There’s no doubt that the number one Google’d golf phrase is, “How to fix a slice.” In this article, I’m going to give you a simple key that will get off your computer and into the fairway.
This Tip Is For You If:
You hit your shots too far right. If your shots start right and go further right, this is definitely for you.
A Bad Start
Among players who hit their shots to the right, the most common flaw is rolling the club face open early in the swing. This sets up a series of bad moves that all but guarantee a slice. Let’s take a look:
In picture #1 the club is too open. This early rolling open motion promotes a “flat” backswing (#2). From there, most golfers go “over the top” with a still-open club face (#3). At impact, the club face is still open and the club path is left (#4) leading to a shot that starts right and curves further right.
A Better Way
Let’s take a look at a more optimal way to take the club back, and what that creates.
In picture #1, the club is square, not open. This leads to a nice, conventional position at the top of the backswing (#2). From there, the golfer can bring the club down “on-plane” (#3) and have a square face and path at impact (#4).
Drills
Here are a few drills to practice that will help get rid of that too-open takeaway.
1) Practice Takeaways with a Club
Set up to the ball as if you were going to hit a shot, but only take the club back until the shaft is parallel to the ground. The objective, as you see in the pictures, is to keep the face from rotating to a toe-up position. A phrase that I have found helpful is to “Keep the club face looking at the ball longer.”
If you have trouble determining where the club face is pointed, a lie angle tool (available at most golf stores) can help to clarify things. Try to keep the lie angle tool from pointing directly at the person in front of you.
2) Practice Takeaways with Right or Left Hand Only
Often, practicing without a club is a good way to train a new movement. You can practice doing takeaways with your right hand, left hand, or both hands together. The key is to keep the logo on your glove (left hand) or your palm (right hand) facing slightly towards the ground when it gets to hip height.
I hope this tip helps you to keep the ball in the fairway. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below.
Matt Saternus
Latest posts by Matt Saternus (see all)
- Edison 2.0 Wedge Review - March 28, 2023
- Tour Edge Exotics C723 Hybrid Review - March 27, 2023
- TRUE Linkswear Lux Hybrid Golf Shoe Review - March 24, 2023
I’ll be concentrating on this next time out!
One of the best described golf tips I have seen.
Great Instruction…….
Can we get one for Hooks too ? I am a 4.5 handicap and fight the “left side” at times…..
Absolutely! I’ll get started writing one up ASAP. It may take a little while to get the pictures and post it, but it’s on its way.
Quick question: where do your “lefts” start? Right, straight, or left?
Best,
Matt
“they” start straight, and on occasion it is a dead pull right. Looking forward to this…..
Great drill, would recomand it only for irons or for all shots from driving to chipping/pitching?
Thank you.
I like this drill for any full swings – driver through wedges. For chipping and pitching, I don’t find that many people have a problem with an open club face, but if you have that problem, this drill can help.
Best,
Matt
Looking for validation of what I tried today in my takeaway and found it here. Well explained. My problem though is that from the top my flat backswing results in a very in to out downswing with lots of pushes out to the right and I feel this is a more common symptom of a rolling takeaway rather than slicing. When playing well I draw the ball back with a rolling hand action. Many golfers are so aware that the over the top death move at the start of the downswing is a no-no that they, like me, end up being pushers / shankers / hit fatters and are not slicers despite having this rolling flat takeaway. I shot 73 today using this tip. Club face feels bit closed first foot or two but is really on plane. Logically, Leadbetter and many others must be wrong when they want us to have the toe up when the club’s parallel to the ground on the backswing. You could only be on plane and toe up at that stage of the swing if you stood up and held the club right out in front of you so the shaft was parallel to the ground and then turned till the club was to your trailing side. Since we start with a bit of spine lean the toe must actually appear slightly hooded.
Can you fix the images on this page, thanks.
Fixed! Thanks for the heads up!
Bill
The one hand pull back technique has been very helpful, specifically using my right hand (right handed) my iron striking became much more consistent.
fixed my slice and actually began baby draws with my driver plus increased my distance by 15 (from 210-225) yards (I’m a 15 handicap)…consistently (hit 7/14 fairways)…also helped eliminate my over the top because it forces me to swing more on plane when maintaining my glove logo facing downward…greatly improved my ball striking! I actually can hit my gap wedge 120 yrds now and had 6 GIRs the last round after practicing this technique for 3 days on the range. Thanks Matt…love this web site!
This take away seems in conflict with your article about negative and positive gamma which contends that the clubbed should be pointing up when it is parallel to the ground during the takeaway??
Randy,
This is why I put “This Tip Is For You If” in the article. If you’re a chronic slicer, this concept may be helpful. It’s not for everyone.
-Matt
I found myself playing a shot straight but curves hard to the right in the air and ended up falling into the roughs or even water hazards! I was having a slicing issue and unable to control it. Thanks for sharing this kinda top-notch content! It helped me greatly in orientating between different mistakes. It’s good to see someone put forth recommendations on fixing your slice. your content will encourage new golf players to play more effectively and gain potential results from it. I would like to be here again to find another masterpiece article.