The golf slice is one of the most common mistakes novice golfers make. The slice comes off the tee cleanly, but then starts to curve sharply to the right for a right-handed golfer, sending the ball into the rough, the sand or the trees.
Grip Down
Many golfers end up with a slice because they don’t have enough control over the club shaft, causing it to turn too much and open up the club face, creating a spin on the ball that creates the slice. Next time you’re on the practice range, grip down on the club a few more inches so that the top 2 inches of grip are sticking up behind your hands. This might seem like a small tweak, but it can make a big difference in terms of your control over the shaft of the club. The shorter the overall club length, the more control you have over the face of the club at impact.
Close the Shoulders
Another common mistake by frequent slicers is having the body improperly aligned at impact. Having your body too “open” or facing toward your target can open up the club face and create the slice. Set up over the ball with your club before hitting and pause. Close your shoulders just a few inches by pointing them away from the target. Then pause and allow your body to adjust to the closed position and begin your swing. This closed position will prevent your body from opening up too much and keep the club face more closed at impact, reducing the amount of spin on the ball.
Check Balance
Poor balance is another cause of the slice swing because it throws your body alignment completely off. Many novice golfers tend to shift their weight toward the front foot in the false hope of creating more power through the swing, while others shift their weight to the back foot because of preoccupation with completing a proper back swing. Take a brief moment as you address the ball and assess your balance. Make sure your weight is equal on the balls of both feet rather than most weight on one or the other. Your weight will shift as you begin your backswing, but you want to start out with your body completely balanced so as to not transfer too much weight to your back leg, which can open up your body and cause a slice.
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