by Andre Sanchez

Every golfer needs to know to cure a golf slice, even if it is only a temporary fix if a slice develops on the course to let you finish your round without too much damage.  The reason for this is that every golfer slices the ball at one time or another.  Even Tiger Woods has been known to slice into the trees occasionally.

To be able to fix a slice you have to know the possible causes.  The dreaded banana shot happens because you have put a clockwise spin on the ball.  This creates a difference in air pressure between the side spinning into the direction travel and the side spinning away from it. 

The spin is imparted because your club face is not squared up to direction of your shot at the moment of strike.  If your shot is straight to the target, then you will slice the ball if your club face has not had time to be square to the ball.  You are not bringing the golf club round quickly enough and the club face is at an angle when it strikes the ball.

This makes it spin clockwise, and curves it round like a banana.  Not immediately, because it takes time for the spin to take effect, but it will happen, and once it starts curving the curve quickly becomes more and more pronounced.  A counter-clockwise spin would turn into a hook.

You also slice because, although your club face is straight onto the line to the target, your swing is not.  You are swinging across the ball from outside to inside the correct line, and again the club face is not square to the direction of swing, and spins the golf ball. There are a few things you can do to put this right.

First, since your sliced ball is landing well to the right of target it might make sense to aim to the left.  However, since you are by definition playing a curved shot, you will lose distance because you are not hitting in a straight line.  This is not a good way to cure a slice, but if you are on the course it might do until you finish the round and can get expert help.

A better way is to adopt a stronger grip.  To do that you simply grip your club exactly as you normally do, address the ball, then before your backswing move your hands clockwise round the shaft.  Just a small amount will be enough.  Then play your shot.  This will make your club face straighten up quicker and you will either slice less or will have cured the slice.  If the former, then move your hands round a little bit more on the next shot.  Don’t overdo it, or you will straighten the club up too early, and will hook the ball.

If you are swinging across the ball then you should move your feet so that they are more in line with the target.  If they are already in line, and you still swing across the correct line, then as a temporary measure move your feet round towards right of the target.  This will straighten your swing up till you finish the round, but you really need to have your swing analyzed.

There are a few reasons for swinging across the ball, most of them connected with your swing mechanics.  You will probably not be able to correct that yourself, though you could try to make sure that you are not over-rotating your shoulders so that they are crossing the line to the target too early.  Make sure that your chest does not cross the ball before you hit it, or that you are not hitting down into the ball rather than straight through it.

Any of these can cause your swing to pull to the right while your clubface is straight to the ball. Most of these might need some professional help to put right and if you have tried the quick fixes described above without solving the problem ask your club pro to run an eye over your swing.  A professional can often spot the problem without having to use video analysis. 

First, however, try the stronger grip and the change of stance on the driving range, and keep making adjustments until you get some results.  If you are swinging across the ball a stronger grip will not help, so if doing that makes no difference then you know that your problem lies in your stance or your swing mechanics.

In that case, if a change of stance closer to the target does not help, then you probably need some professional help.  Do not despair though.  Any slice is curable:  it is simply a matter of finding out where your swing is going wrong and adjusting to put it right.  Many golfers have given the game up due to their slice, but there is no need for you to do that.  Just take this advice on how to cure a golf slice and you will be back to your normal good game in virtually no time.

How to Cure a Golf Slice was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com