Dreaded slice is one of the most common shots in golf. In this situation, you will see the ball going pretty straight initially, but it dramatically starts going away from the straight line to the right direction. This hook may go to the left side of the hitter is a left-hander. It’s always frustrating hitting this shot and especially seeing the ball going away from the playable area. This is going to happen when you hit far shots using your driver. But, there could be various things causing this issue.
Interestingly, most of the players know why this slice is caused, which helps them fix this issue. But, if you don’t understand why this is happening, the shots can become much more frustrating for you.
In this article, I will help you find out the reasons of slice and how to stop a slice in golf with a driver. By the end of this article, you will become fully aware of this phenomenon and the best ways to reduce and then eliminate this effect in your shots.
What is a slice in golf?
A slice is a situation when you hit a perfect and straight shot from your side, but the ball starts to misbehave after covering a couple of meters. A slice is slightly opposite from a draw shot. A draw starts a little right to the target line but then slowly curve to the left side towards the target. The slice starts just like the draw initially, but it keeps making a considerable curve and going dramatically more to the right side. So, whenever you see your ball changing its way to the right or left awkwardly, you have just seen a slice.
What causes a slice?
You will see lots of people telling their own philosophies behind the slices with a driver. But, you need to understand the fact that this thing is happening just because your clubface is open to the path.
You don’t hit a slice because you have placed your foot wrong.
You don’t hit a slice because you are too far over the top.
You don’t hit a slice because your position is wrong.
You have to feed a thing in mind that you are doing it because of the wrong angle between your club and ball during the hit and after that. And this can happen because of various things. If you are a beginner, you will most probably see huge slices during the long shots. Because it is tough to hit the balls with a square face during your initial days, your shots can end up sending the balls directly into the trees.
So, before fixing everything else which may or may not contribute to a slice, you have to fix the face of your club first. Let’s understand this concept briefly below and some practical steps to follow.
Steps to Stop a Slice in Golf With a Driver
Let discuss the best methods which you can easily follow to stop a slice in golf with a driver. Make sure to follow the things properly, and you will definitely see amazing results.
Choose the right driver
Having the right equipment for the job is always the first thing to consider. So, in order to make a straight shot without any slice, you should pick the right driver. In most of the cases, golfers use a driver with very little loft whenever they slice. It will be good if you choose a driver with a high loft.
Ensure a firm grip
You can play golf with a weak or neutral grip. But, in order to fix the slice, you have to practice with a strong grip. The grip from both the hands should be pretty strong. This is important because when you hit the ball with a higher swing rate, your club automatically changes its angle. It rotates slightly to the outward direction, and this is the major thing causing a slice.
What to do?
Here, you have to consider gripping your club tightly using your left hand and then support the club underneath it using your left hand. (Do it in vice versa is you are left-handed). This will allow you to cover more areas of your handle using both your hand and ensure gripping your club more tightly. In a nutshell, even if you are struggling with a slice for years, you can’t overcome this issue with a weak grip on your driver.
Fixing the clubface
In this step, you just have to make sure that the clubface stays square every time before and even after hitting the ball. I need you to keep check of your clubface and see when it starts to rotate outside. You just have to improve on the point. Whenever you hit the ball with the open face, as we have discussed earlier, the ball is going to misbehave. So, fixing the clubface is the next step for you.
Most of the golfers make the mistake of fixing their slice shots by aiming to the left. But, this is the wrong thing to do. Instead of that, you should try practicing square face shots.
What to do?
Start with slower and near shots and practice keeping your clubface square all the time. Also, keep practicing with multiple trial swings before you hit. During that time, see if the club is starting, swinging, and finishing with the same square face. Alternatively, you can try doing an impact bag drill to keep a check on your shots and the clubface angle. If you have fixed the face angle, you have already fixed the problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw9Fliv1Tk4
- TEACHES GOLFERS the feeling of the correct impact, eliminates fat and thin shots, and helps cure slices
- PACK THE SMASH BAG loosely with old clothes, towel, or blankets (not included) Note the bag should have a little "give" to it. Do NOT use sand, water or cement
- LIGHTWEIGHT and easy to transport anywhere you can swing a club to train
- TARGET MAP provides immediate visual feedback on the quality and accuracy of impact
- HEAVY DUTY high-impact material with a loop for staking securely into the ground
Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Include your body during the turn
Once you have learned the process of adding that straight swing during the shot, it is the time to add your body inside that move. Without that body turn, you will end up creating a weird position with your arm. On higher swing speeds, you can even hurt your arms just because of this. Also, it will turn your club on either the outside or inside the direction.
What to do?
Start with turning your shoulders in the backside and see the face of your club. Now, as you get down, you have to move your upper body a little bit along the way. Make sure not to turn so much to the left. Just make sure that some of the force into the shot is coming from your hit and the upper body. The goal here is to transfer your weight into the shot so that you do not have to turn your club outside to achieve that speed.
Keep your elbow tucked
The club starts to downswing when you have a wrong elbow position during the swing. If you are a regular slicer, you will see your elbow going away from your body. This will happen only during the backswing. In order to fix this thing, you have to focus on your right elbow. In case if you are a left-handed golfer, you should consider the left elbow.
What to do?
The goal here is to keep your right elbow as near to the body as possible. It is going to feel uncomfortable, but doing this on a regular basis will help you to correct your slice. Because you will learn to swing straight through the target, you will eventually hit the ball with a right angle with a square face too.
How To Stop A Slice In Golf With A Driver – Final Verdict
Regular practice is the key to success anywhere. So, if you are frustrated with the slicing of your ball with your driver, make sure to follow these steps and practice regularly. Keeping your club straight during the hits is the key thing to consider here. If you are doing it properly, you have learned how to stop a slice in golf with a driver.
