Double Cross in Golf (What is it and How to Get Rid of it)

So you have been working on hitting a little fade type shot that can get you out of trouble or even help land the ball close to a pin on the right side of the green. When you step up to use this shot on the course, you hook the ball.

How did that happen? How did a fade turn into a hook?

It’s actually quite common and simple, and the more you can learn about a double cross in golf, the easier it is to fix and avoid it.

I’ll show you why the double cross keeps happening to you and how you can use HackMotion to eliminate your double cross forever.

Double Cross in Golf – Key Takeaways

• The double cross is caused by an issue with the clubface, rotation, alignment, and sometimes even the mental game, proper swing mechanics will help improve the double cross.
• Most commonly, a double cross is seen when a golfer tries to hit a shot that ends up on the right side (fade), and the ball ends up hooking left.
• The double cross often makes golfers give up on playing with their ball flight by hitting shots left and right, don’t let that happen.
• Remember that the wrist angle controls the clubface at impact, and that clubface angle determines where the ball will go.

What Exactly is a Double Cross in Golf?

A double cross in golf is when a golf ball goes in the opposite direction than you think it will.

Of course, we all hit bad shots that unexpectedly go right or left, but the double cross is a little different. With the double cross, you are planning to hit a specific shot (i.e., draw or fade), and the result of the shot is the complete opposite.

The problem is that when setting up to hit the initial shot you considered, you did not take into account where the ball would go if it turned the other way. This is why we end up with golf balls that are in hazards or out of bounds when the golf ball double crosses.

I’ve had this happen to me at times because I know my natural ball flight is a draw. I’ll set up to hit a draw plan for the shot and then make a swing error that causes a fade. Now instead of being on the side of the green, I’m in the right bunker.

What are the Most Common Causes of a Double Cross?

The double cross can come about because of a variety of issues in a golfer’s swing.

However, we have seen that the most common reasons behind the double cross are alignment, poor body rotation through impact, wrist angles (influencing the clubface), and even issues with poorly fitted equipment.

Wrist Action Through Impact

The most common cause of a double cross in golf is the incorrect clubface angle at impact. The incorrect clubface angle results from improper wrist action in the golf swing.

The easiest way for golfers to understand the wrist action is to think about flexion and extension in the wrist. In other words, cupping and bowing.

You have to look at three parts of the golf swing to figure this out. The setup, the top of the swing, and the impact position. The wrist extension/flexion from the setup to the top of the swing should remain relatively unchanged.

The position from the top of the backswing to the golf ball will normally follow a pattern that reduces extension in the lead wrist. At impact, the lead wrist should be flexed, and the clubface should be square.

Golfers that double cross don’t have control or awareness of their clubface, as they cannot control the lead wrist.

Poor Alignment

Alignment can cause a double cross. If you line up too far to the left when trying to hit a little fade, you may end up hooking the golf ball.

Let’s remember that when lining up to hit a golf ball, the changes that you make to your setup must be subtle. Anything extreme makes it difficult to recover from. In addition, with more extreme changes in alignment, you may ruin your chance of a good shot before you even get to take it!

Inconsistent Setup

The setup in golf needs to be consistent. This is your base of support and connection with the club before you even take the golf club back.

One of the key areas to work within the setup is your grip. Make sure that you are gripping the club the same way every single time you put your hands on. When your wrist angles at setup become inconsistent due to a poor grip, it will change the outcome of impact.

Slow or Very Little Body Rotation

Golfers can easily become hyperfocused on what they are trying to do at impact and forget to finish doing everything they need to do in their golf swing.

Slowing down or even stopping the rotation of the lower body is a very common cause of the double cross. Even if you get yourself set up properly and start to make your turn, you will still have to finish that turn and rotate through the ball at impact to get the proper results.

Don’t let your hips stop turning toward the target; it can change the direction of the golf ball.

Equipment Not Qualified for the Job

Some golfers are using equipment that is not qualified for the task at hand.

Let’s say you are a higher handicap player using game improvement golf clubs with a draw bias.

These clubs are designed to help you hit a golf shot that is more right to left. The clubface is a bit shut, and it helps players who struggle to square a clubface at impact.

However, if you are trying to hit a shot that is actually the opposite of what the clubs are designed for, you may double cross yourself and end up with a poor result.

The more player like or advanced your equipment is, the easier it is to get the shots you want to hit. However, that takes precision and consistency, something not all golfers have.

Visualization of the Shot

The ability to visualize your shot in golf is incredibly beneficial. You need to have a general idea as to where the ball is going, how it’s going to fly, and what it will do when it lands.

Professional golfers are great at visualization, and they trust their ability to pull off the shot. Many amateur players will struggle to hit a draw if they know water is down the left side.

If you find that your body is correcting your shots because you don’t trust the visualization, it could cause the double cross.

How to Fix a Double Cross

Now you can see why you double cross, but the most important thing to know is how to fix it. The good news is that these shots can be fixed, but you have to practice and then trust your practice.

Use HackMotion to Measure and Improve Wrist Angles

Using the HackMotion wrist sensor, you can learn to control the clubface in your golf swing. One of the best golf swing tips you will ever receive is that you, as the player, are in control of the clubface.

You will need to learn what controls the face and how to fix it when you run into trouble.

I would highly recommend using the HackMotion wrist sensor to first gather some data on your golf swing. This will be the baseline that you can use.

Then try hitting a fade or a draw, and measure what your data looks like for that. What has changed? Is the consistency still the same?

Remember that HackMotion won’t give you exact numbers for the perfect wrist angle; instead, you will find a recommended range that helps improve your overall pattern.

That pattern for most players includes not adding too much lead wrist extension on the backswing and decreasing extension in the lead wrist on the downswing.

Don’t Hesitate to Execute the Shot

For me, this would be like saying, “Rotate through every golf ball.” If you are so focused on impact and how you are delivering the club to impact, you may struggle to rotate your body through the golf ball.

Make sure your lower body is turning and that you are rotating properly through impact. If you slow down or hold back because you are not confident about the golf shot, it will hurt your results.

If your body stops rotating, but the club still rotates, expect the hook to come into play. Always work on your body and arms working together if you want to gain consistency in your golf swing.

Work on Visualization

Visualization takes practice. It may seem like a simple idea to picture the shot you are going to hit and then hit it. However, for visualization to actually work, you must be able to believe and trust what you have visualized.

When you are on the driving range, start to visualize the shots that you want to hit, hit them, and practice this process. When you get really good at visualization, you can use it as a pre-shot routine or even a pre-round routine before you head to the course.

Know Your Path

One last issue that I have seen many amateur golfers struggle with is not understanding where the proper path of their club should be.

If you are planning to hit a fade, you will likely have opened your stance a bit, and your plan is to keep the clubface a little more open at impact. If you do this but then take a path that is anything but square with your club, it could overexaggerate the fade.

When practicing on the driving range setup with alignment sticks so, you always know what a square path looks like. Then learn the proper wrist angles, setup, and changes to your stance to hit the ball flight and the shots that you are looking to hit.

How to Avoid a Double Cross

To avoid getting yourself into a situation where you end up fighting the double cross, you can do the following things.

Practice with HackMotion

Practicing at the range with your HackMotion device on. Problems can sneak up in the golf swing, and wearing the HackMotion as you work on your golf game could make all the difference.

Each practice session is saved, and when you are hitting the ball the way you want to, you can refer back to those sessions and aim for those numbers. Using audio feedback with the HackMotion will also help you stay on track.

Make Sure You are Still Playing Smart Golf

When you double cross yourself in golf, it often means you are aiming one way, and the golf ball goes another. Don’t overdo how much you work the ball on the golf course.

Instead of trying to hit a draw or a fade on every hole, focus on hitting some straight shots from time to time. You can overcomplicate a round of golf and not play smart.

Think about course management when you are out there and planning the types of shots that you want to hit.

Be Consistent with Setup

Setup and ball position play into your golf game so much. If you can get the ball position correct and the setup to be consistent, you will have a lower chance of a double cross in your swing.

When inconsistency creeps in, the chance of the clubface going one way, your stance, and your path another is highly likely.

Develop More Awareness of the Clubhead

Finally, use tools like HackMotion to develop an awareness of where the clubface is at all times.

If you are new to the game, use a recommended wrist angle from HackMotion and keep it on each time you swing.

Final Thoughts

At this point, you should understand what a double cross in golf is and how you can go about fixing it. The double cross is a problem because you aren’t prepared for the result of the shot.

Learn to perfect your clubface angle, fix the path and alignment and ultimately trust what you are doing with the club so that you can avoid the double cross for good.