Can't fix my driver slice, any advice?

[Eleven13]

Hey everyone, I've been working on my swing for a while now and Im finally starting to make some good contact with my irons. I have some trouble with my five iron and 3-4 hybrids hitting cleanly, but they generally go straight or don't hook/slice too badly. However, my driver is a different story. 9 times out of 10 when I hit my driver the ball viciously slices at almost a horizontal angle (comes off the tee straight, then does like a 90 degree turn right). This causes mayhem when I go to the course because I have "this one will be the good shot" syndrome and end up putting balls in the forest or like 3 holes over and end up taking drops that kill my score. Lately I've just been keeping my driver in the bag, but I hate to feel like I'm giving up on it and I know that I have the potential to hit it far and straight, it's just killing my score lately. I'm right handed and am using a 10.5 degree callaway big bertha. I've tried different tee heights but It seems like even "tee it high and let it fly" doesn't help me. Do you guys have any tips, advice, or videos for things I can try at the range in order to fix this problem? I feel like my score could improve dramatically if I can just finally get some distance off the tee and hit more fairways. Thanks!

[Jeremie Boop]

I stopped slicing by really focusing on an inside out swing. I did this by bringing the club down very slowly and making sure the end of the grip pointed at the ball. Not saying this will work, but it helped me get the feeling of coming at the ball from inside.

[Eleven13]

Thank you for the reply, is an inside out swing something I should strive for across all my clubs, or just the driver? Ill look up some articles and videos online and try it out to see if it helps!

[Hacker James]

Originally Posted by Eleven13

Thank you for the reply, is an inside out swing something I should strive for across all my clubs, or just the driver? Ill look up some articles and videos online and try it out to see if it helps!

you don't have far to look. Simply type in "cure my slice" in the search forums box located at the top of this category. You will be directed to dozens upon dozens of suggestions. Some good, some not so good, but I am sure you will find something that works FOR YOU.

[Eleven13]

I'll definitely take a look around on this site. I was just reading some inside-out swinging articles and it seems like that may help me as well, so at least I have a start!

Thank you both for the advice

[BostonBrew]

I would also suggest bagging the driver until you get it worked out on the range. No need to put yourself in a bad spot off the tee during the round.

[Eleven13]

Originally Posted by BostonBrew

I would also suggest bagging the driver until you get it worked out on the range. No need to put yourself in a bad spot off the tee during the round.

Yeah unfortunately this is what I've resorted to recently.

Like I said, I'll have a few good shots and then get cocky and on the next tee I pull out the driver and sort of think, "well what could really go wrong?" and then a whole lot goes wrong and my score goes in the gutter.

I've been teeing off with my hybrids which I don't hit very far but have a far less chance of slicing or doing something that'll force me to drop or end up in a terrible lie. I just feel like I'm cheating myself by skipping my driver completely, so I'd really like to get my problem hammered out as soon as I can.

[BostonBrew]

Originally Posted by Eleven13

Yeah unfortunately this is what I've resorted to recently.

Like I said, I'll have a few good shots and then get cocky and on the next tee I pull out the driver and sort of think, "well what could really go wrong?" and then a whole lot goes wrong and my score goes in the gutter.

I've been teeing off with my hybrids which I don't hit very far but have a far less chance of slicing or doing something that'll force me to drop or end up in a terrible lie. I just feel like I'm cheating myself by skipping my driver completely, so I'd really like to get my problem hammered out as soon as I can.

By all means, work out what ever it is you're doing. Driving the ball is one of the more fun parts of the game in my opinion. And an important one for playing well.

[Spyder]

When I first started golfing, this video helped me a lot:

Though your swing path is obviously your biggest fault, start with your grip pressure and the grip itself (whether you are weak, neutral, or strong). From there, work on feeling like you are swinging out at the ball - from the inside. If you're using a ball with an alignment aid on one side of it, tee the ball at a somewhat 45° angle pointing away from you so that you mentally paint the picture of your club's path coming from the inside.

The slice is being produced by coming across the ball from outside->in (over the top). Work on feeling like your right shoulder is low at impact and you are swinging for right field. These are small things that I really worked on, being self-taught, that helped me to learn what it is that I am doing wrong and how to fix it.

Unlike many other golfers, I never took a lesson and kind of regret it. That should definitely be on your list of things to do in developing your swing. But, if you can't justify the cost, start with these mental images and see what you can do.

[SoundandFury]

Originally Posted by Eleven13

Hey everyone,

I've been working on my swing for a while now and Im finally starting to make some good contact with my irons. I have some trouble with my five iron and 3-4 hybrids hitting cleanly, but they generally go straight or don't hook/slice too badly.

However, my driver is a different story. 9 times out of 10 when I hit my driver the ball viciously slices at almost a horizontal angle (comes off the tee straight, then does like a 90 degree turn right). This causes mayhem when I go to the course because I have "this one will be the good shot" syndrome and end up putting balls in the forest or like 3 holes over and end up taking drops that kill my score.

Lately I've just been keeping my driver in the bag, but I hate to feel like I'm giving up on it and I know that I have the potential to hit it far and straight, it's just killing my score lately.

I'm right handed and am using a 10.5 degree callaway big bertha. I've tried different tee heights but It seems like even "tee it high and let it fly" doesn't help me.

Do you guys have any tips, advice, or videos for things I can try at the range in order to fix this problem? I feel like my score could improve dramatically if I can just finally get some distance off the tee and hit more fairways.

Thanks!

I think most golfers have been there.  There's a million articles, videos, tips, etc. on "how to cure your slice", and almost all of them talk about either: closing the clubface or swinging in to out.  The problem though is it's one thing to think in to out and another to actually execute.  Since I dealt with this issue off and on up until about 3 months ago, here are my suggestions:

1. Don't actively try to close the club face.  There's a way to actively do, and I know guys who can do it, but it takes extremely precise timing. With a proper swing, the club will square up on its own. Instead, focus on your backswing.  The backswing puts you in position to properly deliver the club to the ball, and has a direct correlation to:

2. Your swing path.  There are two things that I figured out that have pretty much eliminated my slice.  First, without seeing your swing, I bet you are making a full shoulder turn.  By full shoulder turn, what is really meant is getting your back facing to the target at the top of your backswing.  Personally, I focus on turning my chest away from the ball.  Here's an excellent article on the subject:

http://handicaptracker.golf.com/golf-blogs/blogs_post.asp?id=3249540

3.  Make a level (full) turn.  This one might unique to me, but I found that I was dipping my head/lead shoulder on the backswing. This leads to a compensation in the downswing which makes you cut across the ball from out to in.

4.  Finally, don't stop pivoting on the downswing.  If you do, you're arms will take over and you will cut across the ball rather than delivering the club from the inside.

[AmazingWhacker]

The only thing I could add to what's already been said is to keep working on it and be patient.  It took me almost 4 years to stop slicing the driver - probably I'm slower than most so hopefully you'll learn quicker .. but, for me - it was a matter of taking all these concepts - swinging inside out, learning to make a good backswing, learning to get the clubface square at impact, etc . .and learning them one at a time . .and then going back and learning them again.  The more I practice, the more I understand the golf swing so swinging inside to out to me now means a lot more than it did 2 years ago . .even though 2 years ago I was trying to swing inside to out and making some progress at that time.  It's not like "ok, today I'm going to learn to swing inside-to-out" . .it's more like, the more you work on it the more you start to understand what it means and feels like and then you start to improve at it.  And then you'll work on, maybe, getting the cubface square at impact and end up having it teach you something more about your swingpath.  At least that's how it's been for me.

If you can, take some lessons with a good teacher.  I only started seeing a pro in the last year.  I have only taken 4 lessons in the last year - but almost all my progress has been since I started taking lessons.  I still work on my swing mostly on my own - but it's very helpfull to get periodic swing diagnosis and guidance on *what* to work on next.

[tomvk77]

The game was learned to me using irons, and keep woods far away. I still benefit this because i'm a good ball striker.

Have no problem taking an iron off the tee when i have a bad day with my woods.

So my first point is do a few rounds without your driver. Seeing your teeshots with hybrids end up in the middle off the short grass helps for confidence

enormously.

What i see with beginner players (slicers) is:

Well because they had 2-3 slices they start to aim further left with feet but not with the whole body, so actually there setting up a bigger slice.

Maybe this is the case.

What i think you should do is:

Setup for a draw. Address the club behind the ball aiming at the target ( landing spot ) now address your feet aiming slightly right off target

this will help you get back at the ball from inside out.

Sometimes i see people really hit hard at it. result a big slice.

So if your trying to kill the ball, remember that the ball is already dead.

[cnl390]

My slice was 100% exactly like yours.  I am a beginner and certainly am not one to be giving advise.  But I can pass on some advise that has pretty much completely cured my slice.

I went to Golfsmith a couple of weeks ago to treat myself to a new driver for my birthday, and while trying out several different clubs on their computerized golf gizmo it showed my super slice every shot.  Then the employee that was helping me made one little suggestion that worked for me.  He said that on my swing if I would imagine I was swinging a bucket of water over my left shoulder (I am right handed) it might improve my slice.  It was like magic.  I started drilling my drives.  I went to the range last Friday and was amazed.  Instead of hitting my normal huge slice the ball was going high and straight as an arrow with an occasional very slight fade.  I can't wait to get out and start hitting my second shots from the fairway of the hole I am playing instead of one or two to my right.

Charles

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by Eleven13

Hey everyone,

I've been working on my swing for a while now and Im finally starting to make some good contact with my irons. I have some trouble with my five iron and 3-4 hybrids hitting cleanly, but they generally go straight or don't hook/slice too badly.

However, my driver is a different story. 9 times out of 10 when I hit my driver the ball viciously slices at almost a horizontal angle (comes off the tee straight, then does like a 90 degree turn right). This causes mayhem when I go to the course because I have "this one will be the good shot" syndrome and end up putting balls in the forest or like 3 holes over and end up taking drops that kill my score.

Lately I've just been keeping my driver in the bag, but I hate to feel like I'm giving up on it and I know that I have the potential to hit it far and straight, it's just killing my score lately.

I'm right handed and am using a 10.5 degree callaway big bertha. I've tried different tee heights but It seems like even "tee it high and let it fly" doesn't help me.

Do you guys have any tips, advice, or videos for things I can try at the range in order to fix this problem? I feel like my score could improve dramatically if I can just finally get some distance off the tee and hit more fairways.

Thanks!

Over the top swing (sweetspot coming from the outside in), clubface pointed just slightly right of your target line, would produce a straight slice

Work on getting your swing path to get from the inside. This might need alot of work if your hitting hits pronounce of a slice. I would recommend posting your swing in the member's swing section for review.

[rustyredcab]

One word fix: VIDEO

Get down-the-line video of your swing. Work on keeping the club path on plane. If you are unsure what you want your swing to look like, look around here or elsewhere for examples of good swings filmed down-the-line. Use video so you know what you are actually doing vs what you feel you are doing.

Good luck.

[Eleven13]

Thanks a lot for all of the advice everyone, I am going to take all of your suggestions into account and start practicing both mentally and physically to get my swing more inside-out.

I actually do record my swing often but unfortunately I don't know what to look for most of the time, but now I definitely do. Looking back, it seems as though my swing is definitely over the top especially with my longer clubs so I feel like that is definitely my problem.

If anyone would like to look, I have posted swings to the members swing section. They aren't the best quality videos, but I'm going to try and get some better ones now that daylight is lasting longer: http://thesandtrap.com/t/66994/my-swing-eleven13