Eliminating the Two-Way Miss

In golf, you don't need to hit it straight to score well. You just need to know which way the ball is going to curve. The most destructive thing in golf is the "Two-Way Miss"—where one shot curves left and the next curves right. This is often called "Army Golf" (Left, Right, Left), and it kills your ability to aim.

1. The Goal: A "One-Way" Miss

Your goal is not perfection; it is predictability. If you know you are going to slice (curve right), you can aim left and swing freely. If you fear a hook (curve left), you can aim right. You must eliminate one side of the course to play confident golf.

2. Diagnosing Your Two-Way Miss

If you miss both ways, it is usually because your hands and body are out of sync.

• The Miss Right (Slice/Push): The clubface is open at impact. This usually happens when your grip is too weak or your hands are late to release.
• The Miss Left (Hook/Pull): The clubface is closed at impact. This usually happens when your body stops turning, but your hands keep moving, causing the face to flip shut violently.

3. The Fixes (Simple Feels)

Pick the fix that addresses your most common bad shot:

• If you Slice (Miss Right): Check Your Grip. You likely have a "weak" grip. Rotate your left hand clockwise until you can see two or three knuckles. Feel like you are shaking hands with the target.
• If you Hook (Miss Left): Keep Turning. Your hands are too active. Focus on your chest. Feel like your chest keeps rotating through the shot until it points at the target. If the chest keeps moving, the hands can't flip.

4. Course Strategy Triage

If you are on the course and struggling with a two-way miss, you need a survival plan immediately.

• Club Down: The harder you swing, the more the ball curves. Hit a 3-wood or Hybrid off the tee to reduce the spin and curvature.
• Aim Center: Until you regain a consistent curve, stop aiming down the sides. Aim for the absolute center of the fairway or green to give yourself the maximum margin for error on both sides.

Additional Reading

To help you build a reliable, one-way ball flight, check out these resources:

• 10 Course Management Tactics (GOLF.com): Excellent advice on how to angle your tee shots to minimize the damage of a miss.
• Me And My Golf: Fix Your Two-Way Miss: A simple, visual guide from two of the best online instructors on how to synchronize your body and arms.
• Sean Foley: Eliminate One Side of the Course: Advice from Tiger Woods' former coach on why top players refuse to let the ball curve both ways.