Few things can be as frustrating as dealing with a slice in golf. It not only impacts your accuracy but has a significant effect on your distance. Even if you have the perfect short game with impeccable chipping and accurate putting, you will not improve your handicap if you continuously struggle to hit the fairway in regulation on the golf course.
We all know how important your swing is off the tee and how much practice you need to put in to master your swing. However, a slice is often the result of an outside-in swing path, which is the result of your club coming down outside the line of the ball or being too far away from your body as you make contact.
If you are one of many people struggling with a slice in golf, you have come to the right place. This article aims to help you improve your swing and reduce the chances of a slice. Hopefully, you can significantly reduce the chances of a slice and make sure that hitting the fairway or green in regulation is more common.
For the purpose of this article, we will be assuming you are a right-handed golfer. These tips can also help the golf swing of a left-handed golfer to help immediately fix a slice and improve your golf swing.
What Causes A Slice In Golf?
As mentioned, the most common reason for slicing the ball is not having the club in line with the ball on the downswing or having the club further away from you than it should be. It might not seem like you are doing anything wrong, but when you see where you strike the ball, you will understand why it flies off the path.
If you swing the club from outside the line of the ball, you will naturally compensate by opening up the clubface to counteract the unnatural golf swing angle. When combining these two common mistakes, you will slice the ball more often than not.
How To Fix A Slice In Golf – 6 Possible Fixes
Playing with a frustrating slice in your game might be daunting, but there are ways you can go about fixing the slice. The following steps will help you fix a slice in golf and make sure you improve your golf game and even your handicap.
1. Golf Ball Positioning In Your Setup
The most common reason many people slice the ball is having the golf ball too far forward when they set up for the shot. When playing the golf ball, you will have reduced control since you are actively reaching to hit the ball. Changing the golf ball position to bring it closer to your body could reduce the slicing effect.
The great thing about this solution is that it will have an immediate impact on your game, given you are not naturally compensating for a golf slice. Your swing shape should remain more straight to allow a straighter swing bath before connecting with the clubface.
2. Stop Compensating For A Slice
Some players naturally compensate for a golf slice if they have not figured out how to stop it from happening. While this could improve your game and accuracy, the downside is that you continuously need to make the same mistake. Rather focus on improving your normal shot than constantly compensating.
3. Fixing Your Grip
Another common reason for slicing the golf ball is having poor grip before playing. Assuming you are a right-handed golfer, you will find that many slicers have their left hand too far underneath the club, which naturally opens the clubface.
By slightly rotating your front hand clockwise until you see three knuckles, you will strengthen your grip on the golf club. Having a stronger grip is sure to give you more control and ensure that the club face is kept in the correct position to eliminate the golf slice.
4. Elbows Should Remain Tucked During The Backswing
Another common reason for players slicing the ball is having the elbow of their driving arm flaring out on the backswing. If this happens, you are forcing the club away from you, which affects the angle with which you come down and hit the golf ball.
To fix this, you want to keep your elbow tucked into your body as much as possible during the backswing. It might be slightly uncomfortable, but you will remain in the perfect line to ensure you have a straight swing path when coming down.
5. Incorrect Weight Transfer
Amateur golfers often understand the concept of transferring their weight to the back foot when starting the backswing. However, many players do not transition to moving the weight forward as they start the downswing. Since you are slightly off-balance when coming down, you will tend to naturally open the clubface.
It is essential to focus on the correct transfer of weight when playing the shot, and you can use something upright and place it close to your front thigh. You should be moving away from it on the backswing, but come into contact with the object on your downswing to improve weight transfer. A couple of practice swings could help you get your clubhead in the right position and the ball straight when contact is made.
6. Rotating The Club Before Impact
While it is natural to rotate the club when you hit the ball and follow through with your steep swing, it is not something you should do before contact. Amateur golfers don’t recognize that they slightly rotate the forearm before making contact with the ball. This can be one of the hardest issues to solve, and you might need to have a coach assist you in spotting the issue or consciously focus on not rotating.
FAQ
Most players might find it is easier to slice the ball with the driver and not your irons. The irons are designed for accuracy and control, but your driver is made for distance. Some players might be so eager to get distance, that they sacrifice their swing. The driver also features a large clubhead, which means a bigger chance to hit the ball off-center.
Dealing with a slice in golf can be daunting, and you might need to do a few drills or practice swings to get rid of these swing habits in your golf swing. While there are many great drills you should try, the video below should help you with drills that could reduce the chances of slicing and playing straight golf shots.
Wrap-Up
While most golfers manage to adapt their game to the golf slice, it is often better to know how to fix a slice in golf. It might not be easy at first, but with some practice, you could change your angle and improve your swing and improve your game. Let us know in the comment section how you plan to fix your golf slice.
