Drew's Tip Of The Month
Avoiding The Slice
When I help golfers, I will always ask them what they would like to work on. Usually, their response is either they want to hit their ball longer or get rid of their slice. In the past year, we have discussed different way to help you hit it farther. Today, I am going to give you a few suggestions on how to keep the ball off the right side of the course (if you are a right-handed golfer). If your ball finds itself on left side of the course, you will meet a whole new group of friends.
For the right-handed player, the reason the golf ball slices or curves to the right is the fact that the clubface aims to the right of the clubhead swing path. It is as simple as that. We need to fix the clubface first and then the path second. To fix the clubface: rotate both hands (especially the left hand) clockwise on the grip of the club, hold the grip of the club more toward the fingers of both hands. Grip the club firmly with the little, ring, and middle finger of the left hand, but softly with the index fingers and thumbs. Do the same with the right hand unless you overlap or interlock. If you do either, keep the thumb and index fingers soft, but only be firm with the middle two fingers of the right hand. You want strong fingers for control, but a flexible left wrist, which acts as a free hinge for added velocity.
If the left wrist bends during the swing it opens the clubface. Once the takeaway from the ball is underway, focus on keeping the left forearm, wrist, and hand in a flat or slightly arched relationship until the ball is well on its way to your target. Always keep in mind that any correction can be overdone to a fault. Remember, the rough on the left side of the course is just as thick as it on the right side.
Next month, we will cover swing path. Keep Swinging!
