How to Correct a Slice?

Have you ever been in the middle of a great golf game and you slice a ball? If you have, you know how frustrating it can be to hit a slice and ruin your score. Slicing can be a major problem that needs to be solved in order to make you the best golfer you can be.

If you are unfamiliar with golf, a “slice” is a type of mis-hit that causes the ball to curve from left to right (for right handed players and vice versa for left handed players), rather than straight, while in the air. Slices are rarely intentional, unless the fairway is curved, and can really throw you off your game if you wanted the ball to go straight. Fixing your slice can be difficult, but don’t worry, below we provide you with the most effective ways of getting rid of that slice.

Picture from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/skills/4242940.stm

Why Does It Happen?

Many amateur golfers or those that have not played in a long time are prone to slicing. There are numerous reasons that can cause you to slice a ball. Hence, there is no one solution that will stop this from happening. Before you figure out how to fix this problem, it is important to understand why it happens. Below are the main reasons why you might be a victim of slicing.

Firstly, a slice occurs when your swing is out-to-inward in trajectory, causing the face of the club to meet the ball to its side. This causes a spin, sending the ball from left to right.

Also, improper wrist rotation can also cause you to slice a ball. If your thumb turns too quickly, it can cause the clubface to strike the ball unevenly, causing the spin.

How Do I Fix It?

Many golf experts have devised tips, drills, and tutorials on how you can fix your slice. There are many different approaches and recommendations for fixing this problem. You can find the three best ways to tackle your slice below:

Swing

Your swing is one of the most important aspects of your golf game. If you are having trouble slicing, try to slow down your swing to see how your wrist rotation is, this could be a major reason why you continue to slice. Try videotaping your swing so you can figure out which of the approaches below will improve your swing and eliminate slicing from your game.

First and foremost, do not try to compensate for the left to right motion in an attempt to cancel out the slice, this could ended up in hooking the ball or make it veer even further to the right.

Your backswing may be the cause of your slicing. Jason Guss, a trainer from Golf Digest, suggests that you make sure the clubface is not rotating on the backswing to avoid slicing the ball. In order to avoid slicing, you should attempt to hit the ball off of the toe of the club. You should try to aim for the inside-back quadrant with the center of the clubface making direct contact with the ball.

On the downswing, Guss also suggests that you swing on a more inside path. You should also be aware of your right shoulder, it should be down and may be too far out to create the impact you want with the ball.

​For those of you who are more visual learners, a study from golf.com that studies the best way to fix slicing suggests that instructing golfers to try swinging their clubs “along an 8-o’clock-t0-2 o’clock axis through the impact zone [with the target at 12 o’clock].” This type of instruction was the most effective in fixing a slice. This means that you should make sure that you have a strong follow-through as well.

Grip

The grip is also a reason that golfers continue to slice. If you continuously slice and you don’t think that your swing is the problem, your grip pressure could be too tight or too loose.

If your grip is too tight, it will stop your hands from being able to rotate properly. If you loosen your grip, the club will hit the ball in the correct location and stop it from spinning.

Your grip could also not be tight enough. Make sure you have a strong grip on the club; this will ensure that the ball goes far and you make the appropriate contact needed when striking the ball.

Ultimately, you want to apply a light but the tight pressure to your grip. Also, make sure your hips stay grounded and your forearms rotate properly so that your swing is even and you hit the ball square on

Ball Position

The final problem is the position of the ball when the clubface strikes. This one is much simpler to explain than the other two; stand closer to the ball when you begin your swing. If the ball is too far from you, your shoulders may open too much, which will cause you to strike the ball in the wrong location. Doing this will create the spin that causes a slice and sends your ball off-course.

What Next?

As shown above, the swing, grip and ball position are all reasons that you could be slicing. In order for you to fix this problem, it is important for you to make sure you address every one of the above issues and make sure that you are doing them correctly. If you really want to get rid of this problem, you must practice; slicing unintentionally will only go away with practice and caution to detail.

References:

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/a-quick-fix-for-that-slice-off-the-tee

http://www.golf.com/instruction/groundbreaking-research-best-way-fix-your-slice

https://www.americangolf.com/blog/golf-tips/curing-a-slice-or-hook/

http://golftips.golfsmith.com/slice-out-golf-swing-20230.html

http://golftips.golfsmith.com/correct-drive-slice-20342.html