by Andre Sanchez

Many golfers, even experienced ones, are unsure as to what causes a golf slice and  hook.  They do not understand why their ball appears to be absolutely bang on target for 100 yards or so, and then starts to swing out to the right or the left.  If you are right handed, the hook swings out left and the slice out right, and vice versa for a left hander.

Since there are more right-handers, this article will refer to them, and the lefties will be quite used to reading it the other way round, although I sympathise with them for having to do so.  Even though they don’t understand the cause of these problems, many are still able to compensate, but often the wrong way.  An understanding of the root cause, however, can often help you to understand the remedy for your golf slice or hook, and also to use the right remedy for you.

Let’s consider the golf ball and what happens to it when the golf club strikes it.  We are assuming no wind here.  If your club hits the ball with the club face absolutely square to a line between the ball and the target, the ball will fly straight to target with no spin on it, except the backswing that provides the loft and distance.  In fact the dimples are designed to take advantage of the backswing to provide added distance.  More on this shortly.

However, if you put a sidespin on the ball, then aerodynamic effects come into play. It is a law of physics that a spinning sphere has more pressure on the side that is moving against the direction of air flow than that moving with it.  Since the direction of air flow relative to the golf ball is back towards you, then there is more pressure on the side to your left.

This gradually takes effect and if you have put clockwise spin on, then the ball begins to veer right.  It can take anything from 50 to 100 yards, depending on the speed of the spin and also the dimple, since dimples accentuate the effect.  Eventually your ball lands about 6 – 7 yards right of target for every degree it moves off in 200 yards.  So a 300 yard drive can end up 45 yards to the right for a 5 degree drift over a 300 yard drive.  It’s enough to make you weep, and some grown men do weep!

The problem with the dimples is that they are designed to make best use of this effect.  The backswing introduces more air pressure under the ball so it tends to rise farther into the air and is generally lifted as long as the ball retains the backspin.  That makes it go farther.

That’s the theory, but what about the practice?  How do you manage to put a spin on the ball?  Basically it is because your club face is not straight to the ball at the time of impact.  You either straighten it up late or too early, the latter leading to a hook and the former to a slice.  With a slice your follow through is straight to the target as it should be, but your club is till open, and so hits the ball with a slicing action, thus imparting the dreaded clockwise spin.

If you close your club face too early, then the toe ends up farther forward than the heel and you cut a counter clockwise spin into the ball.  There are a few ways of achieving each of these, and the better players know how to do it in a controlled way so as to fade or draw the ball round obstructions such as trees. The most common two faults that cause these problems are in your grip and your stance. If you are holding the grip in the wrong place, either too far round the club or not far enough, then the club face will come round either too late or too early.  The way to cure that problem is to adjust your grip.

If your stance is not straight at the target then you will be liable to drive across the ball, and if your grip is perfect you will hit the ball straight to target, but with your club face moving across the ball from right to left.  That again will spin the golf ball into a slice.  You can hook it by keeping your weight on your back foot.  You will then bring your body round onto the ball with a closed clubface and hook it.  You can easily cure a hook by making sure that you always finish your follow through with your weight on the front foot.

Another way to cure a golf hook and a slice is to place the ball more forward of your stance. You should then find yourself hitting it straight.  Also make sure that your stance is aiming at target.  These are the main ways of cutting the problems on course:  adjust your grip, your stance and position the ball a bit more forward than normal.

Knowledge of what causes a golf slice and hook should make it easier for you to resolve the problem by providing you with a better understanding for the reasons that you make the adjustments recommended.  By understanding what causes a golf slice and hook, you will be better placed to quickly react on-course should one of these problems start to affect your golf game.

What Causes a Golf Slice and Hook? was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com