Driver slice....NEED HELP!!!!

[brianc]

I need some simple drills to help correct a slice I'm experiencing with my driver. This is a new problem I've had for about three weeks and it only is happening with the driver.

SOME INFO TO KEEP IN MIND: I used to hook the ball badly and play a draw when I hit the ball well. Took some lessons and changed my swing to play a fade: Open stance with the ball back in my stance. This works really well for me with all my clubs. Was hitting a beautiful and controlled fade with my driver about 275....now I'm hitting it about 225 straight and it drifts 40-50 yards right....don't think I'm blocking because ball always starts down target line....think my swing path is too steep and outside to in. Anyon have some simple drills I can do without changing my setup....want to play the open stance with controlled fade.

[TN94z]

It sounds like your face is just too open at impact. If it is starting straight and then drifting, it doesn't sound like you are coming over the top. Make sure you don't have the "scoop" at impact with your wrists.

[trumps4]

  brianc said:

I need some simple drills to help correct a slice I'm experiencing with my driver. This is a new problem I've had for about three weeks and it only is happening with the driver.

I am right there with you right now. Over the past month, I have gradually went from a gentle draw to a huge slice. I've spend half a day pondering this. I really think I am just "coming out of the shot" early. I have been studying "Erik's secret thread" (

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29616 ) in hopes that I can correct my problem. He mentions a drill with a tripod designed to keep your back knee moving down more toward the target than out toward the ball during the downswing. That drill looks helpful. I have also seen guys making practice swings with their back foot dropped WAY back off the target line. They say they are focusing on keeping that back foot grounded for longer. I think I am gonna spend some time working with Erik's drill and see what happens.

[TN94z]

  trumps4 said:

I am right there with you right now. Over the past month, I have gradually went from a gentle draw to a huge slice. I've spend half a day pondering this. I really think I am just "coming out of the shot" early. I have been studying "Erik's secret thread" (

How does you slice start out? Does it start out straight and then slice or does it start out left and then slice?

[kennay92]

  TN94z said:

How does you slice start out? Does it start out straight and then slice or does it start out left and then slice?

what would each one mean?

[ControlJunkie]

  kennay92 said:

what would each one mean?

Bear with me, I really hope I'm getting this right. If I'm not, just pay no attention to the idiot in the corner, he means no harm

If it starts straight, but then goes right, the plane is outside-in, but the face was square at impact. The initial straight path you see is due to the velocity of the ball (coming from the face being square) overcoming the spin, but as the ball slows, the side spin of the ball "grabs" more air, and starts to cut. Same basic principle behind a pitcher throwing a curveball, except that spin is on a horizontal axis for a true curveball vs. the slice which rotates more along a vertical axis. A slice that starts right, and goes even more right comes from an outside-in swing plane and open clubface at impact. A lot of times when someone asks how to hit a draw or fade, you'll hear people say to open your stance (to play a fade) or close your stance (to hit a draw). Effectively, what that's doing is forcing a slightly outside-in plane (to play the fade) or a flat/inside-out plane (to play the draw).

[sacm3bill]

  ControlJunkie said:

If it starts straight, but then goes right, the plane is outside-in, but the face was square at impact.

I think that's correct, but I also think there are some who believe that that flight path could also be caused by a square swing path with an open face.

  None said:

A slice that starts right, and goes even more right comes from an outside-in swing plane and open clubface at impact.

Pretty sure that's incorrect. If it starts *left* it means outside-in swing path - maybe that's what you meant since that was TN94z's original question.

Starting right would mean inside-out swing path.

[trumps4]

  TN94z said:

How does you slice start out? Does it start out straight and then slice or does it start out left and then slice?

The Ball starts pretty much on line. I can "feel" that contact is a glancing blow rather than "compressing through" the ball as I would on a good shot.

[jambalaya]

Make sure you are not hanging back too long (weight on back foot). Also be aware of any sliding rather than rotation on the downswing.

[TN94z]

  trumps4 said:

The Ball starts pretty much on line. I can "feel" that contact is a glancing blow rather than "compressing through" the ball as I would on a good shot.

That makes it sound like your clubface is open at impact...."cutting" across the ball.

[Ringer]

Finish with the butt end of the club pointing at the target.

[Golf'nBiker]

  Ringer said:

Finish with the butt end of the club pointing at the target.

When I have the dreaded slice, I've learned that this is NOT what I'm doing...meaning, when I don't complete the follow thru. Sounds solid off the face, feels good, starts very straight down the traget line, and as it reached the apex of climbing, then looses velocity and falls to the right.

[TN94z]

  Golf'nBiker said:

When I have the dreaded slice, I've learned that this is NOT what I'm doing...meaning, when I don't complete the follow thru. Sounds solid off the face, feels good, starts very straight down the traget line, and as it reached the apex of climbing, then looses velocity and falls to the right.

That sounds like a fade not a slice. Why not keep that? How far off line does it fall?

[mdrengl]

  TN94z said:

That sounds like a fade not a slice. Why not keep that? How far off line does it fall?

I have the same problem from time to time. It isn't a slight baby fade, it takes a huge turn to the right. For me it can sometimes go 30 yards right after the apex of the ball flight.

[Golf'nBiker]

  mdrengl said:

I have the same problem from time to time. It isn't a slight baby fade, it takes a huge turn to the right. For me it can sometimes go 30 yards right after the apex of the ball flight.

Same...TN94z, at times it seems WAY right, due to the width of the fairway. On narrow fairways, it is nothing but trouble...I've thought of teeing off w/a 3 wood or 2i, but it sure makes for a long 2d shot on the par 5's. On my 'home' course, I only pull driver out 2 or 3 times on the front, and 3 times on the back. My finish isn't a sho-nuff chicken wing, but its a wing just the same. If I were completing the swing, and had that slight fade, I might consider working with it and setting up for it...but its too sporatic.

[normdamarine]

Sometimes it is as simple as your chin rotating toward the target before impact. If your chin rotates early then everything else follows. When I miss right this is almost always the reason...

[TN94z]

  mdrengl said:

I have the same problem from time to time. It isn't a slight baby fade, it takes a huge turn to the right. For me it can sometimes go 30 yards right after the apex of the ball flight.

  Golf'nBiker said:

Same...TN94z, at times it seems WAY right, due to the width of the fairway. On narrow fairways, it is nothing but trouble...I've thought of teeing off w/a 3 wood or 2i, but it sure makes for a long 2d shot on the par 5's. On my 'home' course, I only pull driver out 2 or 3 times on the front, and 3 times on the back. My finish isn't a sho-nuff chicken wing, but its a wing just the same. If I were completing the swing, and had that slight fade, I might consider working with it and setting up for it...but its too sporatic.

Have you guys seen your impact position on camera? You may have a scoop at impact instead of a bowed wrist. This causes all kinds of misses.

  normdamarine said:

Sometimes it is as simple as your chin rotating toward the target before impact. If your chin rotates early then everything else follows. When I miss right this is almost always the reason...

I was actually fighting this today in a scramble. Too anxious to see where it was going.

[R7Player]

Ask a local pro at the range if your grip is good.
I would put the ball in front of your left toe and tee the
ball up very high. Your clubface is open on impact and
it will slice, very deliberately turn your club face counter
clockwise maybe 1/8 inch, grip that hard and swing away.
You will stop the slice, loosen grip as you get better.
Hope this helps. Shot 76 today.
"Gee it's the damnest thing, I dont think I missed one today" Ben Hogan