1 · Start line
Which way did it launch?
Watch the first few yards of flight: left of the target line, on it, or right of it. Ignore where the shot eventually finished.
Beginner guide · Right-handed model
Read the shot before you explain it.
Ball flight becomes easier when you separate two observations: where the ball started, then which way it curved. Those observations support a face-and-path relationship—not a verdict about your swing.
2 · Curve
Which way did it bend after launch?
After that first direction, did it bend left, stay mostly straight, or bend right? Centered contact makes this clue easier to trust.
One start, three outcomes
Start near the target line. Then watch the curve.
These examples share approximately the same start line. The curve changes because the face-to-path relationship changes.
Curves left
What you see
Starts near the target, then bends left.
What it suggests
Likely: the face pointed left of the path at impact.
Stays straight
What you see
Starts near the target with little sideways bend.
What it suggests
Likely: the face and path pointed in nearly the same direction.
Curves right
What you see
Starts near the target, then bends right.
What it suggests
Likely: the face pointed right of the path at impact.
These charts show direction, not severity. Because curve size is not measured here, “curves left” and “curves right” are the safest labels. Golfers often call a smaller curve a draw or fade and a larger curve a hook or slice.
What this relationship supports
A useful starting hypothesis.
- Start line gives a practical clue about delivered face direction.
- Curve gives a practical clue about face relative to path.
- Centered contact makes that relationship easier to interpret.
- A repeated shot cluster is more useful than one swing.
What it cannot prove
Not a body-motion diagnosis.
This relationship cannot identify an exact path angle, a specific body movement, or an equipment change. Strike location, club type, wind, lie, alignment, and timing still matter.
Try it with your shot
Use the Ball Flight Decoder.
Choose the observed start, curve, and strike. The result will show the flight first, then the qualified relationship and one range test.