The objective of golf is to hit the golf ball into the hole in the fewest strokes possible. Normally, lower scores are achieved through accurate shots. A slice—a shot that spins to the left or right—is generally undesirable because it pulls the ball away from the flight path intended by the golfer, possibly resulting in extra shots to reach the hole. Slices are generally caused by one or more common mistakes in a golfer's swing.
Ball Flight
The flight of your golf ball can usually tell you quite a bit about how you are striking the ball. If you are slicing the ball, it means the ball is curving sharply to the right if you are a right-handed golfer or sharply to the left if you are a left-handed golfer. Slices occur when side-spin is applied to the golf ball. Normally, well-struck golf shots have backspin, which encourages the ball to fly in a straight direction. If the clubhead doesn't strike the ball squarely, the ball will tend to fly in the direction of the applied spin.
Club Face
Spin can be applied to a golf ball if the club face is open when it strikes the ball. An open club face is defined as one in which the toe of the golf club is slightly behind the heel at the point of impact. In this orientation, the club face will slide to the left of the golf ball and impart a left-to-right spin for a right-handed golfer, resulting in a slice.
Body Motion
In a well-balanced golf swing, the upper body and lower body move at the same time at the point of impact. If the lower body begins moving through the ball before the upper body, the natural tendency of the golfer is to open the club face, which results in a slice.
Out-to-In Swing
If the club is taken away from the ball on a path outside the swing plane, that is known as an "out-to-in" swing. While there are many causes of an out-to-in swing, including improper alignment and keeping the weight on the right foot, the result is the same regardless of the cause. The clubhead will be brought across the ball in a slicing motion at impact, imparting the spin that creates a slice.
Appropriate Uses
While a slice is generally an unwanted result, sometimes the slice can be used to a golfer's advantage. For example, if you are in a position where a tree or other obstacle lies directly between you and the green, it might be advantageous to be able to slice the ball around the tree to reach the green. Similarly, if a fairway has a sharp bend in it, it may be desirable to hit a shot with a slice to remain in the center of the fairway.
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