What are the various causes of a slice?

[threejack]

I've heard these:

• Open club face (in relation to the target)
• Outside-In (over the top) swing
• Too steep of a swing

Not sure which of these it is for me, could you help me determine which one is the cause so I can work on fixing it? This is only with a driver. And I admit I am more armsy and handy on my driver downswing.

[shortstop20]

The ball starts(for the most part) on the line that the clubface is pointing at impact. The ball curves away from the swingpath.

If your ball is starting at the target or left of target and then slicing, you are over the top. These are the most common slicer moves.

If your ball is starting right of target and then slicing, you have a neutral swing path(down the target line) or an inside-out swing path. These are less common forms of slicing.

In any case, your clubface is open to the swingpath. Only in the last two situations would a clubface correction be the only thing needed to fix your slice and since these are much less common than the first two, it's likely the swingpath, not the clubface is what needs to be corrected in order to get you hitting straight shots.

[threejack]

Thanks for the info, I've heard that same thing so many times from everyone on here. What is the proper way to square the club face because I need to see if I perhaps am not doing that. My slices are big and they happen almost immediately so I think my club face is WIDE open (when I look at a video of my swing it looks ridiculously open.) would that not impart a disgusting side spin if it were VERY open??

[shortstop20]

Originally Posted by threejack

Thanks for the info, I've heard that same thing so many times from everyone on here. What is the proper way to square the club face because I need to see if I perhaps am not doing that. My slices are big and they happen almost immediately so I think my club face is WIDE open (when I look at a video of my swing it looks ridiculously open.) would that not impart a disgusting side spin if it were VERY open??

Yes, it would.

But the main thing we need to know is, where is the ball starting? If it's starting at the target or left of the target, you do NOT need to work on squaring the face. You'd need to work on your swing path.

Squaring the clubface does not happen consciously. It comes from a good swingpath, grip and other things.

[mvmac]

Let's keep it simple, face is open to the path. The reason the face is open to the path could be one of those other two. Over the top swing can also produce a shot that curves left. http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws To get back to why you're slicing, are you hitting it on the heel? Does it start left and slice or start right?

[threejack]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Let's keep it simple, face is open to the path. The reason the face is open to the path could be one of those other two. Over the top swing can also produce a shot that curves left. http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws

To get back to why you're slicing, are you hitting it on the heel? Does it start left and slice or start right?

I guess if anything it starts straight. maybe a little right and it has a strong fade and the fade just keeps going and going. thats like a 20 yard fade that is killer on the course. other times is a big slice that will start straight for all of 2 yards and take a 90 degree turn right. i guess i would say i do both about 50 percent of the time.

interesting you should mention hitting off the heel, when i look at the face my ball marks are dead on but I felt like I might be crowding the ball causing me to have to come in at the ball to hit it. so at the range i actually took a step back and bent at the hips just a little more, shallowed out my plane a little bit and the balls were going straight as an arrow. i hit 5 in a row dead straight, sometimes i would accidentally flip my hands and i would have a high pull hook.

are these better results?

[mvmac]

I guess if anything it starts straight. maybe a little right and it has a strong fade and the fade just keeps going and going. thats like a 20 yard fade that is killer on the course. other times is a big slice that will start straight for all of 2 yards and take a 90 degree turn right. i guess i would say i do both about 50 percent of the time.

interesting you should mention hitting off the heel, when i look at the face my ball marks are dead on but I felt like I might be crowding the ball causing me to have to come in at the ball to hit it. so at the range i actually took a step back and bent at the hips just a little more, shallowed out my plane a little bit and the balls were going straight as an arrow. i hit 5 in a row dead straight, sometimes i would accidentally flip my hands and i would have a high pull hook.

are these better results?

I'd recommend trying this out [VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXuikUmHeEQ[/VIDEO]

[threejack]

Originally Posted by mvmac

I'd recommend trying this out[if IE]>

[threejack]

just took some practice swings in my garage to feel it. wow, i already feel a noticeable difference and it just feels right. can't wait to put it to the real test on the range