A slice occurs when the club face is open, the swing path moves from out to in (relative to the clubface), or contact with the ball is made toward the heel of the club. These factors can combine to send the ball veering uncontrollably to the right (for right-handed golfers). While there are numerous reasons why a slice may occur, the three most common culprits are an open club face, a lack of proper turn in the backswing, or insufficient depth in the swing. In this article, we will break down these top three faults and provide insights on how to correct them for a straighter, more controlled shot.
An open clubface at impact is one of the most frequent causes of a slice. When the clubface is open, the ball naturally pushes to the right before starting to spin sideways, producing a slice. Not only that, but an open club face can also cause golfers to compensate by swinging more "over-the-top" (from out to in), which further exaggerates the slice.
Fixing the Open Face: To avoid leaving the club face open, focus on ensuring a square position at impact. One common fix is adjusting your grip slightly stronger (rotating your hands slightly clockwise on the grip for right-handed golfers), which can help close the clubface through impact.
Proper body rotation during the backswing is critical for generating the right path and power in your swing. Without adequate rotation, the club stays too much in front of the body, which leads to an over-the-top motion in the downswing. When this happens, the club comes from the outside, creating an out-to-in swing path—one of the primary causes of a slice.
How to Improve Your Turn: Work on completing your backswing by allowing your shoulders and torso to fully rotate. This motion helps the club move to the inside, giving you the potential to swing from the inside-out, which encourages straighter shots or even a slight draw.
In many cases, the root of an over-the-top swing lies in a lack of depth during the backswing. When a golfer's hands, arms, and the club stay too much in front of the body, it becomes challenging to create the inside-out swing path needed to avoid slicing. Depth in the backswing refers to getting your hands and arms to move behind your body, or more toward the trail side.
Achieving Proper Depth: To create this depth, focus on turning your upper body and allowing your arms to naturally move away from the ball and toward your trail side (right side for right-handed golfers). This positioning helps set up an inside-out swing path for the downswing, leading to straighter shots or even a draw.
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