Fixing your slice is cause for celebration—it means less frustration, more fairways hit, and lower scores. Of course, banana balls have different causes. True, all slices result from the clubface pointing to the right of the clubhead’s path through impact, but the true blame might lie with your path, with your clubface, or perhaps a combination of both.
Three causes of the common slice and how to "straighten" out each one. With a little range time, your swing will be slice-proof—and golf will be a piece of cake.
Slices come in all shapes and sizes. No matter how big your banana ball is, you’re about to fix it for good. These aren’t Band-Aids to get you through your next round—each of these three remedies corrects the face or path error that causes your left-to-right misery (assuming you make contact on or near the sweet spot). In just a few swings, you’ll close the gap between the path of the club and the angle of the face at impact—the key to producing solid, straight shots. It’s time to take a bite out of your slice.
A square face at the top means nothing if it isn’t square at impact. Finish the job by curling the last three fingers on your left hand toward the ground as you start your downswing.
1. IF YOUR SLICE IS SEVERE … you have path and clubface problems. Even if you improve your path, the face is too open at impact to lead to lasting change. Let’s square it up. Your goal: Begin closing the face early in your transition. Follow the steps below.
2. IF YOUR SLICE STARTS STRAIGHT, THEN CURVES SLIGHTLY … you’re close. You simply need to move your path to the right, closer to the direction the face is pointing. It’s easy. Note where your hands sit at the top of your backswing. Now, match this position in your finish (photos, bottom).
Don’t think, just match! This automatically creates symmetry in your swing path, making it more in-to-out (draw) than out-to-in (slice).
Put your hands in the same location on both sides of your swing to turn a slice into a draw. Match up the triangle created by your arms in both positions. Don’t think—just match!
3. IF YOU HIT PULL-SLICES … the clubface is pointing left at impact—but not as far left as the direction of your path. Realign your face to the target and move your path more down the line.
This setup tweak accomplishes both adjustments.
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