How to Realistically Fix a Golf Slice

Slicing a golf ball off the tee has to be one the most infuriating problems that comes up on the golf course. It seems to happen over and over again with no end. And just when you decide to compensate by aiming the other direction; your ball goes straight. Here are some realistic and easy tips to help you out with that mean banana slice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Understand the problem. It helps to have a golf pro analyze your swing but that isn’t always realistic or affordable. Have a friend or family member who is a decent enough golfer watch your swing or even video tape it. Know that the reason you slice the ball is because the head of the club is not making flush/flat contact with the ball when it strikes it off the tee. For a slice the head either opens up or the head makes contact off the sweet spot (usually off the toe of the club head).
2. Know your swing. Get out to the driving range and feel out your Driver. It is almost always the tee shot that gets the worst of the slice. Try, as much as possible, to make your swing consistent and repeatable. No matter what your shot looks like, if it always looks the same, you can make it work on any course.
3. Hands. Check out your hands positions on the golf club. For rightys the top hand (left hand) is not usually the problem. It is the bottom hand (right hand) that often causes that slice. Try overly wrapping that bottom hand over the shaft of the club. Make it so you can see the back of your right hand when you are gripping the Driver. It may feel uncomfortable at first but once you get used to it, it can really help. The overcompensated bottom hand ensures that the club won’t twist during the swing and let the club head fly open which causes the slice.
4. Legs. Another way to let that club head open up is to have your legs fall out during your swing. Your back leg will often give at the knee slightly as you come through your downswing. That action swings the club head enough to make the ball go bananas. This problem is pretty easy to solve once you know you are doing it. Just focus on keeping that leg stiff and you should overcome it without much effort at all.
5. Ball position. Check out where you teed it up and where you are addressing the ball. Off the tee with a Driver or wood you need to have the ball placed just off the inside of your front foot. An easy way to make sure the ball is positioned properly is to hold the head of the club in the position it would need to be in when making good contact. Adjust yourself to that position making sure your arms are extended and the ball is in line with the insole of your front foot.
6. Swing speed. Slow it all down guys. One huge mistake golfers make is to think that you need to swing hard. You don’t; your clubs are designed to do all of the work. Slow down your backswing and your downswing. Make a nice slow backswing and then gently accelerate through the ball. You’d be surprised how much of an improvement you’ll see just by taking it down a notch. You might not hit it 300 yards but at least it will be on the fairway and in all honesty, you won’t lose any yardage if you can make better contact. That slice will magically decrease with a smoother and slower shot.
7. Artificial help. There are a few pieces of technology that can but don’t always help. Clubs are made with adjustable weights in the heel and toe to help that slice. It may help but more than anything it is just going to help you mentally. But when it comes down to it, the mental part of the game is the one that counts. One easy and cheap piece of technology is to re-grip your clubs. We golfers forget that after a few years of steady hacking those grips lose their tact. If you don’t believe me, pick up a new club at the pro shop and feel the grip.
8. The ultimate cure. There is no quick fix and for most of us, there is no fix at all only slight improvement. The people who can hit the ball straight and far consistently are making money doing it so don’t feel so bad about it. And really, if you don’t let it get you enraged on the course you’ll find yourself playing better. You need to be something of relaxed to play effective golf. Make excuses, blame the wind, blame your clubs, say you were playing the dogleg. In the end, golf is just a fun and terribly difficult game.