I’m sure a lot of people agree with me when I say that it is so much easier to slice than to hook. The problem is you take away a lot of power and distance with a slice. And you end up with a lot more strokes if you consistently slice that ball.
The major causes of a slice are an outside-in swing and hitting the ball with an open face club during impact. Sometimes, the solution is quite easy and not many of us realize this. If you keep slicing, the first thing you have to do is check the direction of your shoulders. Some golfers don’t even give the time to correctly position themselves at address. Better yet, let someone stand beside you when you are addressing the ball. This way he can tell if your shoulders are pointing on the left of your target which is probably the reason why you keep slicing. Make sure that your shoulders are square at all times.
Also, it is highly advisable to check your club face every time you address the ball. Make sure that your clubface is square. With an open clubface, your ball has no choice but to slice. Even if you address the ball squarely with your club, sometimes, you still get to open your club at impact. An easy fix for this would be to slightly turn your right hand over your left when you hit the ball. Make sure that you literally feel the club turning during impact.
The two tips mentioned above might be just the cure to fix your slice. However, if you are still consistently slicing even after implementing these steps, then you might have a nasty swing problem because your body is so used to an over the top swing path. This problem is not that easy to fix and you have to put extra effort in correcting it.
In order to correct an over the top swing which has been with you for years, you have to learn how to exaggerate a hook. Consciously make an effort to practice an exaggerated inside-out swing. When you are doing your driving range session, flatten your swing in a way that you feel your club going around your back below your shoulder. Believe me, if you have been swinging over the top for so long, you might feel like you are executing an extremely flat backswing even if you are not. This is what I mean by an exaggerated inside-out swing.
To correct your bad habit even further, while practicing on the range, tuck your right elbow firmly on your side throughout your backswing to the ball impact. Don’t expect your ball to go far, since you have a very constricted movement. Your goal here is to master a hook which would eventually lead to a draw once you have learned to control it. This is the best way to get rid of that slice.
It is not easy to correct a bad swing habit but the best way to do so is to exaggerate the exact opposite of how you were swinging before. Make sure that your body feels the change. It may feel awkward at first, but once you get used to it, it would be a breeze. Your goal right now is to get used to making your golf ball hook, not just go straight. Once you learn to hook the perfect golf draw will follow suit.
