Straight
Face and path both square to the target. The ball starts on the target line and stays there.
Straight
Result
Launch
Shot shapes explained
Every shot shape comes down to two things at impact: where the club face points, and which way the club is moving (the path).
The face sets the start direction. The ball launches mostly where the face points, and only partly along the path.
Face to path sets the curve. A face closed to the path curves the ball left; a face open to the path curves it right. The bigger the gap, the bigger the curve.
Draw
Path from in to out, face a little closed to it. Starts right of the target and curves gently back left.
Fade
Path from out to in, face a little open to it. Starts left of the target and drifts back right. The mirror image of a draw.
Hook
Face well closed to the path. The ball curves hard left, well off the target line. A draw that has gone too far.
Slice
Face well open to the path, usually with an out-to-in swing. The ball curves hard right and loses some carry to the extra spin. The most common miss for amateur golfers.
Push
Face and path both point right of the target, matched to each other. The ball starts right and flies straight with no curve.
Pull
Face and path both point left of the target, matched to each other. The ball starts left and flies straight with no curve.
Start direction and curve combine, so you will also see names like Push Draw or Pull Fade above the animation. Everything here is for a right-handed golfer; for a left-hander, swap left and right.