The slice is the most commonly hit shot in all of golf. Prevalent among amateurs, it can often result in some pretty high scores if you don’t know how to control it.
A great deal of discouraged slicers just assume that because the big bending ball flight has been a part of their game for so long that there’s nothing they can do to change it. However, the cure for a slice is really pretty straightforward and if you know what causes it, it’s easy to fix.
What Causes a Slice?
Many players are under the impression that when they hit a slice, it’s because the face of their club is open at impact, but this isn’t necessarily true. Sure, you can hit a slice with an open face but the reason the ball curves the way that it does is because of an out-to-in swing path.
Sometimes referred to as “coming over the top” or “casting”, the out-to-in swing path imparts side spin on the ball, which causes it to bend to the right (if you’re a right-handed golfer). The farther over the top you come, the more your ball will slice.
How to Fix It
The way to fix your slice is very simple. You can start by making baseball swings with your club. This will give you the feel of flattening out your backswing, which makes coming over the top much harder to do.
After you’ve got the feel of the baseball swing, start taking some actual golf swings. But instead of falling back into your old habits, try to intentionally swing the club out as far to the right as you can.
A lot of teachers tell their players to swing to right-field. So instead of seeing the fairway, picture that your standing at home plate and you want to swing down the first base line. Once you get the feel of this, you’re ready to start hitting some balls.
At first, you might start hitting enormous hooks, but that’s okay. You want to get that “over the top” feeling out of your swing and the only way to do it is by overcompensating with an in-to-out swing.
If you find that your balls are starting left and hooking, move the ball back in your stance. If your balls are starting way out to the right and hooking, move it up in your stance.
Sometimes it’s helpful to use a long cardboard box to aid your progress. Take the box and lay it about 3 or 4 inches outside of your ball in line with your target. If you start taking swings and you find yourself hitting the box before you hit the ball, you’re still coming over the top.
Physically drawing lines on the ground with spray paint can also help. Draw one in the direction of your target line and then another pointing out to the right to represent the first base line you’re trying to swing down. After you hit 40 or 50 balls and get a feel for an inside-to-out swing, you’ll be ready to take it to the course.