Slicing the Driver - Help

[MrTackalakalaka]

Did a search but unfortunately didn't really find what I was looking for.
does anyone know of any previous threads that give tips on how to overcome slicing?

I am a complete beginner and just enjoy playing once a week with a few friends at the local short 12 hole course.

I can usually play with irons quite well, play them quite straight and accurate etc (although I sometimes fluff it or just take a huge divot out of the ground)
When it comes to driving, it's a different story......
9/10 times it will go to the right (normally out of bounds). I've watched several YouTube videos on how to improve the slice as much as possible. It has helped a bit but still slice it every now and then.

Anyone else got any advice?

cheers

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Go to a pro. Get proper advice, drills and advice and then work on what you've been shown. Far easier than trying to self diagnose. No disrespect but do you really know what your cause is to find the right cure?

 

[AmandaJR]

Bob (pro on here) has an excellent drill for this - detailed on this thread...

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/sh...patience-and-drill&highlight=head+cover+drill

 

[MrTackalakalaka]

Thanks for the fast replies!!!

Homer - I will definitely have a lesson soon! I guess its my whole swinging action......body position/action when i swing. Watched some videos back and i look very uncomfortable and stiff, just use my arms and dont put my hips through it.

Amanda - Thanks for the link......i watched a video very similar to this but this one is much better!! i will definitely give it a go!! and read more through the thread!!
Also seen your from Cambridgeshire, do you ever play at Hemingford Abbots course? I used to play their with my grandad when i was about 12-14. Want to go back there one day!

Thanks again for the replies!!

 

[tsped83]

Two things helped cure my driver slice and now driving is the best part of my game;

1. Thinner grip on the driver
2. Flatter swing

 

[MrTackalakalaka]

Sorry can you explain......Thinner grip and flatter swing?

Cheers

 

[tsped83]

Sorry mate, thinner grip as I have little girl hands. I had a standard men's gripped 'thinned' out, the local club workshop I go to stretch the grip out making it thinner. Helps if you have small hands as a grip which is too thick can send shots right. Certainly not the definitive answer to curing a slice but the thinner grip helps me roll my wrists and release the club through impact.

A flatter swing basically means swinging more around yourself (horizontally) than vertically.

 

[AmandaJR]

Thanks for the fast replies!!!

Homer - I will definitely have a lesson soon! I guess its my whole swinging action......body position/action when i swing. Watched some videos back and i look very uncomfortable and stiff, just use my arms and dont put my hips through it.

Amanda - Thanks for the link......i watched a video very similar to this but this one is much better!! i will definitely give it a go!! and read more through the thread!!
Also seen your from Cambridgeshire, do you ever play at Hemingford Abbots course? I used to play their with my grandad when i was about 12-14. Want to go back there one day!

Thanks again for the replies!!

Hiya. Not played Hemingford although have used the range there a few times. Plan to try it some day though!

 

[DaveyG]

Two things helped cure my driver slice and now driving is the best part of my game;

1. Thinner grip on the driver
2. Flatter swing

As a short fix I would say this... obviously a pro can personally diagnose but I went and had a lesson after emailing my pro saying I am having a nightmare slicing my driver! Annoyingly he said come down and we will get you sorted... Before I hit a ball he said I am 99% sure I know what will be the issue but hit a couple for me!

2 minutes later he said I am far too steep coming up and If I can move around my body it will go... Its one of those things I still have to tell myself now but does give consistancy

 

[bobmac]

2 minutes later he said I am far too steep coming up and If I can move around my body it will go... Its one of those things I still have to tell myself now but does give consistancy

Nothing wrong with a steep backswing

[video=youtube;bhBL4jB--Z4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhBL4jB--Z4&list=PL7Uf2W3sfvqYBJ3OUldKvQT7ZWYEmPOyW[/video]

 

[BrizoH71]

Not that I'm any expert, but on my last round I was wildly slicing my driver whereas before I had usually been pretty straight. By the 8th hole I was ready to jack the driver for the rest of the round, as everything was carved way right. If I'd put any more slice on the ball, I would reckon it would have started to come back to me!

As the course was quiet, my mate suggested I crack a few drives away while he watched my action. I had hurt my back the previous week, and after the first couple of balls went arcing away right, my mate and playing partner (off 6) suggested I was trying to overcompensate and protect my back by not taking a full turn and I was starting my downswing with the shoulders, rather than the hips.

A conscious effort then to complete my turn, pause and the top and get my hips moving first seemed to get me back on track for the rest of the round and drives thereafter were pretty straight, if a little off target.

 

[Foxholer]

It's quite important, at least at certain age, to avoid getting yourself into a bad habit that becomes hard to get out of. Going to a Pro to get the set-up and basics correct is the best way, for most, of doing this.

When you say the ball goes right, can you expand on whether it goes straight there, or on an arc? Does it come out of the middle of the club? How far is it to Out of Bounds?

At your level, I'd wouldn't consider to changing grip sizes. That may make a subtle change, but the change required here isn't subtle.

 

[MrTackalakalaka]

It goes in an arc to the right. Roughly 225-250 yards.
ive looked on my driver and noticed there are ball marks on the inside of the "sweet spot" (not center)
I tried stepping back 1 golf ball in distance and it helped it a bit but still slice it every now and then. I usually check my swing to see how the club face is meeting the ball (stopping before the club meets the ball) doesn't seem to be open.

 

[Slime]

This sounds a bit like me last year. I was carving them ridiculously high & right and was at the range when a mate of mine popped in.
I showed him how bad I was & he immediately suggested that I tee the ball up further forward as the ball was not teed up where I thought it was in my stance.
I now tee it up opposite the knuckle of the big toe of my front foot & I also turn my foot out a bit so it's pointing more down the fairway rather than across it, if you know what I mean.
The difference was immediate & I'm now far more consistent with the big stick than ever before.
It worked for me, maybe it'll work for you too!
Good luck,

Slime.

 

[rksquire]

I'm no expert and it's something that plagues me but truthfully it could be one or a dozen of a million different things. I found I was able to reduce my huge slice to a minor slice to fade through a multitude of adjustments but the quickest way is to get an expert to assess your swing.

Things that may be a factor include: distance from ball; position of ball in stance; height ball teed at; moving clubhead independently during takeaway; alignment at address; right shoulder position too high; lateral movement of hips; swinging outside in; casting club at top; wrist hinge / cupping action during swing; wrists at address; flipping club through impact; hitting at ball; weak grip left hand; weak grip right hand, arms leading, shoulders leading, weightshift etc. etc. You likely have no issue with a lot of things but to be honest I did and still do and it rarely affected my shorter clubs (5 iron to SW) but having someone start me from first principles and then getting things largely correct and then having someone make minor adjustments has worked wonders for me. I wasted alot of time trying to fix my own swing!!! I've also found that correcting even the most basic of things has led to improved short iron shots.

 

[Hopey84]

Three bits of advice that helped me cure my slice were aim down the right hand side of the fairway also imagine a clock face on the ball and if 3 is the back of the ball hit it at 4 o'clock.

Also don't try and swing to hard.

 

[bobmac]

it could be one or a dozen of a million different things.

I'd say it is out to in swing path with an open face.
Now just find out why you are doing it

 

[Khamelion]

I'd say it is out to in swing path with an open face.
Now just find out why you are doing it

That was my problem. The cause was many things but mainly, I was starting the downswing with my shoulders spinning them out left causing an out to in path, this was made worse be me extending my arms early which was my misunderstanding of the release, this made the out to in path worse. Then when hitting the big stick the slice would be high wide and very very ugly.

The cure, start the downswing with a little slide left, hold the shoulders down the target line, feels more like right of target, but it's not, drop the right arm keeping elbow tucked in, ( see my other post on drills on how to do this, I'm asking fro help here), keep the wrists cocked keeping the angle (almost 90 degree) between club and arms till the last second, then snap the left heel down, straighten the left leg, clear the hip, square the club face and roberts your dads brother, a draw or straight shot.

Dead easy when you write it down, but so so hard to put into practice.

Any go club pro will get you on the right path and then it is just practice practice practice.

 

[bobmac]

I cant remember ever seeing anyone start the downswing with their shoulders.
So to recap, your fix is

1. start the downswing with a little slide left
2. hold the shoulders down the target line
3. drop the right arm keeping elbow tucked in
4. keep the wrists cocked keeping the angle (almost 90 degree) between club and arms till the last second
5. snap the left heel down
6. straighten the left leg
7. clear the hip
8. square the club

Dead easy when you write it down, but so so hard to put into practice.

I'm not surprised

 

[MrTackalakalaka]

Thanks again for all the comments. Haven enjoyed reading through them and seeing what people have done to over come their swing etc.

I played a round on Tuesday and found over all my shots were a lot better. As the course was empty we took our time and I did a lot of practice swings. I have adjusted my feet slightly and it seems to have worked (for now). All i did was positioned my feet as normal......then took half a step back with my front foot (back foot staying where it is). This left my front foot open and my swing seemed to be a lot better and the ball was pretty much going straight every time. Fingers crossed itll stay like this