by Bob Duden

Created on: February 09, 2010   Last Updated: June 23, 2010

There is no simple cure for the slice, no panacea for that banana ball. The slice is a mistake that is the direct result of a faulty golf swing. That mistake can be attributed to three things:The open hand, the reverse pivot or the flying hip, and it's the bane of amateur golfers everywhere.  It takes work to silence the slice but, it can be cured.

Start with a realistic grip:

When you hold the club, the lines between your forefingers and thumbs should be pointing straight up at your eyes. Your top hand is your strong hand, the bottom hand the guide hand. Swing the club through the ball with the back side of your top hand facing the target. The bottom hand should be weaker on the club, merely there to guide it through the swing. This should eliminate the bottom hand from gripping too hard and opening up the club face.  That open club face at contact will only increase the slice spin.

The next step is to control the hips:

Your hands should move through the ball with your hips. If your hips fly open too fast, your hands cannot follow through on a straight line. The club face opens and the ball spins off it in that slicing direction.  Minimize the spin on the ball by trying to get your hands and hips moving through the ball at the same time. Solid contact on the ball with your hands and hips in the correct position will reduce that spin and actually help you to understand the technique behind the opposite ball trajectory, the draw.

The third part of your golf swing that should fall in line is the weight pivot:

You transfer your weight from the front foot to the back foot as you take the club into your back swing.  Failure to transfer that weight back properly, hitting the ball with most of your weight still on your back foot, is the reverse pivot and another cause of the slice.  Concentrate on keeping your weight forward as the club head moves through the ball.  Your hips should open as your hands make contact with the ball and your weight should be primarily on your front foot. These three steps will start you toward the proper swing and help eliminate that slice.         

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