Slicing is deadly. It starts the hole badly. It costs you strokes. And it frustrates you to no end. There’s nothing worse than slicing one into the trees off the tee—especially off the first tee.
But slicing is hard to cure. Some golfers never do it. They just find a way to play with their slices. And while this strategy works, it’s not the best approach.
It’s better to hit a draw from the tee box. Draws run when they hit, generating more yardage on your drives. A draw can add 15 or 20 more yards to your drive. And that can cut strokes off your scores.
Still, it’s better to eliminate your flaw as soon as you can. But first, let’s look why you slice. Then, we’ll look at how to cure it.
Creating Your Slice
Why golfers slice is no secret. They contact the ball with an open clubface at impact. That causes you to cut across the target line, creating sidespin and slicing the ball sideways.
But pushing the ball right can come from other swing flaws, like standing too close to the ball. That causes you to hit the ball off the club’s hosel.
Standing too is another fatal miscue that can get you in trouble off the tee and cost you strokes. So, the first thing you need to do is to identify your slice.
Curing Your Slice
Below is a four-step process that can help you cure your slice for good. Try it next time you have some time on the range.
Step 1: Check your divots
The first thing you want to do is to determine if you are slicing. Slicers generate three types of divots. Each comes from a different swing flaw.
Divots that:
- Move extremely left of the target line come from an open clubface and an incorrect swing path. It may result from coming over the top.
- Run left of the target line then curl back come from an outside-in swing path—the opposite of what you want to do.
- Point relatively in line with the swing path but drift slightly left, a divot that comes from a slightly open clubface at impact.
Checking your divots tells you if you have a slice and ow badly you’re making impact with an open clubface. Once you correct your slice, your divots should be more in line with your target line.
Step 2: Determine your downswing type
The second step in the process is determining your downswing type. Golfers use either a rotary motion or a lever motion to power their downswings.
If you use a rotary driven downswing, you use hip and trunk rotation to drive your downswing. If you use a lever swing, you use your right hand and forearm to drive your downswing.
Determining the type of downswing you have helps you find a solution to your slice. The simplest and easiest way to solve your slice is to change your grip.
Step 3: Match your grip to your downswing
Your grip needs to match your downswing type to hit a ball straight and true. Here’s what we mean:
- If you use a rotary-driven downswing, you need a stronger grip than if you use a lever-driven downswing. A stronger grip counters an open clubface by keeping your right hand and elbow bent and tucked into your body, keeping you on the correct swing path.
- If you use a lever driven-downswing, you need a neutral or weaker grip than if you use a rotary-driven downswing. A weaker grip counters a closed clubface at impact, generating a hook.
Make sure your grip matches your downswing in your setup. That squares up your clubface at impact.
Step 4: Find the right slot position
In addition to matching your grip, you also have to find the right slot position for your downing. To do that, you must match your transition to your swing type.
If you use a rotary-driven downswing, find the right slot position by relaxing your arms so they can swing freely and maintain a slightly closed clubface.
If you use a lever-driven downswing, focus on moving your weight onto your front foot, shift your left shoulder slightly left, and keep your right hand and wrist bent. That squares up your clubface and keeps you on the correct swing path.
Finding the correct slot position and matching your grip to the type of downswing you use will help rid you of your slice once and for all.
Once you do that, you’ll find yourself hit it straighter, longer shots down the middle and cutting strokes from your scores. That, in turn, will up your game.
If you’re serious about breaking 80, work on curing your slice. It may take some time to cure that slice using our four-step plan, but it’s worth the effort.
Iron out Your Slice with these 5 Golf Tips
Slicing is golf’s most nagging swing flaw. If you slice, you know what I mean. But slicing is hard to cure. It seems like no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to shed this swing flaw. On the course, that costs you.
Below are five checkpoints in your swing that can help cure a slice:
- Golf grip
- Golf stance
- Backswing
- Downswing
- Impact position
Many places in your golf swing can cause a slice. But the five discussed below are the most critical in evoking this swing flaw:
· Grip
You grip influences your impact position. If you turn your hands too much to the left, you’ll have an open clubface at impact. You must correct this position to stop slicing.
Once in your stance, look down to see where your hands are. You should see at least two knuckles on your left hand (if you’re a right-handed golfer). If you can’t see those knuckles, turn your left hand to the right until you do.
· Stance
Opening your stance to correct your slice doesn’t help. It just compounds the error. Your stance needs to be parallel left of the target line to drive it straight.
Use an alignment stick laid flat on the ground and parallel left of your target line to check your stance. Everything must be parallel left of that club and your target line.
· Backswing
If your backswing isn’t round enough, you’ll approach the ball on too steep an angle. To fix this flaw, check your backswing at the top.
Your clubface needs to be over your shoulder—not your head at the top of the swing. You’ll feel a much bigger turn this way, and you’ll engage your bigger muscles to power up your swing.
· Downswing
If you start down without any lift or push forward, you’ll slice. Instead, shift your weight to your front foot and turn your body turn toward the target.
Also, drop your hands a bit, giving you the feeling that you’re approaching the ball on a flatter plane. Executing these two moves guarantee you’re approaching the ball from the correct direction.
· Impact Position
When you slice, your ball is spinning clockwise. That makes the ball go right. To confirm this, check your divot. If it’s pointing well left of the target line, the ball is probably going way right.
If it is, you’re still approaching the ball with an open clubface at impact. Re-check the tweaks you made above and try again. Keep working on it until you get it right.
Slicing is golf’s deadliest swing flaw. No doubt about it. If you’re like most slicers, you’re anxious to get rid of your slice and cut strokes from your scores.
Tweak your swing using the golf tips discussed above, and you’ll be hitting them straight down the middle every time.
Cure Your Slice forever with this Golf Drill
If you slice, you’re hitting the ball with an open clubface at impact. Adopting a “stronger” grip can help you rid yourself of this slice.
To do that, rotate your hands to the right (left, if you’re left-handed). If you can see more than two knuckles on your left hand, your grip is strong enough.
Once you’ve adopted a stronger grip, try the drill below. It helps you feel a post-impact hand rotation for more of a drawing shot:
Set your ball on a medium height tee. Hold your club a few feet past the ball as if you were about one-quarter of the way into your follow through, with the toe of the club turned well past the heel.
Swing back (without contacting the ball) to about a three-quarter-length backswing then swing through, striking the ball. You should see the ball holding its line, maybe even hook a little.
Practice this golf drill as often as you can until you’ve mastered it. Then use that swing on the course next time out. Curing your slice can not only cut strokes from your scores but also up your game to the next level.
