Slicing!

[skippy24hcp]

For some reason i cannot cure this problem ive tried tips from magazines and online ive thought about 1to1 lessons but there so expensive it feels like ive tried everything . 1 in 10 shots go straight every other i have to tee up and aim left for it to come round . i am fairly new to the game but i find it so annoying and its really affecting my game

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TM stratus 3.0 carry bag
TM R11s driver
Mizuno MX19 4-PW
oddessey versa
puma glove
tietleist DT solo

 

[rickg]

Welcome Skippy......golf is a game of opposites, the more you aim left, the more the ball will slice......someone will be along soon with some good tips for you......

 

[One Planer]

Anyone got a link to Bobs headcover drill?

 

[skippy24hcp]

Thank you . If i stand facing and with my feet in line with the target area i normally end up in rough or on the fairway next to me . people have told me my swing is to fast,or that i need to bring my hands around the grip a bit more to close the face but when i do that i always end up topping the ball its normally my first tee shot of the day that is perfect then it goes downhill from there .

 

[Foxholer]

Thank you . If i stand facing and with my feet in line with the target area i normally end up in rough or on the fairway next to me . people have told me my swing is to fast,or that i need to bring my hands around the grip a bit more to close the face but when i do that i always end up topping the ball its normally my first tee shot of the day that is perfect then it goes downhill from there .

People (including us) will tell you all sorts of things that might have helped them but are irrelevant to you - and while Bob's Headcover drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsrovFJ3o9I should change an out-to-in swing (a classic cause of slicing) to an in-to-out one, it may not be the proper solution for you. An assessment with a Pro could well be the best approach - and possibly quite cheap if done as a single (video even) assessment, rather than a series of lessons.

What you describe does seem like what I've seen very often - swing ok early on in the round, but when a slice starts you try to compensate by aiming left - which actually causes a bigger slice! I once suggested to a player who was frustrated by this by the 4th hole (and the 2nd was a Par 3!) to try aiming for the right rough! Lo and behold, he hit it (his 'not very' Provisional) straight!

Swinging too fast can also contribute to Slicing as it can make you lose balance and swing 'over the top' so the clubhead gets outside the best path and you have to cut across the ball to hit it. That Headcover drill should make that obvious when headcovers go flying! Your balance should be such that you can always feel your left heel has some contact with the ground - and you never feel as if you are falling forward. Swinging 'too fast' can also cause other problems - Casting and Early Release - but they aren't necessarily directly associated with Slicing. The Headcover drill might help solve those too - the body and brain can be pretty resourceful at times!

Good Luck (and welcome)!

 

[delc]

Most, although not all, beginners slice the ball. It's generally down to a combination of a poor grip and trying to hit the ball too hard. As a starter, make sure that your club face is pointing accurately down the intended target line, and that the V's between your first fingers and thumbs point roughly at your right shoulder.

 

[chrisd]

No one here can see the real cause of your slice, we can all guess pretty well what's causing it, but a couple of lessons with a local pro won't cost a lot and will clearly identify where the slice comes from. He should set down your grip, stance and posture, the main basics of the golf swing, that will last you all your playing days. Frankly, Skippy, it will be the best golf investment you'll make

Welcome to the forum by the way!

 

[Oddsocks]

You could always post a video down the target line and face on of your swing for a more accurate assessment - at the moment people can only give common reasons for a slice as they have not seen your swing.

Regarding the cost of a lesson... Is 25/30 quid to much if it cures the fault and helps you enjoy your golf more

 

[London mike 61]

Welcome to the forum

To start you on the right road I have three pieces of advice for you.

1. The best type of grip ( generally) is the varden grip, learn it and then don't change it EVER!
2.learn the correct stance and practice it until it is second nature.
3. Get a lesson, there are no shortcuts.

Good luck

 

[Foxholer]

Most, although not all, beginners slice the ball. It's generally down to a combination of a poor grip and trying to hit the ball too hard. As a starter, make sure that your club face is pointing accurately down the intended target line, and that the V's between your first fingers and thumbs point roughly at your right shoulder.

Warning! Dangerous 'advice'! Ignore!

 

[skippy24hcp]

Thank you all for your help . I've been down the range today and got through about 4 buckets and it went really well I did change my grip with the v pointing to my right shoulder. And concentrated on keeping my left arm straight and it seemed to work . I think I will invest in a couple of lessons my local coach is Paul foston. He's in golf monthly quite a bit so will give him a try .

 

[Foxholer]

Thank you all for your help . I've been down the range today and got through about 4 buckets and it went really well I did change my grip with the v pointing to my right shoulder. And concentrated on keeping my left arm straight and it seemed to work . I think I will invest in a couple of lessons my local coach is Paul foston. He's in golf monthly quite a bit so will give him a try .

Not had any experience of him, but he seems well qualified - as an Advanced Fellow of PGA.

I'd suggest you state clearly what your aims and limitations are so you create a plan rather than simply getting sucked into a series of lessons that may or may not be what you want/need. I believe the relationship you need to have with a Pro is more like a Builder (where you agree what will happen) than a Doctor/Surgeon (where the tendency is to follow the authority).

Good to see the changes working. I was probably a bit harsh saying 'Ignore'. Perhaps 'Tread carefully' would have been better.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Welcome along. Boring answer but one with the long term pay off. Get some lessons. Get the basics right early on and they will stand you in good stead

 

[skippy24hcp]

Thank you all again for your help . I will go for a couple of lessons and then let everyone know how im getting on :thup:

 

[chrisd]

Thank you all for your help . I've been down the range today and got through about 4 buckets and it went really well I did change my grip with the v pointing to my right shoulder. And concentrated on keeping my left arm straight and it seemed to work . I think I will invest in a couple of lessons my local coach is Paul foston. He's in golf monthly quite a bit so will give him a try .

Paul is regarded as on of the best coaches in the area, you will do well with him

 

[SocketRocket]

Your swingpath is left of your clubface direction at impact. Swing further out right and close the clubface progressively until you get something better. Aiming to hit the back inside quadrant of the ball might help.

 

[the_coach]

Hi folks, hey skippy, I like you am new to the forum, but I'm not new to golf.

Folks here already given the absolute best answer but often not many want to bite the bullet and go for it, but as someone already said find your local PGA pro, and go for it that way, if you can afford it, it really is the best way to go. If poss book a series of lessons say 6, often there's deals if you can do this.

And if you're a beginner, it'll take more than one lesson.

Seriously nothing can beat having the best fundamentals of grip (pressure relaxed not strangling, more in fingers than in palm, the v shape your forefingers & thumbs make, point in the same direction at your right shoulder{RH golfer} not at your chin, left thumb rests vertically down top right of clubs grip, right thumb pad fits on top of left thumb). Right little finger overlaps left forefinger, right thumb rest top left handside clubs grip, right forefinger rest slightly away from rest of fingers of right hand as a trigger finger crooked on grip.
Aim, the lines on club and leading bottom edge of club point at your target square at 90 degrees to your target line. (golf is a target game identify target for each and every shot)
Alignment where your left side-on body should point, important it's not directly aligned at your target (your body line, feet, shoulders aim parallel left of target line, like the ball is on one railway line and you stand on the other line your shoulders, hips, knees, feet in line with that 'railway line' you're standing on)
Proper posture (if spine angle correct {bend towards target line and ball} your arms should hang vertically from your shoulders) you bend from your hips joints not your waist, as your right hand is on the club lower than your left hand, your right shoulder, right hip, right knee will be a little lower than your corresponding left side, so this means as well as a forward to ball spine angle you'll have a slight spine angle lean away from the direction out on the 'railway line' you're stood on). Weight at this point around 50-50. Right foot at 90 degrees to target line, left foot 70 degrees {splayed out a little} Slight softening of the knee flex so the legs are not straight but also not overly bent.

And all that's before you even start to move the club back

All complex, but with a PGA pro with you to explain it becomes a lot easier to get, and in the long run will stop you developing bad habits, which, if you do will take enormous effort to get rid of, lots of folks have frustrations with the game just because it's so difficult to change these bad habits later on.
A slice often originates from bad fundamentals and from these it leads to a wrong swing shape and path, out to in with an open club face, ball starts left goes right.
Swing path you need is slightly from the inside (that's inside target line) to square to back inside again.

Golf is pretty much counterintuitive in many ways, if the ball is on the ground you need to hit down to get it to go up, try and get behind it and help it up and you'll skull it along the ground. You hit the ball wildly right so intuition tells you to aim further left and that just means with an open club face you'll hit it even further right and on the odd occasion you have the face square to your out to in swing path you'll stick it dead straight miles left.

Hope I've convinced you to bite the bullet and go get those lessons.
Good luck. Cheers