How to Stop a Golf Slice
By Bill Herrfeldt
The more a golfer tries to avoid the propensity to slice the ball, the more it happens. Instead of finding the cause of the slice, you try to fix it by altering your stance, grip or swing in strange ways that never seems to work. If you suffer the fate that plagues millions of golfers, go back to the basics to find the answer.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Adjust your grip. Many golfers who slice have a so-called "weak grip." That's when a right-handed player has rotated his hands counter-clockwise on the club, where the thumbs of both hands are on the top of the shaft. This grip makes it more difficult to make the club head square at the point of impact. If you are guilty of this, move your hands clockwise on the shaft until you can see two or three knuckles of your left hand, assuming you are right-handed.
Distribute your weight evenly when you address the ball. In an effort to improve their accuracy, many players place their entire weight on the side closest to the target. That makes it more difficult to get your hands entirely through before hitting the ball, which will leave the club face open, resulting in a slice. Instead, try distributing your weight evenly, which will improve your shoulder turn and enable you to hit the ball straighter.
Rotate both your shoulders and hips on your backswing as well as on your downswing. Many slicers do a nice job of moving their upper and lower bodies on their backswing, but they have a tendency to "come over the top" on their downswings, causing the ball to curve to the right for right-handed players. The plane created by their downswings is outside of that created by their backswings. You'll know if you have corrected that problem if your right shoulder is directly below your left at the end of your swing.
Keep your head steady throughout your swing. In an effort to gain distance, many players will move their bodies back during their backswings and forward on their downswings, causing their heads to end up in front of the ball as it is being hit. That position leads to leaving the club face open at impact, resulting in a slice.
About The Author
Bill Herrfeldt specializes in finance, sports and the needs of retiring people, and has been published in the national edition of "Erickson Tribune," the "Washington Post" and the "Arizona Republic." He graduated from the University of Louisville.
