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18| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | OCTOBER 2022 | HOW TO FIX A SLICE By Brian Garlington, PGA, Director of Golf As an instructor in the golf industry for over 25 years, it's safe to say that I've seen my share of slices. Many golfers refer to their slice as a swing flaw, but in all actuality, a slice is typically the result of what could be several swing flaws working together. Understanding the cause of the slice is especially important when it comes to correcting it, so let's get to it. What Causes a Slice? A slice happens when sidespin is put on the ball, causing it to curve to the right for a right-handed player. Sidespin to the right is caused when the clubface is open (pointed right) relative to the path the club is traveling at impact. This not only causes sidespin but also a glancing blow, which will significantly affect distance. How to Avoid a Slice So, fixing the slice should be simple, right? Just get the clubface square at impact, and we're good. Not so fast! Often, years of slicing comes with years of golfers teaching themselves to swing left to compensate for their slice. Therefore, simply fixing the clubface might cause a golfer to hit pulls directly to the left. There are two common flaws that cause most slices: grip and alignment. Adjust the Grip to Rotate the Club The first place I look to help a student cure a slice is to analyze, and many times, change their grip. It certainly isn't always true, but many slicers have what we call a weak grip, which means the hands are rotated too far toward the target on the grip. A quick adjustment that I often make is to have the student ensure that they can see at least two knuckles on their left hand when they are in the address position. The right hand should also be rotated away from the target accordingly. This will certainly feel awkward, and the student should get into the habit of regripping the club after every swing they make so they can get used to what it feels like to put their hands on the club in a different way. The more they practice, the more natural this new grip becomes. Re-align to Straighten the Shot Interestingly, a grip change often helps with the second place I look, which is alignment. Very often, a slicer will point their shoulders, feet, and hips to the left of their target. When a person's hands are rotated away from the target on the grip, many times this gets their shoulders a little closer to aligned properly but usually not exactly where we want them. Getting the feet, hips, and shoulders all parallel to the target line will make it much easier for the student to swing the club down the line, as opposed to across the line. Three Drills to Correct a Slice Once the pre-swing fundamentals are good, it's time to introduce some drills to allow the golfer to feel what they need to do differently to straighten their shots. Drill 1 – Will help the golfer feel the club square up: In slow motion, take the club away to where it's parallel to the ground. At this point, the logo of their glove should be facing straight forward. When the golfer swings (in slow motion) the club to where it is parallel to the ground on the other side, the logo of the glove should be facing behind the golfer. Drill 2 – Will help the golfer feel the club path come from the inside to out: Set up normal, then prior to starting the swing, move the right foot straight back about 3 to 4 inches. The golfer should make swings and even hit shots with their right foot back to give them the feeling of swinging the club from the inside rather than across the line. Drill 3 – Golfers can practice hitting shots with the ball above their feet. This drill promotes an inside to out swing. Hopefully these tips and drills will help straighten out your slice and keep you in the short grass. Good Golfing!

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