My thoughts on how to get rid of your slice.

[EverythingGolf]

The slice is one of the biggest things an amateur or beginner golfer faces more than any other shot when they first start there golfing careers. I wanted to share some of my thoughts on what the best way(s) to tackle this super fun game that can be vary frustrating when trying to correct or eliminate that slice.

The first thing everybody talks about is that you must start the downswing from the ground up. This I believe is true but there is more to it than that. You must also understand the correct way to use the upper body as well as the lower. One of the biggest things that cause a slice is the shoulders and that most people rotate them too flat, they don't create enough secondary tilt and they don't get the lower body involved.

Looking at each one of these images you can see how AQ is using his hips (core) and shoulders correctly and that his left shoulder is moving back and up and the right is moving out and down . To get this motion in your swing start the downswing with both your hips and shoulders, what I mean by that is let them work together. The hips shift left and turn while the left shoulder moves back and up and the right moves down and out.

This is just what I believe is the best way to look at the swing and how to get the upper and lower body working correctly to hit the ball with better contact and eliminate that slice.

[Vinsk]

I wish slicing was my big problem. I'm either on the money sailing shots high and long and looking beautiful, shooting mid-high 70's....or I'm shanking. Every club but driver and putter.

[hilmar2k]

This is my big problem. I used to have a nice draw and could easily hit my 3 wood 240+. Something happened sometime last year and I now have a fade to slice and have lost 25 yards. The rest of my game is pretty solid, and if I could get off the tee consistently I could routinely shoot in the mid 80's, instead of low to mid 90's. Drives me crazy.

[saevel25]

Slices is caused by an extreme open clubface to path angle. It is possible to slice the ball with that swing you posted pictures off if the guy left the clubface way open. That would be a dramatic push slice, but still a slice. To correct a slice, the clubface needs to be at a less open angle to the clubpath. From there you are either dealing now with pulls or pull cuts, or push shots.

Now to fix a pull, that requires a fixing of the swing path. How that is done varies on the golfer and what "Feels" work best for them to get the path more towards the inside.

[EverythingGolf]

Slices is caused by an extreme open clubface to path angle. It is possible to slice the ball with that swing you posted pictures off if the guy left the clubface way open. That would be a dramatic push slice, but still a slice. To correct a slice, the clubface needs to be at a less open angle to the clubpath. From there you are either dealing now with pulls or pull cuts, or push shots.  Now to fix a pull, that requires a fixing of the swing path. How that is done varies on the golfer and what "Feels" work best for them to get the path more towards the inside.

It is possible for any swing to be a slice, but that swing is not a slice. He keeps his head behind the ball through impact and that allows the club to come from the inside-square-inside to produce a straight shot or possibly a draw. If his head was to get in front of the ball his shoulers would the start to turn too flat and that would cause his path to move to much inward and cause a slice.

[saevel25]

It is possible for any swing to be a slice, but that swing is not a slice. He keeps his head behind the ball through impact and that allows the club to come from the inside-square-inside to produce a straight shot or possibly a draw. If his head was to get in front of the ball his shoulers would the start to turn too flat and that would cause his path to move to much inward and cause a slice.

You can slice the ball with the head behind the ball. Heck some of my best slices come when my head is falling away from the target, and I drop back on my right foot. Club gets WAY too inside, the hands stay way too open and a huge push slice happens.

I agree a shallow turn tends to bring the club from the outside, but that alone doesn't cause a slice, it just changes the swing path.

[tomvk77]

if i look at the impact picture i see an open clubface.

[14ledo81]

if i look at the impact picture i see an open clubface.

Open in relation to what?  Swing path or target?

[mvmac]

Open in relation to what?  Swing path or target?

I think he is referring to this pic. You can't really tell from the pic if it's open, closed or square to the path. The face could be pointing to the ground and be open to the path.

Pic below, not an uncommon face alignment for a guy that hits push draws.

To the topic of the thread, I would tend to say that golfers slice because their path is too much across the ball because their weight isn't far enough forward. Obviously weight forward "properly", meaning the head is steady with the weight forward, like what @EverythingGolf was saying about axis tilt.

[14ledo81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

Open in relation to what?  Swing path or target?

I think he is referring to this pic. You can't really tell from the pic if it's open, closed or square to the path. The face could be pointing to the ground and be open to the path.

My point exactly.

[vangator]

The answer is in the second picture. Notice how close his right arm is to his side? I brush my right arm to my side on every shot. I never slice the ball unless I want to. When you master that move, you will hit the ball better. You will start to love the game. I was always an inconsistent ball striker until i "discovered" this.

[Vinsk]

Good call on the close right arm. I'm left handed...have a question so please keep that in mind. I think I'm doing something crazy with my wrists/grip. I can strike the ball focusing on keeping my left arm close....even brushing my left hip....but I spray the ball out to the left...and it banana slices. See the picture with his right arm nice and close? Now imagine the ventral side of his right forearm pointing up to the sky.....wide open club face. Why the hell do I do this?! Slice....shank. It's so aggravating!

[vangator]

I don't slice the ball from that position, but if I get too fast, I will push a few. I am really working on pausing to the top of my backswing. This really helps me with a consistent downswing and release. My bad shots are when I don't keep this in mind and think about the other 100 swing tips I have. :) I don'y consciously do anything with my arms or wrists. That would require so much more timing and practice than I have.