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Slice No More

Land in the fairway every time

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Hitting a big, weak slice is never any fun. Not only do they rarely travel very far, but they're impossible to control. For many amateurs, when they attempt to cure their slice, the slice often gets worse because they haven't the proper know-how to manage a slice and start hitting straighter tee balls. In this article, I want to put an end to complicated, tedious anti-slice advice and help you get rid of that pesky banana ball once and for all. Read on, follow these easy tips, and slice no more!

Aim Straight!

One of the most common mistakes I see from amateurs who struggle with slicing is improper aim and alignment. The first and most important key to getting rid of a slice is to stop opening your stance (as you can see in the photo on the opposite page). Doing this will force a swing path that cuts across the ball from outside to inside the target line, adding more slice spin. The solution? Square your shoulders so they're parallel to the target. As for your feet, they should be square, or even slightly closed (also opposite page) to encourage an inside-to-outside the target line path.

Why does aiming left cause you to slice? In most cases, it's because many slicers think they're aiming to the left, when in actuality they aren't. When you set up and then open your stance, you're actually moving the ball back in your stance. Also, when you do this, and you don't close the clubface as well, you're in position to hit an even bigger slice! 

Get A Good Grip


When it comes to your grip, again, things may seem a bit counterintuitive. To help avoid slicing, the more you turn your hands to the right, the more inclined you'll be to start hitting your shots straight, or even a little to the left. This is what's sometimes referred to as a "strong grip." But I think that's a bit of a misnomer. I prefer to call it an "active grip," since many think a strong grip means gripping the club firmly, with a lot of pressure. However, the firmer you grip it, the less your wrists will roll and close the face through impact, so don't do that! Position your hands as you see here, and maintain a firm, but supple, grip pressure. Don't tense up; instead, let the position of your hands do its job and get the hands more active during the swing. I'll bet you see fewer slices right away.

Tilt Your Shoulders!

A great way to combat a slice is to swing the club on a path that swings from inside the target line to outside the target line. In other words, swing from in to out.

To do this, make an adjustment in your setup by tilting your shoulders away from the target. See how my right shoulder, and even my right hip is slightly lower than my left at address? This tilt will encourage my body to take the club back and to the inside. If I set up with my shoulders level to the ground, I'll be more inclined to swing along or away from the target line, thus forcing me to swing from the outside in, causing me to swipe across the ball and impart a lot of slice spin.


Finally, once you get the tilt at address ready to go, hold it all the way through impact!


 

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