By Erika Larkin on 5/23/12

What is a slice?

A slice is when a golfer hits a shot that curves dramatically to the right (for right handed players).


So what causes a slice?

Typically a slice occurs when the clubface is open at impact. The more the ball curves right, typically the golfer aims left to compensate and before you know it, there is 50 yards of sideways movement with a high trajectory and the golfer wonders why they are losing distance.

I will argue that to find a neutral swing, you sometimes have to feel the opposite of your norm. I challenge you slicers out there to head to the driving range and try the following:

• Check your position. Make sure your golf ball is lined up off your front foot and that your shoulders are square and not pointing left or right at address.


• Don’t squeeze the ink out of the grip. Relax your grip pressure. Your swing will feel better and you will be able to rotate the clubface back to square more easily.


• Flip your hands over. If you’ve been slicing, to get the clubface back to square the moment of impact it’s going to FEEL like you are flipping your hands over (right over left). Remember, feel is not real, if you really flip your hands too much the ball will turn left- so keep exaggerating this until you see a change. Relaxed grip pressure and extension of the lead arm/elbows after impact is essential to promote proper rotation of the hands, wrists and forearms, so reach your arms out to the target in the follow through.

If you can work hard on correcting your slice this week, I have got more tips on correcting your path next time!

Erika Larkin is the Director of Instruction at Larkin Golf Learning Community at Stonewall Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. She was recently named the 2012 Middle Atlantic PGA "Teacher of the Year" and the 2011 "Top Golf Pro" by Washingtonian Magazine and she's ClubSG's newest columnist. She'll be writing on a variety of topics including instruction, so if you have a question for her or an idea for a column, email her at erikalarkin@pga.com. Enjoy!


Image via Flickr, mhofstrand