As a golfer, how can I fix my slice?


A common swing fault in golfers is a slice which is caused when the face of the club isn't aligned properly to the swing path of the club.  What will typically happen is at the time of impact, the face is open in relation to the target (ie aimed to the right if you are a right handed golfer) and the swing path is closed in relation to the target (ie aimed to the left if you are a left handed golfer).  When there is a large difference between the path of the swing and the face of the club, the impact will generate a high degree of lateral spin on the ball causing the flight of the ball to curve away from the target.  Here are some ways to fix this swing fault:

1. Grip the club with a stronger grip.  This means the v formed between your thumb and pointer finger on back hand is pointed to your rear shoulder and your opposite hand it also gripping the club more from the back.  This will help you close the face of the club at impact.
2. Focus on keeping the face closed in the backswing.  One fault many amateurs have is the club face opens toward the sky on the backswing too far meaning that the face will need to turn more on the downswing to get to square at impact.  Creating less rotation on the backswing can help with this.  
3. Keeping hips down and back in the downswing.  One fault that can cause inconsistent contact as well as a slice is when the hips thrust forward during the downswing causing the golfer to lift up to counter being too close to the ball which can often cause an over the top, out-to-in swing path.  Try to keep the hips back through the swing and focus on rotating the body to keep forward or lateral movement to a minimum.  

A slice is a very common issue among golfers but knowing the causes and swing faults that lead to a slice can help you think about how you can improve your swing to fix it.