A golf slice is a very demoralising shot that can destroy a golfers scorecard. Slicing the ball is the most common fault that the average golfer is affected by. It can also be the most annoying problem because the more a player tries to prevent a golf slice the more accentuated and severe it can become.

The reason for this is that the compensations that a player makes in his or her set-up and swing in an effort to straighten out their ball flight, in fact, have the opposite negative effect.

Let’s look at one of the most important areas to prevent a golf slice – the set-up. As most golfers know the ideal position for the feet at set-up is parallel to the ball-to-target line. An example of a rail track is often used to help players picture this ideal position for their feet. The aim line of the ball is represented in the golfers mind by the right hand rail, and the left hand rail represents the line of the players feet which would aim a small way left of the ball target line.

Even if a beginner starts off this way with the correct stance this is often not the case if they begin to hit a few sliced shots. The natural human reaction for a beginner if they see their shots start slicing to the right is to make an adjustment. The change that comes most naturally to people is to aim further to the left. The result being that the stance is opened causing an even more exaggerated golf slice. This can in turn cause our struggling golfer to aim even further left as he knows that his ball is going to curve violently to the right while in the air. This, of course compounds the problem even more – often to the point where a player is at their wits end. They are having to aim in an extreme fashion way left over the next fairway or sometimes even out of bounds, knowing that their ball will curve so much to the right in flight.

The first step in curing this golf slice problem is squaring the stance. The easiest way to do this is to do the oldest practice drill in the book. That is, lie a golf club parallel to the ball aim line and hit some shots making sure that your feet are properly aligned. Now, and this is important, when you are practicing with a club on the ground to make sure that your feet are properly aligned, take the club you are playing with and hold it at at the top of your chest and across your shoulders pointing towards the target. The path that this club points should again be parallel to the ball-to-target line.

While many intermediate players know how important it is to have their feet aligned squarely they often unknowingly have their upper body aligned way left causing their golf slice. Use this upper body alignment check regularly to make sure that not only the feet, but the whole body is correctly aligned. Maintaining totally correct alignment is the first step to stop a golf slice. Before trying any other tip for correcting a golf slice make sure that you start with a properly aligned stance.

By: Dave Powell

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How many times have you had a bunch of trees slightly blocking your ball’s path to the pin? Wouldn’t it have been nice to be able to fade or draw the shot accordingly? It will take a bit of time at the range; but after a bit of practice, you will be confident in fading or drawing your shot.

The Draw:

A draw (for a right handed player), is when the golf ball curves slightly to the left when hit. It is less severe, and more desirable than a hook; which is when the golf ball sharply curves to the left (and often ends up in a pond or the woods).

How to Draw the Golf Ball:

o Stand with a slightly closed stance. This means that if you placed your club even with your feet, the club would be pointed slightly to the right of the target. You will therefore feel as if you are aiming to the right of the target.

o Close the club-face slightly, relative to how you are standing. This means the face of your club will be pointed at the target.

o Play around with this. Go to the range and try playing around with how much you close your stance, this will determine how much the ball will draw.

The whole idea of “closing your stance” causes your swing to have a slight “in-to-out” swing path; which is what causes the ball to curve to the left when hit. The club will make contact with the ball slightly below the ball’s equator (looking down on it).

The Fade:

A fade (for a right handed player), is the opposite of a draw; when the ball curves slightly to the right when hit. The fade is the more controlled form of a slice; which is when the ball wildly veers off to the right when hit.

How to Fade the Golf Ball:

o Just like you had a slightly closed stance with the draw, this time you will have a slightly open club face. Have your feet align slightly to the left of the target. You will feel as if you are aiming to hit the ball to the left.

o Open the club-face slightly, relative to how you are standing. It will again be pointed at the target.

o Again, practice this at the range. Test to see how much the ball curves relative to how open your stance is; the more you do this, the more confident you will be in judging how to fade the golf ball out on the course.

“Opening your stance” forces you to hit the ball on an “out-to-in” swing path. This means making contact with the golf ball slightly above the ball’s equator (looking down on it). The “out-to-in” swing path is what gives it proper spin to fade to the right.

Fading and drawing your golf shots may be tricky at first, but keep on playing around with it, and you will be able to fade or draw your shot around those trees with confidence and finesse. Those are the types of shots people “ooh” and “ahh” over, so get practicing!

By: Savannah Durbin

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One of the golf swing basic you must master is to control you slice. Fully more than 70% of golfers hate to slice the golf ball because it is almost impossible to control the direction of the ball. This article will help you to fix your golf slice.

In fact, if you are a right hand golfer your golf ball will most probably curve to the right. To help you cure your “banana ball”. You must first understand your slice. Following are the 3 types of slice you might encounter.

Type 1: The straight slice

Your club is open when applying a bit of spin to the ball. Normally, you ball path will look straight initially and then curve to right. This is known as the straight slice.

Type 2: The Pull Slice

This kind of slide result from which your club facing outside in (clubhead facing slightly to the left). The result of this slice is first the ball will travel to your left and then curve to your right.

Type 3: The Push Slice

The opposite of pull slice which is club facing inside out (club head facing slightly to your right). The ball will first travel to your right and then curve to the right giving you a nice (as intended?) banana curve.

Now, you can judge your slice by looking at your ball path. You should have a better idea why your ball go in those directions. To fix your slice, follow these few tips.

Tip 1: Fix Your Swing

Chance are you have a bad habit of slicing the ball outside in creating a left spin on the ball. When enough left spin applied your ball will curve to the right naturally. To fix this, you have to hit your ball inside out.

Try to drop your right foot to about 10 inch (for right hander) to the back, this will allow you to swing outside in easier. Adopt this swing to your normal stance, you’ll be amazed.

Tip 2: Throw A Bag?

This is a simple yet effective practice. Get something with decent weight, perhaps an impact bag. Swing and drop the bag to the direction you want your ball to land on. Remember to choose something light enough not to hurt your back but heavy enough to control your swing motion.

This practice helps grooves an anti-cut motion. Keep your left arm connected to your chest as you swing back, and maintain that connection until you release the bag to the right of the target line.

Tip 3: Fix your direction

If your swing is straight, ie, not swinging outside in, chances are your clubface it facing the wrong direction. To fix your direction, get a small magnet with the size of a calculator battery and a tee. Glue the magnet to the tee and place the tee onto your clubface.
Place your DIY magneted tee to your clubface with the tee pointing out. Make a few slow-mo swings, and study your clubface to see whether the tee pointing to the direction you intended?

As clubs get longer and as players swing faster, it is quite impossible for beginners not to slice their shots without clear instructions. However, with proper practice and analysis, any golfer can slash his handicaps by 3 to 7 within a short amount of time.

By: Eason Chan

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The best golfers have an all around game and they know how to hit a variety of shots. One of the most crucial parts of any established golfer’s game is the ability to hit a draw. The draw is often dubbed as the most powerful shot in golf. The draw, or sometimes called by other people as hook, starts right and then curves left. It is supposed to be used when a direct shot at your target is blocked. Usually, regular golfers find themselves at a crossroads when they are in such a situation, This shot is one of the many shots that separate the amateur golfers from the professionals.

The most experienced golfers that are usually at the PGA level are able to hit this shot when put in the certain predicament. For example, this shot may need to be used on a dogleg hole or if one needs to curve a shot around some trees that are in the way. The draw is more of a subtle curve than the hook, which often end up in the rough. Usually when one calculates their risk and sees that it may be better to play their game form the rough than where they are currently. Usually, only the best golfers do this and they have a reason as this is a deliberate and calculated risk. When this shot is executed correctly, the draw will start off pretty straight and then gradually start to fall of to the left.

Golfers that also want the ball to give the ball a forward spin will do this, whatever their reason for such a ball may be. Not only will the ball have a forward spin but it will travel much further than the regular ball because when it initially lands it puts a forward spin on the ball. The draw is a shot that may be easier for people who are right handed dominant to pull off because the shot is taught from that approach rather than a left handed approach.

To pull off this shot, one must first set up their golf shot with their usual alignment and grip. Then they must adjust their feet to aim to the right of their target. The angle of the person’s feet will depend on their normal golf swing and desired results, and can range from 5 to 45 degrees. The only aberration between this and a regular swing is that one must start ten to fifteen degrees to the right to start. For left handed people, it is the same from a left handed perspective. Then the next step is to aim the club face at your target directly and use your normal grip. Then one should swing normally, from the beginning of the swing to the follow through. This is one of the tactics that can transform a middle of the road golfer into an upper echelon golfer. Not all golfers can full claim this trait to their attributes so a golfer with this shot has a distinct advantage.

By: Ewen Chia

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