What Causes a Golf Slice?
- Setup & Ball Position. Your set-up has a direct effect on your swing path. ...
- Weak Grip, Death Grip. Many golfers' problems with a slice begin with the way they hold the golf club. ...
- Head Ahead of the Ball. ...
- Rushing & Deceleration. ...
- Weight Shift. ...
Why does my golf ball slice?
That’s a problem that’s generally caused by coming too far from the inside, which in most cases (although not all) will be the opposite of what a slicer is doing. It can be equally as destructive, but it’s a different fault. What Causes A Slice? In simple terms, the ball will slice if the clubface is open to the club’s path at impact.
Why does my golf ball curve when I hit it straight?
If your ball flies straight and then curves to the right, your club face may be open at impact, forcing the ball off course. On the other hand, if the ball starts to the left and then curves right, you have a “pull” slice and your swing path could be outside-in.
What happens if you put too much spin on a golf ball?
If it’s spinning sideways as it comes off the tee, the air will catch the dimples on the ball and cause it to drift off to the right. A High, Weak Ball Flight – another consequence of putting too much spin on the ball is that sometimes it has a tendency to rise up into the air.
Why does my golf ball land 70 feet to the right?
According to Golf.com, a 1 1/2-degree variation in your club face alignment can translate into a ball that lands 70 feet to the right of the target. Fortunately, remedies exist for even the most pronounced slices. You can even buy golf clubs designed to alleviate the problem. All slices are not created equal.
How do I stop my golf ball from slicing?
3:598:16How to: STOP slicing the golf ball | REALLY EASY TIPS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo picture this if i draw a line going straight towards my target which is pretty much over thatMoreSo picture this if i draw a line going straight towards my target which is pretty much over that bunker a slicer will come in from the outside of that line. And then swing to the inside of that. Line.
What is the most common cause of a slice in golf?
The most common cause of a slice is an open club face. This open club face will give you contact that isn't square and often feels like a “side swipe.” The most common cause of an open club face is an incorrect grip as your hand position will directly reflect in the face.
Does a strong grip cause a slice?
The ball will always leave the clubface, at a right angle to the clubface, regardless of the path the club is swung on unless there is enough time and force to alter what's known as the Venturi Effect. 2. A strong grip eliminates a slice.
Can standing too close to the golf ball cause a slice?
Standing too close to the ball causes a loss of posture, reduction in arm extension, loss of balance, loss of speed, toe hits, slices, low hooks and a change in swing path.
Why do I keep slicing the golf ball?
There may be no greater power loss than a slice. The ball sometimes starts out ok and then makes this depressing curve, robbing you of all of your potential distance and power.
Why do I slice my golf club?
1. Open club face. The most common cause of a slice is an open club face. This open club face will give you contact that isn’t square and often feels like a “side swipe.”. The most common cause of an open club face is an incorrect grip as your hand position will directly reflect in the face. You can make this adjustment by turning one of both ...
What are the challenges of golf?
One of the great challenges when studying golf is knowing when information is correct for you. The foot positions that are great for the the tour players, might not be appropriate for anyone with flexibility limitations. A square back foot and a flared forward foot will affect the swing path and produce a slice for many golfers who have limitations.
What is the purpose of a square face golf club?
One of the great stabilizers of a square club face is to keep your underarms relatively close to your body throughout your golf swing. If on your backswing or your downswing your underarms move away from your body, it is very easy to open the face.
How to rotate back on a golf swing?
If you slice the ball try the opposite. Flare your back foot and square your forward foot. This will help increase your ability to rotate back and also slow your body rotation down on your forward swing, both helping with path and sequencing of body and arms. 1. Open club face 2. Thumbs too on-top of the grip 3.
What happens if you move your ball too far back?
Ball position that is too far back can cause a slice and/or a pop up. As your move your ball more forward it is also important that you allow your shoulders to tilt back and away from the target. Your lead shoulder should get higher and your back shoulder lower.
How does width affect golf swing?
If the lead arm stays too stiff for too long on your forward swing, this will not only hold the club face open and making the ball s lice, but also delays the release of the club face and the speed associated.
Why do people slice the ball?
People who slice tend to place the ball too far forward in their stances, and that causes the shoulders to open wider than normal, thus creating an outside-in pattern. If you move the ball farther back in your stance, your shoulders will be more in line with your target.
What happens if you slice a golf club?
If you have a slice you cannot control, you might not be shifting your weight properly from your back foot to your front foot when you take a full swing. That will cause your club face to be open as it hits the ball.
What does it mean when your grip is weak?
A weak grip means your thumbs are more on top of the club, so when you swing it, you will tend to open the club face and hit a slice. To correct this, turn your hands (clockwise if you are right-handed) so you see more of the knuckles of your left hand.
How to swing a swing correctly?
One way to do this properly is to hesitate at the top of your swing, then shift your weight to your front foot before you start your downswing. Another is when you complete your swing, continue by taking a step with your back foot toward the target.
How to tell if you are swinging outside in golf?
Take your club to the top of your swing and look at the direction the club is pointing. If it is pointing to the left of the target (if you're right-handed), you are swinging outside-in.
Can a precarious course ruin a golf score?
Precarious courses are difficult to navigate without controlling your slice. It's insidious, and it can ruin a golf score. You have a chronic problem, and you have probably spent time and money to correct it. But in the end, it always comes back to haunt you. It's the dreaded slice.
How does a golf ball slice?
In simple terms, the ball will slice if the clubface is open to the club’s path at impact. Which means that even if your clubface is pointed left of the target line (closed) at impact, if your club is travelling on a path that’s even further left your golf ball is going to curve to the right. image: GolfTec. And the more the clubface is open ...
How to hit a golf ball in slow motion?
Take the club back on an exaggerated outside path on the backswing, then loop it down to the inside at the start of the downswing. And do it in slow motion. You can hit balls, but make sure you’re swinging no-more than 40-50%. If the ball travels 30 yards that’s absolutely fine.
What is a slice in golf?
What Is A Golf Slice? A slice in golf is when the ball curves excessively to the right (right handed golfer) or to the left (left handed golfer). Note: For the rest of this guide I’m going to use right handed examples. If you’re left handed, then just reverse the instruction.
What does it mean when the ball is open shoulders?
And open shoulders means a club path to the left, which of course combined with an open clubface, leads to a slice.
How to stop shoulders from spinning out of the way?
Start your downswing with a small shift (hip bump) to the left before swinging your arms through. That will stop your shoulders from spinning out way over the swing plane, and help to neutralize your path. If you’re still out-to-in, then you should see more of a fade than a big ugly slice.
How to hit a golf ball with a headcover?
Place a headcover just behind and outside the golf ball. If you swing over the top and come out-to-in , you’ll hit the headcover. To hit the ball, you’ll have to come from the inside. There’s no other way to do it.
What is the square part of golf?
The square part is when you hit the ball. The first two fixes are bandaids to stop you slicing. But working on your path is actively trying to improve your golf swing (with the associated benefit of eliminating your slice). Rather than focusing on the how here, I’ve found it’s best to give your brain a task.
What are the two S words in golf?
There are two “S” words that golfers dread more than any other: The first is the dreaded “shank.”. The second is the slightly less-dreaded, but far more common “slice.”. Our partners at GOLFTEC have spent countless hours diving deep into the causes — and effects — of the most widespread problem in golf. They found that about 60 percent of all ...
What percentage of golfers hit a slice?
They found that about 60 percent of all golfers hit a slice, with an average score of 101, and higher-handicaps tend to miss to the right of their target more than half the time. Sound like you? Turns out, there’s once cause above all else that’s probably causing you to slice so many shots.
Is the clubface open at impact?
Your clubface is probably open at impact. What may seem obvious to some isn’t to others: The clubface is king in golf. The direction the clubface is pointing at impact will influence the ball’s direction more than anything else in your swing. Instruction.
Why does my golf club slice?
Having the ball too far back in your stance can also sometimes cause a slice. That’s because the club will have less time to release before reaching the ball, resulting in a slightly open clubface at impact.
What happens if you spin a golf ball sideways?
If it’s spinning sideways as it comes off the tee, the air will catch the dimples on the ball and cause it to drift off to the right. A High, Weak Ball Flight – another consequence of putting too much spin on the ball is that sometimes it has a tendency to rise up into the air.
How many times should you backswing a golf swing?
It’s recommended that the speed of your swing follows a 3:1 ratio. Your backswing should take three times as long as your downswing. For that reason, I would recommend choosing a 3-syllabal word to say in your head for your backswing, and a 1-syllabal word for your downswing.
What is a push slice?
Push Slice. For a righty, a push slice starts on the right side of the target line before traveling further to the right. In this case, a double negative does not make a positive. A push slice will likely result in a lost ball or an unfavorable lie on your next shot.
What is a slice in golf?
A slice is a type of shot in golf where the ball starts on a straight line and then immediately veers off to one side. For a right-handed golfer, a slice travels from left-to-right. For a left-handed golfer, the shape is right-to-left. For the remainder of this article, I’ll refer to directions based on what a right-handed player would see as ...
How to fix a golf ball that is spinning?
How to Fix It. Set up in your stance like you’re about to hit a drive. Now, tilt your upper body so that it leans behind the golf ball. This is called the “reverse-k” position. The reverse-k position will help you stay behind the golfball and make contact on an upward angle, reducing the amount of spin on the ball.
Why does a ball slice?
Because the ball is traveling in a curved line, it will not go as far as a ball that travels in a straight line, assuming all else is equal. The picture below helps you get a better idea of why this is: You’ll Be Less Accurate – the reason a ball begins to slice is that it has too much sidespin.
What Does Slicing in Golf Mean?
Slicing is a common issue amongst most golfers. However, hitting the wrong shots during a game can turn out to be annoying. If you are right-handed, you hit a slice whenever your golf shot bends far to the right. Similarly, you hit a slice when your golf shot bends far to the left if you are left-handed.
Why Does Slicing Happen in Golf?
If you are concerned about why your shots are bending to the far right or left, here are eight reasons why slicing happens in golf:
How to Fix a Slice in Golf?
Now you know why and what causes a slice in golf. Your next big question may be what to do about it. Here are six tips on how to fix slicing issues in golf.
What Causes the Slice in Golf – Final Thoughts
The answer to “What causes a slice in golf?” is pretty straightforward. Weak handgrip and posture are some of the reasons why most golfers fall victim to golf slices. Of course, you can’t become a master without passing through the learning phase.
Why does my golf ball land right?
With the common over-the-top or outside-in slice, the path of your club from the top of the backswing to impact is causing the ball to land right. Over-rotating your shoulders or stopping the downswing rotation too soon can cause this.
How to get exaggerated feeling in golf swing?
This exaggerated feeling can be adapted to your normal swing with your feet in the regular position. Check your position at impact so your shoulders are above your knees, and your knees are above your feet. Shift your weight smoothly to your left foot on the downswing.
How to get rid of a slice in golf?
Try exercising to increase your core strength so you will be able to lead the downswing with your lower body, not your shoulders and arms. Keep the club in the middle of your sternum when you swing. This is sometimes called keeping the club in front. If you are still having trouble with your slice, try golf clubs that lessen the effects ...
What does it mean when the ball starts off to the right and ends up farther to the right?
If the ball starts off to the right and ends up even farther to the right, you may have a “push” slice with an inside-out swing. In all cases, your club face is open, not square, when you hit the ball, causing the ball to fly right.
What happens if the ball flies straight?
If your ball flies straight and then curves to the right, your club face may be open at impact, forcing the ball off course. On the other hand, if the ball starts to the left and then curves right, you have a “pull” slice and your swing path could be outside-in.
What is a Sliced Golf Shot?
The slice is the #1 most common mistake in golf. Typically people will hit a slice with their driver which results in lost golf balls and bad results, due to its uncontrollable nature. For right-handed golf swings, a slice will cause the golf ball to move from left to right.
Common Causes in a Sliced Golf Shot
Like any mistake in golf, there is never one specific cause that results in an error. Nonetheless, there are some common mistakes that you should be aware of. A sliced ball is caused by an ‘out-to-in’ swing path. How far right the ball travels depends on how open your club face is at impact.
How to Fix a Slice with a Driver or Irons
Your set up is such a basic fundamental of the golf swing but so easy to get wrong. Ensure your feet are aligned parallel to the target. An easy way to do this is to place an alignment rod on the ground that you can align your feet to.
Hang in There!
With practice and a little experimenting you’ll find what works for you and by sticking to the basic golf tips mentioned above you’ll find a more consistent, improved ball flight that will be sure to improve your golf game one shot at a time!
