How can I stop a severe slice with my driver?

Question

I played golf religiously until about 10 years ago. At the time I stopped I was a low handicapper and was confident in using all my clubs. I had to stop playing due to health problems but have now decided to get back into it. I purchased a new 460cc driver knowing it would take practice but thus far all my drives are flying off right horrendously.

My grip is fine and I believe the regular flex shaft I have is ok for me. I have slowed my swing down and moved the ball further forward in my stance, I've made my swing steeper but still I slice it.

I'm fine hitting my irons, although not hitting as far as I used to, it seems I have retained some consistency.

Any ideas before i fork out for a few lessons?

Just want to say thanks for all the replies so far, not yet had been able to get another trip to the range in but when I do I'll take a print out of these answers!

Will pick best after a trip to the range! thanks again all.

Answer 1

Welcome to Sliceville, population... well, a ton of us.

Before you go down a huge list of things to do in your head on every tee shot, do these really simple things. I used to be a huge slicer. It comes back now and then, but I find the following is a really simple fix, and it sounds to me you're probably coming inside on your swing pretty big from making it steeper.

Although you already have the ball forward in your stance, I'd move it a little bit more. In your backswing, imagine that you're kind of "pushing" the driver away from you with your left hand. Then come through with your normal swing, and very importantly, follow through with the swing. Helps keep the plane.

Very simple stuff, and it always helps me. Just a couple other things that may help a tad - make sure you are teeing that ball up (as another person said, 460cc is a much bigger head than them newfangled ones 10 years ago) AND make sure you're playing a two piece ball to keep the spin down. I play Titlelist NXT's. Last thing you need is to have your ProV1's ending up in someone's back yard.

Welcome back to the greens!

Answer 2

First thing, make sure the 'Regular' shaft is not causing the problem. Any decent golf course, public and private, should have 'Demo' drivers they will let you use for a round or two so try one with a stiff shaft. If that doesn't work then try and 'flatten' your swing (swing around your body more like a baseball swing). Next time you're at the range instead of setting your feet square to the line of your ball flight, close your stance (if you swing right handed, move your right foot back from the ball to where the toe of your right foot is even with the heel of your left foot, if you swing left handed, use the opposite feet). You should only do this to see if flattening your swing will get rid of the slice not use this setup long term as it will lead to other problems. Usually the more vertical/upright/steeper your swing the easier it is to swing from the outside in on your downswing which will cause you to slice.

Answer 3

The answer tends to be swinging out-to-in when you come down on the ball.

A few tips.
1. Check your lag/release on the downswing when using the driver. If you are swinging slower chances are that you are releasing your lag too early. (look online for Casting)

2. Create/force an in-to-out swing path.
Two easy ways to do this.
a. Drop your back foot so that the back foot toes line up with your front foot's heel. This close stance will force more of an in-to-out swing path.
b. Set up so that both feet are angled to 2 o'clock, but your shoulders stay at 12pm. This is not to fix your swing but remind you of what an in-to-out swing path feels like. Once you hit a few this way, return to your normal stance.

3. Keep your head behind the ball and prevent your "back" shoulder from falling over until after you hit the ball.
Driver sets up on a flatter plane then the wedge (which is more up and down), so there is a tendency for the rear shoulder to fall over before getting to the ball, which really is the cause for the over the top swing.

Your swing should be more up and down then round.

You CAN NOT come over the top and slice the ball if you keep your rear shoulder from rolling over until after contact.

4. Avoid an open stance. That helps promote a slice.

Email me for more info.

Answer 4

Everyone has slice problems at one time or another, I tried everything to fix it, keep your head down, open your stance, blah blah, too many tips.

For me I was swinging the club pretty hard, probably too hard, but my driver had a high flex, it flexed so much on the downswing, my hands would reach the ball way before the club, thus an extremely open face and massive slice.

I just switched to a lot stiffer flex, and no more slice! Check your flex on you club, make sure you're not swinging too hard for the club, I checked mine by really slowing my swing down for the club and started hitting straight shots, they didn't go very far, but I knew it had to do with the flex, then the stiffer flex, let me swing harder, and I got longer shots out of it.

Answer 5

The easiest way to learn golf like a pro is by following "The Simple Golf Swing" program. It's primarily a 31 page eBook that teaches golfers how to make solid contact with the ball, how to avoid hitting fat, how to avoid slicing, how get more power, accuracy, and consistency in your swing. Consistency being the number 1 golf skill.

You not only get the eBook though, you also receive a ton of extra material including video, lessons on putting, driving, chipping, sand play etc. Here is their official site: http://www.golfswingguru.net

Answer 6

A slice is brought about via an open clubface at result, that's in lots of cases the effects of attempting to lead the ball to the left. as a substitute of swinging in the path of the ball, a slicer thinks"no slice, no slice" and brings the club head somewhat from exterior to interior which aspects the ball a clockwise spin and produces a slice. To hit a quickly stress, make beneficial your club face is sq. at result and swing with the aid of in direction of your objective.

Answer 7

"If right handed" place 70% of your weight on your right foot.Ball just inside of your right heel. Shoulders slightly angled upwards to your target 20-25 degree parallel from the floor.On your backswing make sure your club is 90 degree to the floor when your hands are at hip height. Look back at the face of our club, this should be vertical.Take back your club to shoulder height and initiate the down swing with weight transfare onto your left side. Remember to release the club through impact by turning your right hand over and hit with a sweeping strike. At hip height on your follow through your cub face position should be vertical this should promote right to left spin "draw" Maintain your finished position until your ball has landed. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

we are talking about steep swings, I hit with a steep swing rather than the flat swing, the flat swing goes around the shoulders , the steep swing goes to the shoulders and if it is too steep it goes towards the head later not good.hinge the wists earlier and do not break down the right arm, keep it at 90 degree on the back swing,keeping the head down is not really true, keep it behind the ball at impact.and do not sway. good luck

Answer 9

making your swing steeper is most likely your problem. a steep swing usually produces an out to in swing plain which will put the spin on the ball resulting in a slice. try flattening out your swing a little bit. moving a little further away from the ball will help you do this. worked for me, hope it does for you too.

Answer 10

With the new "huge" 460cc heads, you might want to switch to a shaft with a low torque like a V2.