Is a straight shot really the hardest.

[scratch72]

Correct me if my thinking is wrong but you hear all the time that a straight shot is the hardest shot to make but even if that is so missing a little left or right is still better than aiming 10 yards to the right for a draw but then if you don't get your draw you will be at least 10 yards right of the flag if you hit it straight and more if you end up pushing your draw. I just don't get where a draw is a safer shot than straight.

[OTTgolf]

In theory you are correct if your "straight shot" dispersion rate is very tiny. But, in reality no one has this, especially off lies you get on the course, i.e. downhill, sidehill, etc. Working the ball also allows you to aim away from trouble and helps prevent short siding yourself. In most cases working the ball doesn't come into play until you are outside of 125 yds, there is always the exception. If you are 150 yds out and the pin is tucked in the front left with a trap in front and water left of the green then you better be extremely confident in your straight shot and have the proper trajectory to hold the green. The more difficult the course the worse the penalty is for short siding yourself, so that is another reason for working the ball and gives you a bigger margin of error than a straight shot.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

'Straight' is either/or. Hook and cut vary in degree.

[dap]

I tend to agree. If you are too much in to out or out to in, you can have a nasty 2 way miss. You want to be as neutral a path as possible and keep the ball fairly straight. Your two way misses tend to be less penal. When I am playing well I hit a straight ball and aim slightly to the right of my target. My poor swings tend to be slightly OTT and depending on the face relative to the path I will hit a small pull or a baby fade but rarely get into big trouble. I don't think many players can completely eliminate a two way miss. The next best thing is to keep a two way miss playable by aiming for the straightest ball flight. Most of the guys on tour hit them pretty straight. Their draws and fades are barely noticeable.

[TurnHard Langer]

OP, you are correct. A straight shot being the hardest is classic golf nonsense. People don't realize they are comparing apples to oranges when they say a straight shot is the hardest. Hardest compared to what? Any draw, any slice? It should be compared to an exact degree of draw or fade. Then a straight shot is equally hard with those. Now it's apples to apples.

 

Saying a straight shot is the hardest shot in golf is equally as crazy as saying a 12.75 yard fade is the hardest shot in golf.

[dg_1983]

I'd imagine most folks natural swings don't produce something straight - that's why its hard!

 

I can't ever think someone has a natural straight shot and though - man I'm changing this to a baby fade...................

 

Anything consistent obviously works. Times when a fade would get you closer, other times a draw, but I'd imagine a straight shooter on average would have an advantage over a huge mover left or right. Only because the miss "probably" going to be less damaging once you add in the fact we are no robots.

 

It is actually something I'm trying to do - reduce my side spin numbers with improved technique, I've got too much draw spin throughout the bag.

[Santiago Golf]

I noticed with some players that use launch monitors will chase the straight ball by trying to square up path and face. This is correct. Though some players will have swing that consistently produces a squarish face that will allow them to play a 'straight' ball. Other will be inconsistent and this actually make the mishits way worse when they are barely open and close.

 

Ranges I see; Square face; path between 1.5 either way

Open or close trend: 3-6 either way

 

 

For me personally right now, I actually struggling hitting stock shots, ie a driving range swing. The reason why is probably because the driving at school has yet to open. If I have to hit a stock shot and not some type of golf shot- low draw, high fade, stinger, etc- but instead hit my natural shot shape with club other than driver- little draw- I literally missing it either by more than 20 yards, I'm doing this 2-4 times a round too leading to me shooting in the high 70s even when hitting 12 greens. Putting is average to below due slow greens. I can't putt on them at times, though I have struggle on them when they are 'fast', but this due inconsistent green speeds, I think.

[MPStrat]

3 reasons to avoid playing “straight shots”

 

 

https://mikeemerygolf.com/blogs/swingyoda/143894407-3-reasons-to-avoid-playing-straight-shots

[naval2006]

I aim my irons left of the hole to play a fade. Often the shot goes straight towards the pin, especially with short irons. I'm not even sure if the shot is straight but I see it straight like an arrow (no curve). I play Callaway Xr's, which help a lot when it comes to not curving the ball. I never strive for a straight shot, but it happens naturally.

[PostandGhost]

I hit straight shots all the time, mostly when I'm trying to make it curve. Hitting a Robert Parish shot is much more difficult.