How to Stop Slicing the Golf Ball (7 Tips to Check Out!)

If you’re struggling with slicing in your golf game, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many golfers face this challenge, but there’s a solution.

This article holds the key to curing your slice problem. To overcome this challenge, it’s crucial to understand its cause and reason. In most cases, it’s simply a matter of ingrained habits.

That’s why it’s important to explore our tips on how to stop slicing the golf ball, which offers simple drills to help you overcome your slicing problem and improve your shots. It also addresses the main causes and habits that contribute to this issue.

How to Eliminate a Slice in Golf for Improved Performance?

To rectify a slice in your golf shots, it is crucial to engage in repetitive yet effective drills that address the underlying issues causing you to miss your target.

These drills, namely the Backward Loop-Swing, Lift and Turn, Arm Swing, and Turn and Release, are specifically designed to eradicate slicing tendencies.

Before delving into the intricacies of these drills, let us first explore the reasons behind your slicing problem, particularly when teeing off.

What Causes a Slice of the Tee?

A slicing drive occurs when the golf ball veers off-course instead of reaching the intended target.

This frustrating phenomenon can affect golfers of all skill levels, from professionals to newcomers. It can be disheartening to see your ball stray into the rough or trees instead of landing on the fairway as intended.

The feeling of annoyance and frustration that accompanies a slicing drive can be overwhelming, to the point where golfers may consider abandoning their drivers and exploring alternative strategies to improve their game.

Common Causes

For most beginners in golf, the initial challenge often lies in consistently hitting the ball directly. However, with practice and determination, they usually overcome this obstacle.

Then comes the second, more difficult challenge: the dreaded golf slice. Regardless of their efforts, every shot ends up slicing to the left or right, depending on their stance.

Forget about challenges like three-putts, tops, and chunks; slicing is both common and frustrating. But fear not, as change is on the horizon. The key to conquering this challenge lies in understanding its root causes.

Slicing occurs unintentionally and leads to off-target shots. To be precise, there are two primary causes that come into play when striking the golf ball.

Open-club-face slicing occurs when the golf ball is struck in accordance with the laws of ball motion. Consequently, shots taken with an open club face result in sidespin, causing the ball to veer away from the intended target.

Other causes include:

Swing Path

The Swing Path, often referred to as the direction in which the golf club is moving at impact, is frequently the most common cause of slicing the golf ball.

When the club follows an “out-to-in” path, it means the club is moving to the left of the target line (for right-handed players) at the point of impact. This motion imparts side spin to the ball, causing it to slice or curve to the right.

The “out-to-in” swing path is often a result of poor alignment, incorrect ball position, or flawed sequencing in the downswing. Rectifying these elements can significantly mitigate the tendency to slice the ball and improve the overall accuracy of the shot.

Poor Grip

When you have a weak grip, characterized by insufficient hand pressure, it is quite common to experience an open clubface during your golf swing. This can result in a gentle fade, where the ball curves slightly to the right (for right-handed golfers).

However, if this fade starts to transform into a more severe slice, with the ball veering sharply to the right, it becomes necessary to make adjustments to your grip in order to rectify the situation and regain control over your shots.

By properly adjusting your grip pressure and hand position, you can effectively correct the slice and improve the accuracy of your shots on the golf course.

Shot Alignment

To avoid slicing, some golfers opt to aim left as a countermeasure. Although this strategy may seem promising, it ultimately proves ineffective.

Rather than hitting the desired target accurately, it often exacerbates slicing and increases frustration. This is fundamental in how to stop slicing the golf ball more consistently.

Active Upper Body

Many golfers face the challenge of having an inactive upper body. Instead of utilizing the combined power of hips, shoulders, hands, and arms to achieve accurate shots, they often rely solely on the rotation of the upper body.

An inactive upper body often leads to open clubface positions during golf shots, resulting in a common issue of slicing among amateur players. This problem can be attributed to incorrect backswing alignment, lack of flexibility, or a quick transition.

To improve your golf game, it is crucial to ensure an active upper body, allowing for better control and more precise shots.

This can be achieved by focusing on proper alignment during the backswing, maintaining flexibility, and executing smooth transitions between movements.

Backswing Issues

There are several challenges with the backswing that negatively affect the impact position. When it comes to slicing, two primary flaws are a steep and excessively high backswing, as well as a clockwise twist.

If your backswing extends too high and lacks rotation, it’s likely that your club will strike the ball at a steep angle. To simplify things, focus on a smoother and more downward swing motion.

Why am I slicing the Ball to the Right or the Left?

Slicing the ball to the right or left occurs when the impact position is not ideal, resulting in a slice. For instance, if the ball spins from left to right in the air, it means you have experienced rightward slicing.

To achieve this slice, the ball needs to spin in a clockwise direction. This requires swinging the club towards the left while slightly angling the clubface towards the right.

As a result, the ball curves in the air, creating the slicing effect.

You can confirm this by observing the divot: when striking, the divot from the slice will be on the left, while the ball ends up heading towards the right.

This kind of shot is often considered a classic. It’s worth noting that the technique of slicing may vary among players, depending on whether they are right or left-handed.

Practice Drills to Help Cut Down on Slicing

Saying goodbye to the frustrating problem of slicing your golf shots is definitely a reason to celebrate. No more dealing with consistently hitting the ball away from your intended target, which means better scores and more successful shots on the fairway.

It’s important to note that most slices occur when the clubface is open and pointing to the right of the target line at impact. While this is the primary cause, other factors such as clubface position can also contribute to the issue.

However, with focused drill training, you can improve your swing and achieve a more consistent and repeatable motion that suits your unique style.

To help you eliminate golf slicing and play a more consistent game, here are some quick tips to consider.

To master the art of curing the slice problem, it is advisable to practice each technique individually. This approach ensures a solid understanding and proficiency in addressing this particular issue.

It will take you less than 8 minutes to grasp and play professionally without slicing.

1. Get a Suitable Driver that Works for You

Many golfers who struggle with slicing often encounter similar issues. A common contributing factor is the utilization of a driver with minimal loft.

Before implementing the following practices, it is crucial to promptly assess your equipment. Consider investing in adjustable drivers that enable loft increase by shifting weight towards the head or heel of the club head.

Alternatively, you can adjust your swing angle to 10/11 degrees instead of 9 degrees. This adjustment will ensure a more open clubface at impact. If you desire even more loft, release your hands during the swing and switch from a 10.5 to a 9-degree driver.

2. Handgrip

Using the wrong handgrip will inevitably lead to slicing the golf ball. This can be avoided by ensuring a firm grip with both hands, keeping them away from the target, and positioning each palm parallel to the other.

To achieve this, imagine drawing a line from the base of your thumb that extends to the right side of your collar.

It’s important to strike a balance and avoid excessive force when gripping, as it can hinder the release of your hands during impact. Aim for a solid yet gentle grip for optimal results.

3. Fix your Slice with Repetitive Drills

By now, you have mastered the proper grip and club selection. It is now time to delve into the art of making a great swing with your driver.

Each golfer has a unique looping technique. Before attempting this drill, set aside your usual technique and embrace something new.

To achieve the correct swing shape, start by executing a simple clockwise circle motion that aligns with your standing posture.

Practice this drill by performing a couple of swings and focusing on creating a circular motion with your driver. To facilitate better comprehension, let us break it down into a step-by-step routine:

1st Step: Backward Loop-Swing

Confirm your equipment and then your grip. Set the ball in the correct position and stand in a hitting posture.

Rather than positioning the club head at the base of the ball on the hitting side, place it at the front instead.

Then swing the driver making a circle slowly as your hands swing the club on the target direction.

When taking a shot, the club will drop naturally toward the shallow plane as it comes closer to the ball. At the same time, your hands will automatically begin to roll over or release.

2nd Step: Lift and Turn

To begin, make sure you initiate the loop from the ball’s front as you transition towards your standard address position.

As you swing the club, ensure a clockwise rotation of your shoulders and a sense of the club’s weight. During this step, incorporate a body turn while performing the drill.

Next, swing the club above the ball in a half-loop motion, executing clockwise rotations starting from a point above your head and descending towards the ball.

This technique will help maintain the club on the correct inside path, promoting a more effective swing.

3rd step: Arm Swing

One significant challenge arises when your downswing is initiated by your shoulders. The problem arises when you instinctively attempt to square the clubface by twisting your shoulders towards the target line.

Remember, it is more effective to use your arms rather than your body to square the clubface.

To keep your upper body steady, position your chest as if it were facing the ball at impact, while allowing the clubface to release past you.

As the legendary Jack Nicklaus once said, “it feels like my shirt’s buttons are facing the golf ball when I am hitting it.”

4th Step: Turn and Release

In this last step, you should test what you’ve learned earlier. In other words, you will be hitting the actual ball rather than trying out swings.

Begin by lifting your club to a 2/3rd backswing posture. Meanwhile, your left hand should be facing your chest, then make a swing but this time hitting the ball.

This drill works for anyone as long as you practice it slowly and get to understand it. Within six minutes, you can make professional shots, whether a newbie or a usual golfer. What’s more, it’s an excellent remedy for your slicing challenge.

Final Remarks on Fixing Golf Ball Slicing

As mentioned earlier, figuring out how to stop slicing the ball is not only annoying and frustrating but also a common challenge for many golfers.

However, it’s important not to let it become a habit that hampers your game. By making a few adjustments and applying the right techniques, you can change your fate on the course and achieve the best shots possible.

One key aspect to consider is choosing the correct playing equipment. Having the right clubs and balls that suit your swing can greatly improve your chances of hitting accurate and powerful shots.

Additionally, incorporating the above-mentioned drill into your practice routine can help fine-tune your expertise and transition from slicing to consistently hitting perfect shots.

If you’ve been struggling with this challenge for a while, it’s important to understand that it can be fixed with the proper techniques. Take the time to learn and master the swinging technique described above.

Pay attention to your shortcomings while taking shots and make adjustments accordingly.

With practice and determination, you’ll find that hitting the ball along the target line and achieving greater distance becomes much easier than before.

Remember, golf is a game of skill and continuous improvement. By focusing on the right techniques and diligently practicing, you can overcome the challenge of how to stop slicing the golf ball and elevate your golfing performance to new heights.