Jackson Reid
Golf is a challenging sport, and one of the most common issues faced by golfers is the dreaded slice, when the ball veers off to the right. It can be incredibly frustrating to see your ball slowly drift further and further away from where you intended it to go. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, as various factors like ball position, grip, and swing can contribute to a slice, there are several strategies you can try to cure your slice and improve your game.
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What You'll Learn
Observe your grip and stance
Observing and adjusting your grip and stance are key to curing a golf slice. A slice occurs when the ball curves to the right of where you intended to hit it, and this can be caused by several factors, including ball position, grip, and swing.
Firstly, check your grip. If your left hand is too far underneath the club, the angle of the clubface will be angled outward, causing the ball to curve to the right. To fix this, hold the driver so that the club head is resting on the ground, then rotate your left hand counterclockwise so that, when you look down, you can see three knuckles on your left hand. This will help you achieve a stronger grip, which can help turn a slice into a two-way miss.
Next, observe your stance. A common mistake is to position the ball too far forward, which causes you to reach for the ball and open the angle of the clubface upon impact. Instead, place the ball in front of the inside of your front foot. This will encourage you to hit the ball on your upswing, helping it to fly straight. Another technique to help cure a slice is to position your back foot slightly behind your front foot, with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. This will help you swing your club down along an inside-out path, which is essential for seeing the ball move from right to left.
By making these adjustments to your grip and stance, you can help cure your golf slice and improve the accuracy of your shots.
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Understand your takeaway
Understanding your takeaway is the first step to fixing your slice. A slice is when your ball curves to the right of where you intended to hit it, and one of the main reasons this happens is that players begin their backswing too far inside. This creates a rounded-off shape at the top, which makes your hands travel up and over.
To avoid this, you should visualise a bright and thick red line running from your position to the target to help you hit a straight shot. This will help you avoid aiming to the left of where you want the ball to land, which can actually make a slice worse.
Another way to improve your takeaway is to keep your right elbow tucked in as you swing back your club. Golfers who slice their drives tend to throw their elbows away from their body. To train yourself out of this, you can hold a small towel between your elbow and body when you practice driving.
You can also try to keep your underarms close to your body throughout the swing to stabilise the clubface. This will help you to square the clubface and add power.
Finally, you can try adjusting your footing. Move your back foot back slightly and adjust your footing in small increments until you see a consistent change in the pattern of your golf ball's flight path.
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Keep your elbows tucked in
Golfers who frequently slice their drives tend to throw their elbows away from their bodies as they swing back their club. To train yourself to keep your elbows tucked in during your backswing, try holding a small towel between your elbow and body when you practice driving.
Keeping your elbows tucked in helps to stabilise the clubface. If you visualise the golf swing as a circle, you will notice that natural curving will occur if your triceps rest on your chest throughout the swing. Engaging the bigger muscles of your body will square the clubface and add power.
To achieve a proper backswing, tilt forward from the hip joint. This will allow your arms to relax and hang. You want to be balanced and athletic at address and throughout the swing.
If you are a chronic slicer, try flaring your back foot, dropping it back slightly, and squaring your forward foot. This will help increase your ability to rotate back and slow down your body rotation on your forward swing, helping with path and the sequencing of body and arms.
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Adjust your footing
Adjusting your footing is a crucial aspect of curing a golf slice. Here are some detailed instructions to help you make the necessary adjustments:
Firstly, it's important to understand the concept of an "outside-in" trajectory, which is a common cause of slicing. This occurs when your club moves towards your body during the downswing, causing the clubface to hit the ball from the side, resulting in a rightward curve. To counteract this, position your feet approximately shoulder-width apart, with your back foot slightly behind your front foot. This small adjustment will help guide your club along an "inside-out" path, reducing the likelihood of slicing.
Next, focus on the ball position relative to your feet. Place the ball in front of the inside of your front foot. This positioning will encourage you to hit the ball on your upswing, promoting a straighter flight path instead of a slice. Be mindful not to place the ball too far forward, as this can cause you to reach for it, opening the clubface and exacerbating the slice.
Additionally, if you tend to throw your elbows outward during your backswing, try keeping your right elbow tucked in closer to your body. This can be practised by holding a small towel between your elbow and body, helping you maintain a more controlled swing and reducing the chances of slicing.
For those with limited flexibility, consider flaring your back foot while squaring your forward foot. This adjustment will improve your rotational ability and slow down your body rotation during the forward swing, aiding in path control and the sequencing of your body and arms.
Finally, visualise your golf swing as a circle. Allow for a slight tilt from the hips, enabling your arms to relax and hang naturally. This balanced posture will help stabilise the clubface, reducing the chances of slicing the ball.
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Practice curving the ball
Golfers who frequently slice their drives tend to throw their elbows away from their body as they swing back their club. To train yourself to keep your elbows tucked in during your backswing, hold a small towel between your elbow and body when you practice driving.
To draw the ball, golfers should keep the clubface slightly in front of the handle throughout the swing. Never let the handle swing to the left after impact. Instead, feel as if the handle rises after you hit the ball.
If you are a chronic slicer, try flaring your back foot, dropping it back slightly, and squaring your forward foot. This will help increase your ability to rotate back and also slow down your body rotation on your forward swing, helping with path and the sequencing of body and arms.
One of the quickest ways to get back into a bad swing habit is to go straight to the first tee. Make a conscious effort at the driving range to work through fades (controlled slice) and draws (controlled hook) and slowly make your way to the neutral swing. Give yourself 15-20 minutes on the range and take the first tee with confidence.
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Frequently asked questions
A slice is when your ball curves to the right of where you intended to hit it.
Some common causes of a slice include ball position, grip, and swing. For example, placing the ball too far forward can cause a slice, as it makes you reach for the ball, opening the angle of the clubface upon impact.
Since there are many potential causes, no single adjustment will cure everyone’s slice. However, you can try making changes to your stance, club grip, and swing. For example, you can try placing the ball in front of the inside of your front foot, which will help the ball fly straight instead of curving to the right.
One drill you can do is called "trapping", where you first hit 10-20 controlled hooks (draws), then go back to the slice motion and do it purposefully. By going back and forth, you will gain a better understanding of the golf swing and be able to find a happy medium between the two extremes.
One tip is to avoid aiming to the left to compensate for the rightward curve of your drives, as this can actually make your slice worse. Instead, visualize a bright and thick red line running from your position to the target to help yourself hit a straight shot.
