyone know an official link (e.g. PGA) where above is stated ? I realised most teachers cite the older books where it says the path determines the direction and the face the curve. It’s very hard to come by unless you have something official..
DK
Jun 19, 2013 at 11:36 pm
The ball generally starts down your path and finishes where the face is pointed. Your path should be parallel with your stance/line of your toes. Align your toes with where you want the ball to start and adjust the face to where you want the ball to finish. Take your normal swing. Simple (in general).
Damon
Jun 20, 2013 at 5:07 pm
that’s actually incorrect. The ball starts, depending on iron or driver, 80% or more in the direction that the face angle is pointing at impact, not the path. The ball curves away from the path relative to the face.
Jack
Sep 2, 2013 at 1:50 am
That’s how I used to think. I think I’ll have to go prove this out on the range again.
OJ
Jun 18, 2013 at 1:30 pm
To hit a draw you must have the club open to the target and closed to the path. A draw must start right of the target and finish on it, this is not possible without the club face being open to the intended target
Jcjmw
Jun 17, 2013 at 11:00 pm
Great article! And, the article is understandable.
Nick
Jun 17, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Great article. When I learne this golf became much easier, though I can’t say it ever got “easy”.
Deaus7
Jun 15, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Great Stuff. Very informative article leaving out all the subjective crap, Johnny Miller and other idiots on TV need to read stuff like this. Not saying he was not a good golfer, but some of the stuff that spews from his mouth regarding the swing is Madness.
Blanco
Jun 14, 2013 at 5:52 pm
I think a big issue in this teaching divide is the semantics– that is, the definition of “draw” and “fade.” Most on this site get that both shots are designed to fall onto the desired target (positive end result) as a result of curvature from either side.
However… I can cite many written and verbal examples of teachers/players, usually older, who will describe a draw as beginning at target and bending left and a fade being the direct opposite (so essentially a pull hook or block fade). They’re usually the guys who will tell me: “jeez, if you hit it where you were aiming (the line of my stance) you’d be into those houses way over yonder…”
Rob
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:54 pm
Almost forgot…. the easiest and quickest way to explain the ball flight: the ball starts generally at the direction the face is pointing at impact, and curves away from the path.
Rob
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:43 pm
Quote: “There is a huge misconception that you must have a closed face to draw the golf ball, when in fact all you need to do is have your club face pointed left of your path.”
I think the problem here is that people either confuse or mix up ‘path’ and ‘target line’, as in the face open/closed to the path, or face open/closed to the target line. The ball only knows the path, it has no idea of where the target is.
So with that, club face left of the path would be closed in reference to the path, and I think people confuse that with the idea that they need the face closed to the target line.
All of which likely explains why slicers think they need to aim farther left, and in turn end up slicing the ball even harder. The mind has a hard time wrapping itself around this crazy game of opposites where if you want to keep the ball from going right, you must set up to the right.
Bill Hughes
Jun 13, 2013 at 3:11 pm
As a recent Golf Academy of America graduate I am opening my own club fitting, repair and teaching facility. With retail goods as well. My question is, “What is the best teaching software/simulator on the market for the least amount of money?” I will be putting in a full size simulator but I want to get spot on readings to help my students with.
Thanks for your help, Bill
DS
Jun 18, 2013 at 4:29 pm
Your two best systems are Flightscope and Trackman. Flightscope is cheaper.
neal
Jun 13, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Could you post a picture of how the club face should look like at impact?