Tips for driving golf ball straight

ThatsTheFootball · June 20, 2011, 04:24:25 PM

anyone any goods tips for fixing a slice with the driver. ive watched a few videos on youtube but if anything its getting worse!
my short games not bad but off the tee and long irons i frequently slice and i dont know why?

very frustrating!!!

Bingo · June 20, 2011, 04:29:39 PM

From experience it was the grip that was doing it for me. Left hand was too open and arm out of position as a result. I felt too uncomfortable correcting it on my grip, so have adjusted the swing. Mind you it still happens at times!!

Brick Tamlin · June 20, 2011, 04:37:52 PM

This would be an issue close to my heart.
What if yer buck gripped and your swing is up the left.
Able to get away with it alot but mates reckon its taking 20-30yards off my drives.

AZOffaly · June 20, 2011, 04:40:12 PM

First thing is check your alignment. Is your shoulder pointing towards the target? Are your feet level with your shoulders, i.e. your back foot isn't ahead of your front foot? Finally, the grip, is it a very weak grip, where the 'V' formed by your bottom hand's thumb and index finger are pointing straight up along your arm?

I used to have a wicked slice. I tried to accomodate it by aiming further and further right (I'm left handed). Eventually it got ridiculous. I'd be aiming 40 yards right to bring the ball back into the fairway.

So I made a conscious decision to stop compensating and I started aiming my shoulders right down the line of where I wanted the shot to go.

Then I tried to make sure my feet were in the correct position, or even slightly closed (front foot slightly ahead of back foot).

Finally I tried to 'strengthen' my grip, by rolling my lower hand (left in my case) over the club, so that the V was pointing up the other arm almost.

That sorted it out for me, but it was nothing fancy, just getting rid of the madness I was doing.

Hardy · June 20, 2011, 04:44:14 PM

If your back foot was ahead of your front foot, how would it be your back foot?

AZOffaly · June 20, 2011, 04:45:55 PM

You are perpendicular to you target, hence your 'front foot' is the one closest to the target, and the 'back foot' is the one furthest away.

Good try though, Mr. Pedant.

Puckoon · June 20, 2011, 04:47:42 PM

Slice=clockwise spin=clubface open at moment of impact.

Relax the grip
Don't try to bust the ball
Swing on a plane that brings the clubface back to sqare at impact and...
follow through and finish your swing.

EDIT - I am looking at AZ's post. When I say relax the grip - I mean stop trying to choke the club. It should feel relaxed and heavy in your hand.

Hardy · June 20, 2011, 04:51:29 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on June 20, 2011, 04:45:55 PM
You are perpendicular to you target, hence your 'front foot' is the one closest to the target, and the 'back foot' is the one furthest away.

Good try though, Mr. Pedant.

laoislad · June 20, 2011, 05:02:34 PM

You can do all those things that the lads advised but if you don't keep your head down then it doesn't matter what else you do.

Bingo · June 20, 2011, 05:04:39 PM

Quote from: laoislad on June 20, 2011, 05:02:34 PM
You can do all those things that the lads advised but if you don't keep your head down then it doesn't matter what else you do.

That should be a given for any golfer. The fact he is hitting the ball far enough to slice it, suggests he is getting this bit right. I'd still be prone to 2/3 head lifts a round mind, its comical!!

Puckoon · June 20, 2011, 05:05:03 PM

Quote from: laoislad on June 20, 2011, 05:02:34 PM
You can do all those things that the lads advised but if you don't keep your head down then it doesn't matter what else you do.

Thats got nothing to do with slicing it?

You're more likely to top the ball when you lift your head.

brokencrossbar1 · June 20, 2011, 05:05:13 PM

It's a shame that we didn't record some of my shots at the Golf outing, you would get a great education watching me playing

AZOffaly · June 20, 2011, 05:06:32 PM

Quote from: Puckoon on June 20, 2011, 04:47:42 PM
Slice=clockwise spin=clubface open at moment of impact.

Relax the grip
Don't try to bust the ball
Swing on a plane that brings the clubface back to sqare at impact and...
follow through and finish your swing.

EDIT - I am looking at AZ's post. When I say relax the grip - I mean stop trying to choke the club. It should feel relaxed and heavy in your hand.

Good point Puck, and when I mean roll my hand over, I don't mean tighten your grip, I simply mean the postion of your hands that way will lead to a more closed, or square, clubface.

A good drill for making sure you are not swingin 'out to in' which is the slice shape is to put two tees on the ground, 6 inches apart. Put the top tee (furthest away from you) about 3 inches behind the other tee (towards your back foot).

Now Try Swing the club so that it passes between the two tees, without hitting either. If you have a slice, you'll be tending to hit the top tee. The positions look like this (for a right hander).

<3-4 "> T
^
6"

T

haranguerer · June 20, 2011, 05:49:04 PM

I used to slice badly, this is what works for me - when I line up the driver up behind the ball, I dont have it lined up directly in front of the small arrow, I have the ball closer to me by about an inch or so. Its obviously not ideal, and is presumably symptomatic of other problems, but f**k it, seems to work, and I'll continue to do so til get proper lessons, or a different driver (I have a big headed driver and have noticed that when practicing with my friends small headed driver same doesnt apply.

midLouth · June 20, 2011, 06:15:01 PM

Without seeing you swing it is impossible to say, for a quick for I would suggest you lower you swing plane.

If you have an iphone or a camera that can take a video, then record a few shots on the driving range of you slicing the ball then have a look and tell you what you see.