How to Correct a Slice in Your Golf Grip, Golf Setup Position and Address Position
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Draw / Anti-Slice DVD[/caption]Probably, one of the most common golf swing problems is the slice. In this article I will teach you how to fix a slice because I know how frustrating a slice can be. The good news is that it is not that difficult or perplexing a problem; learning to fix your slice is just a process that you have to work through until you find the cause of your slice problem.
There are only a few reasons why you may be slicing the ball to the right and I will be covering the most common and basic ones here; the grip, the setup, and the address position. So, all you have to do is check each one of the tips below to see if any of them are causing you to slice the ball. If the grip, setup, or address position are not the problems, then read my article titled Stop Slicing, which will deal with some golf swing faults that can cause a slice.
Definition of a Slice in Golf
First, it is a good idea to know why the golf ball curves to the right in flight. A golf slice is often called a “banana ball” because of the trajectory the ball takes. The ball starts off to the left and then bends drastically to the right of the intended target. A slice is caused by a considerable tilt of the spin-axis of the ball to the right, or a clockwise spin – this is generally caused when you leave the club-face open when striking the ball. The term “slice” is used when the trajectory to the right is extreme and unintentional. The less extreme version of a slice is called a fade and is normally intentional.
Most golfers want to know how to fix a slice with a driver as that is the club that gives them the most problems. However, you can hit a slice with your woods, hybrids, long and mid irons too. The tips below will teach you to cure your slice whether it is with a driver or any other club.
Correcting a Slice by Altering Your Grip
The first thing to check when you want to cure a slice is your grip. It is surprising how many swing faults can be caused by an improper grip and the slice is no exception. The slice is often caused by a “weak grip,” which is the way you position your hands on the grip. If you can not see any knuckles showing on your left hand then you have a weak grip; adjust your grip to a neutral grip by rotating your hands around the grip until you can see one or, at the most, two knuckles.
Also, when you place the golf club in your left hand, you should aim to have the grip of the club run slightly diagonally from the base of your forefinger to the pad above your pinky. To fix a slice, you will want to adjust your grip more into the base of the fingers.
Finally, the amount of pressure you use to grip the club will also make a difference in how you swing the club. Here is how to fix a slice by altering the grip pressure: A tight grip will cause your arms to swing slower resulting in an open club-face at impact which will cause a slice. Therefore you should try holding the club with a lighter grip, like if you were holding a toddler’s hand – not too light a grip though, as this will cause the club-head to wiggle at impact which will lead to a wild trajectory.
Even small adjustments with your grip can change the trajectory of the ball by a significant amount so you will want to experiment by altering your grip by small increments and then practice a few shots. For a better understanding of the correct grip and all the different variations, take a look at the video below:
How to Fix a Slice by Checking Your Setup and Address Position
It is important to take the time to set up properly. Unless you are trying to shape a shot to bend the ball around trees, your golf address position should be square to the target. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should all be lined up parallel to the target; for example, if your left foot is further forward than your left, the club-face will be open at impact causing you to slice the ball.
Next, make sure the ball position is correct for the club you are using – for a driver, the ball should be positioned opposite the instep of your left foot. More importantly, the sole of your club should be grounded correctly by standing the correct distance away from the ball – actually, the club should have a slight upright lie at address which will result in a flatter lie at impact.
There are a few more areas of the setup that you should remember if you want to hit the ball straight: stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, bend the knees so that they are slightly flexed, bend over from the hips and not from the waist, the shoulders should be opened up and back, the chin up, and the spine long and straight but not too rigid.
When you address the ball, you can check your setup by observing the grip-end of your golf club. The grip-end should be across from your belt buckle; it should point towards your belt buckle. If it is pointing up towards your chin then your spine is too long and if it is pointing lower than your belt buckle then your spine is bent over too much. Also, remember to check that the sole of the club is sitting flat on the ground, not tilted forward or backwards.
Once you have gone through all these checkpoints you should be in a good position to hit the ball straight down the fairway. Remember that these tips only cover the grip and setup position; there are things that can go wrong during the golf swing sequence that can also cause you to slice the ball, so take a look at the other article mentioned above, titled Stop Slicing.
Fixing a Slice Summary
Learning how to fix a slice is not that complicated; it just requires patience and a little bit of time to work through the process of finding the reason behind your slice. Once you have found out why you are slicing, you can then practice the new grip or setup so that it gets ingrained in your memory so that you can fix your slice for good.
Sometimes a bad habit can take a lot of effort to fix, so you just have to continue working and practicing on it until you are enjoying hitting the ball straight down the fairway instead of looking for your ball in the woods or thick rough.
