Hello Again Golf Circuit Fans!
I’m back with another blog post designed to help you get the most out of your game, and today I want to focus on one of the most common problems that golfers have – the dreaded slice! That’s right – I’m talking about the big banana ball that starts out in the middle of the fairway and ends up soaring into the lumberyard. If you don’t have a problem with a slice yourself I’m sure you know a golfer who does.
Before I tell you my favorite tips for curing a slice I suppose we should probably define it first. A slice is a golf shot that starts off going somewhat straight and then curves wildly to the right (for a right handed golfer) and usually out of play.
A slice is caused when the angle of the club face is open in relation to the angle of the club’s swing path causing the ball to develop a massive amount of clockwise spin and veer off target (see photo above).
Here are some tricks that just might put a stop to your slice:
- Relax. Often times a slice can be caused by excess tension in the golf swing which prevents the club face from turning over properly at impact. By relaxing your hands and forearms on your downswing you should be able to feel the club “turn over” through the impact zone – launching the ball straight down the pipe.
- “Strengthen” Your Grip. No – I’m not contradicting myself and talking about squeezing the club harder. By simply rotating your hands clockwise on your club you will “strengthen” your grip and make it easier to return the club to a square position at impact. Experiment with different grip positions to see how they affect your ball flight and stick with the one that works the best.
- Check Your Alignment. Often a slice can be caused by overcompensating for poor alignment. Head to the driving range and lay a golf club or alignment stick at your feet when you are set up to the ball. Step back and view it from behind to see if it is actually aligned to your target. If it’s off make an adjustment and then hit some shots keeping the club there to help re-train.
- Experiment with these different tips to see what works best for you – it might just be one of them or it might be a combination of all three, but when you stripe a drive down the middle and it soars straight on line you will know that you’ve found your cure!
That’s all I’ve got for today’s post, so until next time keep it in the fairway!
Your Friend,
James
Golf Circuit PGA Teaching Professional
Golf Circuit Blog 