10 reasons why you keep slicing the golf ball
- Open club face. The most common cause of a slice is an open club face. ... The most common cause of an open club...
- Thumbs too on-top of the grip. One of the more common misconceptions when it comes to a “weak” grip causing an open...
- Arms separating from body. One of the great stabilizers of a square club face is...
Why do most beginner golfers slice the ball?
Apr 22, 2021 · There are a few different factors, but one of the most common is your grip. A “weak” grip causes an open clubface, so if you’re slicing the ball and trying to figure out why, that’s where you...
How to cure a golf slice?
Straightening your lead arm for too long is another common cause of slice in golf. It is common for amateur golfers to confuse their width with their lead arm. Your width and lead arm are two different things. Your width gives you the extra power you need when performing a swing. Additionally, your width can help relax your elbow and even fold ...
What causes golf ball slice?
What Causes a Golf Slice? Overview. It's insidious, and it can ruin a golf score. You have a chronic problem, and you have probably spent time and... Improper Grip. As you address the ball, it's possible you are gripping the club too tightly, creating …
Why do I thin the golf ball?
May 02, 2016 · Slicing the ball is perhaps the most common -- and aggravating -- malady most amateurs battle as they try to play the game. 10-MINUTE FIX: Hank Haney's tips to eliminate a slice. The farther left ...
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 clipLine more to the outside. So you can see it's a very different angle.MoreLine more to the outside. So you can see it's a very different angle.
Why do I slice the ball in golf?
A slice happens when a sidespin is put on the ball, causing it to curve to the right for a right-handed player and to the left for a left-handed player. Sidespin to the right is caused when the clubface is open (pointed right) relative to the path the club is traveling as the club impacts the ball.
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.May 29, 2020
Why do I keep slicing my driver?
A slice shot is caused by a poor grip and setup, an outside-to-in downswing path and an open clubface. An outside-to-in path occurs when the golfer reaches too far on the downside, bringing the club down to the right of the ball (outside), relative to the target line.
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. Always check you setup first when you start hitting errant shots.Feb 22, 2013
Can ball position cause a slice?
The forward ball position shifts the shoulders open to the target, which leads to an out-to-in swing and usually a slice. Standing too far from the ball pulls the upper body downward, leading to a compensating stand-up move through impact, another common cause of the slice.Jul 28, 2009
Does a weak grip cause a slice?
You might have a so-called "weak grip," which means your thumbs are more at the top of the club. When you swing with this type of grip, your hands resist their natural tendency to return the clubface square at impact, and instead, they leave the clubface open which causes a slice.
How do you hold a driver not to slice?
TIP FOR YOUR GRIP: Set your left thumb on the back side of the grip and your right one on top. If you hit a lot of slices, you should "strengthen" your left-hand position on the club. All you have to do is grip it more in the fingers, as opposed to the palm.Nov 21, 2013
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.
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 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 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.
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.
Who is Luke Kerr-Dineen?
Luke Kerr-Dineen is the Game Improvement Editor at GOLF Magazine and GOLF .com. In his role he oversees all the brand’s service journalism spanning instruction, equipment, health and fitness, across all of GOLF’s multimedia platforms.
Who is Luke Kerr?
Luke Kerr-Dineen. Luke Kerr-Dineen is the Game Improvement Editor at GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. In his role he oversees all the brand’s service journalism spanning instruction, equipment, health and fitness, across all of GOLF’s multimedia platforms.
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 ...
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
Who is Bill Herrfeldt?
Bill Herrfeldt specializes in finance, sports and the needs of retiring people, and has been published in the national edition of "Erickson Tribune," the "Washington Post" and the "Arizona Republic.". He graduated from the University of Louisville.
What is the first frustration in golf?
For most new golfers, the first frustration to overcome is usually how to make consistent contact with the ball. But once that's accomplished, it usually leads to a second, sometimes life-long frustration. No matter what they do, every shot slices off to the right. And the harder they try to hit the ball straight, the worse it becomes.
What does an outside in swing do?
And an "outside-in" swing robs you not only of direction but distance as well. It's an easy fix, and will remove a lot of the inherent frustration for beginning golfers. Here's an excellent video by King describing the swing plane and what causes hooks and slices.
Is it OK to hit a fade?
It's OK to hit a fade, King said. You don't have to draw the ball to score well, but you do have to get your swing on plane to be able to hit it consistently and effectively. Many top players have that as their go-to shot their entire careers, including Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and John Daly.
How to find your ideal left hand grip?
Slice City! Here's how you find your ideal left-hand grip. Stand with your arms at your sides and tilt into your golf posture.
How to hit a steep downswing?
The only way to hit it from a steep downswing is to pull your arms in and drag the grip to the left. That's why over-the-top swingers slice: The arms don't rotate, so the face stays open. Try the split-grip drill to feel arm rotation ( below ). Set up with a 6-iron, then separate your hands six inches on the grip.
What does it mean when a golfer is over the top?
The golfer at top of the page—the one who sees the target to the left—tries to pull the ball and, therefore, comes over the top. That means the downswing is over the top of, or steeper than, the backswing. Problem is, this move inhibits arm rotation through impact.
How to counter parallax?
The best way to counteract parallax is to use an intermediate target . From behind the ball, pick a spot three to five feet down your target line. When you set up, square the clubface to that spot first, then set your body perpendicular to the face.
How to calm your upper body?
To calm your upper body, feel like your chest is pointing at the ball at impact and the clubhead is releasing past you. Jack Nicklaus used to say he felt like the buttons on his shirt were facing the ball when he hit it.
How to swing past your body?
A good drill for learning to swing past your body is to drop your back foot away from the target line so you're in an exaggerated closed stance. Practice from that position, and you'll learn to swing into the ball from the inside before the club exits to the left.
Can you draw a golf ball?
You'll be hitting from the inside with the clubface closing at impact for a draw. Yes, a draw. For the grip, a lot of golfers have heard two things: (1) Point the thumbs down the shaft, and (2) The palms face each other.
How to swing a golf club from your lead thigh to your trail high?
Focus on the journey of the club handle. You want to swing the handle from your lead thigh back to your trail high, at which point the club shaft should be parallel to the ground. Before the handle reaches your trail thigh, the logo on your golf glove should point down at the golf ball.
What is a slice in golf?
For a right-handed golfer, a slice is a golf shot that curves dramatically toward the right. A slice is never controlled and never intentional. It takes you off course and adds strokes to your game. Trust us. You enjoy a round much more when you learn how to fix a slice in golf.
What are the most common mistakes that slicers make?
One of the most common mistakes we see among slicers is their setup . Interestingly, problems in the setup often occur as an instinctual effort to fix the golf slice. Golfers see their ball veering to the right, so they make subconscious changes to aim more to the left.
What is the shape of a golf swing?
Your golf swing travels in a circle shape. This circle is vertical, but it’s not straight up and down. If your swing shape is a hula hoop, it’s a hula hoop that leans in toward your body just a bit. Because of this lean, the direction of your swing path changes after you hit the low point.
How far does a golf ball curve when hitting a fade?
When you hit a fade, the golf ball curves only about 5-7 yards from the target line. When you slice it, the golf ball curves farther . . . around 15 yards to the right of the target line. If your ball flight resembles a peeling banana, you’re dealing with a slice.
What is a draw and fade?
Think of a draw and a fade. A draw curves gently to the left (if you’re right-handed). A fade curves slightly to the right. Both of these are controlled golf shots that can help you navigate the course better because they curve. A slice, on the other hand, is always a hindrance.
How to get a square face in golf?
Place an object—a tee, a towel, anything—just to the right of your target path. Take your golf shot. Finish with the butt end of your club pointed at the object you set out. This drill teaches you how to release the club at the right time to deliver a square club face.
