The slice is one of the most common — and frustrating — misses in golf. It’s usually found among high handicappers, and it’s something that can wreck your golf game if you don’t find a solution.
Not only does a slice veer off line, it also robs you of tons of power. When you hit a banana slice, your clubhead swipes across the ball with a glancing blow — hardly the recipe for a solid strike. If you want to catch the ball in the center of the face, you’ve got to make some adjustments to your swing.
For help with that, we turn to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel, who’s provided three solutions for conquering your slice. Check out her video below or read on for more.
1. Change your grip
One reason you might be slicing is a faulty grip. When you place your hands on the club in the wrong way, you’re setting yourself up for failure before you even take the club back. With that in mind, be sure you’re diligent about gripping the club the right way.
When you’re gripping the club with your lead hand, make sure you turn your hand over enough so that you can see the knuckles on the back of that hand.
“If you’ve switched into an unfortunately more comfortable position of thumb straight down, that can produce an open clubface,” Stenzel says. “And that will produce the slice.”
Before you make any other changes to your swing, check your grip. If that’s the main problem, you can fix your slice without making any noticeable changes to your swing. All you’ll need to alter is how you hold the club.
2. Check your backswing
Another reason you might be slicing the ball is the way you’re taking the club to the top of the backswing. If you’re getting too loose and disconnected on the way to the top of the swing, it’s very easy to hit a slice.
“We want to keep that [lead] arm nice and close so your shoulders turn,” Stenzel says. “That allows the club to be delivered to the golf ball on the proper path.”
By keeping your lead arm close to you chest, it’s much easier to get the club on an in-to-out path when coming into impact.
3. Stay relaxed
Excess tension is another factor that can lead to a slice. And to get rid of that tension, Stenzel recommends the “split-hand drill.”
The drill is simple. All you need to do is grab your driver and grip the club with your hands split. Your trail hand should be about four or five inches below your lead hand.
“What I want you to feel is how it helps your elbows to fold,” Stenzel says. “These relaxed elbows allow the clubface to stay straight.”
Once you start releasing properly and getting the clubface to stay square, you’ll start hitting the ball straighter in no time.
