Good day golfers. Today is part two in a three-part series regarding curing a slice.
In part one we discussed definitions and what was actually happening. In this edition we will address how to get the club face square and not leave it open at impact.
The first place to start is with the body. This is generally overlooked by most people who struggle with a slice. Your body’s big muscles, hips and shoulders, are the foundation for your golf swing. Using them correctly is one of the most important fundamentals that can help with most of your swing flaws.
To cure a slice, a player must use more rotation and coil in their hips and shoulders. That means simply on the backswing turn your back to the target and on the through swing turn your chest to the target.
Players who slice will have their body in a position at impact very similar to their address position. This impact position indicates that their body is not rotating enough and is also rotating late.
Players will then have to compensate for their lack of body rotation with overuse of the hands. The combination of the body position at impact and the hands trying to compensate, causes the face to stay open.
The proper body position at impact should be the hips and shoulders rotated so that they are slightly facing the target at impact. The hips and shoulders rotating through impact this way will help get the toe of the club to turn over and help minimize the slice without having to overuse the hands.
Another issue regarding the use of the body in curing a slice is weight shift. Players who slice tend to have what is called a reverse weight shift. This means that on the backswing the weight travels toward the front foot and on the through swing, the weight travels to the back foot. This is exactly opposite of the proper weight shift. Rotation alone can have negative consequences. The proper rotation incorporates weight shift so that weight is being transferred through impact.
On the backswing, rotate your body into your back foot then on the through swing rotate your body onto your front foot. This will create a body rotation that is also transferring the weight properly.
If done correctly your finish position should have 90 percent of your weight on your front foot with the sole of your back foot pointing away from the target.
You can e-mail any questions you have to tyroneh@ballingerlakegolf.com.
Tyrone Hardy is a PGA professional and the Director of Golf at Ballinger Lake Golf Course and co-owner of Hardy Golf LLC.
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