Category: Hit More Fairways

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The Tee Shot – The Most Important Shot

By Scott Messner

We do not have to stripe every drive 300 yards down the center of the fairway to be a good golfer. In fact, not even the best golfers in the world on the PGA Tour do that. 

However, the tee shot is the most important shot of the hole.

We have a perfect, flat lie for the first shot of every hole. We even get to place the ball on a tee. We need to take advantage and put ourselves in a good position for our second shot.

We can also get in the most trouble with our tee shot. The big clubface of the driver lends itself to wild shots when we mishit. The length of our drives also makes it easy to reach danger on either side of the fairway.

Many beginner and high-handicap golfers have the dreaded slice with their driver. It’s important to know the ball flight laws that cause a slice so we can have the self-awareness to know the cause of our shot shapes. You could watch the large amount of YouTube video dedicated to helping golfers fix their slice. While you do get a great deal of satisfaction in correcting swing issues on your own, the fastest and easiest way to correct your slice is with lessons from a PGA Teaching Professional. 

While keeping our drives out of trouble should be the priority, we need to be getting the most distance that we are capable of off the tee. There is no substitute for distance off the tee.

There is an old saying in golf – “Drive for show and putt for dough”. Putting has long been seen by many in the golf community as the most important area of the game. All areas of the game are important. However, strokes gained stats have shown that distance off the tee is the biggest contributor to success on the PGA Tour. Maybe surprisingly, distance off the tee is even more important in the amateur game.  

Increasing your clubhead speed is the way to increase your distance. You gain 2.5 to 3 yards for every mile per hour you increase your driver clubhead speed. That add up to 12 to 15 yards on a 5 MPH clubhead speed increase. That’s a significant difference on the course.

Work on improving all areas of your game but focus on accuracy and distance off the tee. It is the quickest way to shave strokes off your scores. The first shot of each hole is so important to give you an opportunity of scoring well on the hole. 

Similarly, the first hour of your day sets the tone for the rest of it. While you can read your Bible at any time, first thing in the morning works best for many. You’re giving the first part of your day to God, reading His living word. 

David prays in Psalm 143 that he trusts God and asks God to show him the way.

Psalm 143:8
8
 Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.

By being with God through prayer and scripture to start our day, we are setting ourselves up to walk out the day according to His will. 

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How to Fix a Slice – Grip and Setup

By Shooting 90

Proper setup is the first thing to achieve when finding out how to fix a slice. This starts with correctly gripping the club. Have a slightly “strong” grip, rotating your lead wrist clockwise with your thumb resting on the back side of the club shaft. For more on the grip, see our post “The Grip”.

A wide stance helps balance and allows you to have as much swing speed as possible. While when hitting irons the ball will be in the middle of your stance, it should be farther forward in your stance when hitting driver. A good starting point would be to have the ball lined up with the heel of your lead foot. See our post “Driver Setup” for more tips on addressing the ball with the driver.

Mark Crossfield covers the grip and ball position in the excellent video below. Let’s get stuck in as Mark likes to say.

Now that we know we have the proper setup, we can move on to how our swing is determining how the clubhead path and clubface angle and the relationship between the two, at impact, create the ball flight pattern.

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How to Fix a Slice – Ball Flight Laws

By Shooting 90

Understanding the ball flight laws which govern why your ball is hooking and slicing is necessary to be able to build awareness of your own clubhead path and clubface angle. Knowing your own clubhead path and clubface angle enables you to easier make swing changes.

Our swing is determining how the clubhead path and clubface angle and the relationship between the two, at impact, create the ball flight pattern. What exactly is the relationship between clubhead path and clubface angle? Depending on the club, your clubface angle is 65 to 85 percent responsible for the direction your ball starts in. The clubhead path, specifically the relationship between the clubhead path and the clubface angle, is primarily responsible for the direction and amount of curvature in your ball flight.

In the video below, Andrew Rice explains the ball flight laws and the “Royal” relationship between path and face.

If you didn’t already, you now know that a slice is caused by the clubface angle being open relative to the clubhead path. The slice we’re all use to seeing is the one that starts on or left of the target line, curves way right landing well right of the target, usually so far right that you’re in trouble. The path moves from outside of the target line across to the inside of the target line. The clubface angle is pointing to the right of the path to some degree.

Many golfers try to compensate their slice by aiming more left, which doesn’t help. This move can increase the difference between your path and face, worsening your slice. Even if you can aim more left and not worsen you slice, there are just too many holes that you might not have the room to start that far left.

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How to Fix a Slice – Stop Casting the Club on Your Downswing

By Shooting 90

We’ve previously discussed the key for a golfer looking for how to fix a slice is to create an in to out swing path. Many high handicap and beginner golfers have the opposite, an out to in swing path, which is the main reason for their slice. Many golfers with an out to in swing path also “cast” the club during their downswing. Casting refers to straightening your wrists and losing the angle between your left forearm (for righties) and the club shaft very early in your downswing which makes consistent ball striking very difficult.

One reason for casting is the tendency to lift the club up with your arms and hands to start the backswing. This sets up what is referred to as a narrow to wide to narrow swing. Golfers with this swing lift the club during the back swing (narrow), extend their arms and cast the club to begin the downswing (wide), and finally collapse their arms through impact with the ball (narrow).

Creating a wide to narrow to wide swing is a great way to stop casting the club.

If you watch any professional golf, you’ll notice that a professional’s swing is much different. In fact it’s very much the opposite, a wide to narrow to wide swing. A professional brings the club back wide with their arms extended, keeps a narrow downswing with their wrists still hinged, finally releasing the club by extending their arms and going wide.

The following video by Simon Weston is a great explanation of a wide to narrow to wide swing.

 

There are big benefits to a wide to narrow to wide swing.

The first is a more consistent in to out swing, helping you to fix a slice. Rotating your body with hip and shoulder turn minimizes you using your arms and hands to swing the club. It is difficult to build consistency in a swing with a lot of hand and arm movement.

Secondly, you lose club head speed and shot distance when you cast the club. By keeping your wrists hinged until later in the downswing, you create lag in your swing. Lag refers to keeping your hands in front of the club shaft and releasing the club right before impact with the ball. A wide to narrow to wide swing promotes more lag and gives you a higher club head speed at impact.

One of the keys to a wide to narrow to wide swing is getting your weight moving forward towards the target to start your downswing. This helps to drop your hands down inside to start your downswing. If you start your downswing by dropping your hands before moving forward towards your target, you are more likely to come over the top with an outside to in swing path.

Here’s a great drill from Karen Palacios-Jansen to help you start your downswing by getting your weight moving towards the target.

 

By not casting the club on your downswing, you’ll help eliminate your slice, create more consistent ball striking, and gain distance through increased club head speed.

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How to Fix a Slice – Driver Setup

By Shooting 90

Swinging your driver is different than swinging any other club in your bag. Today’s modern drivers and golf balls are designed for a high launch angle. The driver is the only club that you want to hit the ball on the upswing. Most golfers know that teeing the ball high and having it forward in your stance is an important part of the setup for a successful drive.

Still, most high handicap golfers still struggle with how to fix a slice, even though they are teeing the ball correctly and have it plenty forward in their stance.

The problem could be as simple as having the club head in the wrong position. Many golfers will setup with the ball forward in their stance and then put the club head directly behind the ball. This will naturally angle your shoulders to the left, which will promote an over the top, out-to-in swing. This type of swing results in either a pull or the dreaded slice.

In the video below, Rob Bernard explains a simple setup tip for your driver to get the club head in a better position. Work on implementing it during your next session at the practice range.

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Managing First Tee Nerves

By Shooting 90

High handicap golfers often struggle on the golf course. Unfortunately many times the struggle starts on the first tee. Nerves result in a bad drive, starting the round off on the worst possible note.

Most golfers will have at least a few nerves on the first tee even in a foursome comprised of all people they know. Add people to the group that you’ve never met and the nerves get much worse. The audience watching your first drive doubles if you have the group behind you show up early to the first tee.

There’s a few things you can do to hit a good shot off the first tee despite your nerves.

Get to the course thirty minutes prior to your tee time to hit a small bucket of balls on the range and take some practice putts. Hitting a small bucket on the range gets your muscles ready for golf.

It also provides important information for your upcoming round. Pre-round shots on the range will tell you what shot you have brought to the course. You’re not always going to have your preferred ball flight every time out. High handicap golfers simply do not have that level of consistency. Your ball flight may be different this time out. The first tee is not the place to discover what ball flight you have brought to the course. Find this out on the range. Just keep in mind the pre-round small bucket of balls is not for fixing a swing issue. Save fixing swing issues for your weekly practice sessions.

Taking a few putts on the practice green will give you a general idea for the speed of the greens. Don’t putt 10 foot putts one right after another. Hit several 20 to 30 foot putts to work on your lag putting. Getting the speed of the greens nailed down is the key to keeping your number of three putts to a minimum.

It’s OK to leave your driver in the bag on the first tee. Shooting 90 is a big advocate of learning to hit your driver. You may be learning how to fix a slice, making good progress with your driver, and finding success with it on the course. That said, it’s still the most dangerous club in a high handicapper’s bag. With nerves on the first tee, you may have problems finding the fairway or putting the ball in play with your driver. That’s OK. Use your “go to” club off the first tee, whether that’s a fairway metal, hybrid, or even a long iron. Save your driver for the rest of the round. The worst thing you can do for your round is to put your first drive in a bad place.

Don’t hit first or last in your group off the first tee if you can help it. There’s a lot of pressure on you when you hit first. Everyone is pumped up for the round and all eyes are on you. There’s similar pressure in hitting last. Everyone has hit and they’re now waiting for you. It’s twice as bad if everyone striped one down the middle of the fairway before you. Tee off second or third in your foursome off the first tee.

Tee up your ball on the same side as trouble. If you have woods down the left side, tee up on the left side of the tee box. This gives you the best angle to hit your drive away from the trees.

I’m not sure golfers ever get over first tee jitters. The best we can do is learn to cope with them. Hopefully applying these tips will help you do that.

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Have You Abandoned Your Driver?

By Shooting 90

The driver has to be the most interesting club in a high handicap golfer’s bag. Possibly only the putter can bring as much joy and sorrow to one’s game. It’s a big thrill to smash a long drive down the middle of the fairway. On the other hand, there is no worse feeling in golf than slicing your drive fifty yards out of bounds. Continually struggling to put your tee shots in play with your driver leads to total frustration. Your tee shot sets the tone for the whole hole. It’s nearly impossible to improve your golf game when you’re not finding the fairway and scrambling to post a decent score hole after hole.

Many high handicap golfers do not know how to fix a slice. They consistently hit a slice with their driver. Instead of fixing their slice on the practice range, they attempt to play around their slice but it keeps getting in the way. Missed fairways and lost distance begin to suck the enjoyment from the game.

This leads some golfers to quit using their driver all together. They hit fairway metals, hybrids, or even irons off the tee to increase the number of fairways they hit in regulation. This keeps them in the hole longer and gives them a chance to score better than if they used their driver. Actually, it’s probably the best choice if you are really struggling with your driver. Leave it in the bag for your round or don’t even bring it to the course. Keeping the ball in front of you, in play, will bring you more enjoyment from the game and much less frustration.

So if you’re not connecting with your driver, it may be best not to use it on the course but you should not abandon your driver all together. You should be working hard to learn how to hit your driver on the practice range. There are ten to twelve holes a round where you driver is the correct club to hit off the tee. As a high handicap golfer, you most likely can use all the distance you can get off the tee. Hitting your driver in the fairway puts you in the best position for your approach shot. Shorter approach shots from the fairway will allow you to hit more greens in regulation, which is the secret to scoring lower in golf.

Learn how to hit your driver. If you need to know how to fix a slice, see our 3 part How to Fix a Slice series – The Grip, Rotate Your Body, and Create an In to Out Swing.

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How to Fix a Slice – Create an In to Out Swing

By Shooting 90

In our previous posts on how to fix a slice, we discussed the grip, and how to rotate your body. In this third installment, we will be creating an in to out swing, which is one of the most important steps in eliminating your slice.

Properly rotating your body helps you not to sway. Swaying backwards and then forwards to hit the ball can cause your swing path to be too outside to in. A swing that is too outside to in is the main reason you are slicing the ball.

What does it  mean to have an in to out swing? Whether you have an in to out swing or an out to in swing refers to the relationship between your club head and the ball as it approaches impact. Inside is between your body and the ball while outside is the area on the other side of the ball. In a baseball analogy, for right handers, an in to out swing will feel like you’re hitting the ball to right field. This coupled with a slightly closed club face relative to the club path will produce a slight draw for a ball flight path.

Golfers with a slice do exactly the opposite. They swing outside to in, impact the ball with an open club face relative to the club path, and end up with a slice for a ball path.

I encourage you to watch Joseph Mayo’s YouTube video, “Trackman Maestro on Ball Flight”. Joseph Mayo, @TrackmanMaestro on Twitter, is a leading authority on ball flight. Mr. Mayo goes in depth on what causes your shot’s initial direction and its curvature.

So why do we want to hit a slight draw instead of a slight fade? There are a few reasons for a beginner or high handicap golfer to hit a draw instead of a fade.

First, by producing a draw, we are fixing your slice. If we aimed at producing a slight fade, we are attempting to minimize your slice, which is more difficult to accomplish.

Second, a draw will generally have greater distance than a fade. Most amateurs can use all the distance they can get.

What can be done to promote an in to out swing?

The first and biggest one is aligning your shoulders, hips, and knees to the right of your target (for right handers) to create a rightward swing direction. Watch another video below from Joseph Mayo as he describes 5 keys in creating an in to out swing.

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How to Fix a Slice – Rotate Your Body

By Shooting 90

This is the second installment of our How to Fix a Slice series and a prelude to the third installment, “Create an In to Out Swing”. Hopefully you have had a chance to read our first installment titled “The Grip”. If you have not had the chance please do so now.

Once you have a strong grip, the next most important step in fixing your slice is to create an in to out swing. Before we can do that, however, we need to make sure we are properly rotating our body throughout the golf swing.

Many amateurs swing way too much with their arms, making a swing similar to a baseball swing. The problem with this is there is a big difference between golf and baseball swings. In fact, they don’t get along very well. Swinging too much with your arms also tends to make you sway back and then forward instead of rotating your body to shift your weight.

In a golf swing, your arms’ main responsibility is not to generate power but rather to connect your body to the club and keep your club face in the right position and on the right path. Your power is created through rotating your body to properly shift your weight through the shot.

To understand proper body rotation in a golf swing, check out “Proper Rotation of Your Upper and Lower Body” on PGA.com.

If you’re having problems swaying instead of rotating, check out the video below from The Golf Fix’s Michael Breed for a great tip.

Proper rotation is an important building block of a consistent in to out golf swing. In our next installment, we will dig deeper into creating an in to out golf swing, arguably the biggest piece in how to fix a slice.

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How to Fix a Slice – The Grip

By Shooting 90

Please note as we discuss the grip on the club, the following discussion will be aimed at a right handed golfer. Reverse for left handed golfers.

The biggest obstacle in the way of high handicap golfers improving their game is the inability to stop slicing the ball. A slice, a ball fight path that bends to the far right for right-handers and to the far left for left-handers, inhibits you from consistently hitting your target while shaving valuable distance from your shots. Although a slice can occur with any club, it is usually more pronounced with a driver due to the distance you hit it, the larger club face, lower loft, and the longer path the club head has to travel. Many amateurs try to compensate for their slice by aiming farther left when the best course of action is to eliminate the slice all together.

A number of factors can cause you to slice the ball, including your grip being too weak, the club face being too open at impact, and an “outside to in” swing. The first thing to check, and what we will be discussing in this post, is your grip.

First, let’s discuss the different ways in which your hands can interact in gripping the club. The three main golf grips, beginning with the most popular, are the overlapping, interlocking, and baseball grips. Tom Ringer explains the differences of each in the video below. I personally use and recommend the interlocking grip as I like how it keeps my arms and hands in unison.

Most high handicap golfers have too weak of a grip on the club. When we talk about weak or strong grip, we are not talking about the pressure used to grip the club, but rather the position of your hands, specifically your left hand. Most golfers who slice the ball hold the club in the palm of their hands when you should rather hold the club in your fingers with light pressure. To grip the club with a strong grip, begin by placing the heel pad of your left hand, the meaty part of your hand below your pinky, on top of the shaft, and wrap your fingers around the shaft as shown in the photo below. Your thumb will then rest along the right side of the shaft, not down the shaft as many golfers do. Your right hand then covers your left thumb with your left thumb resting in the crease in the palm of your right rand. Your right thumb then rests on the left side of the shaft, not straight down the shaft. For another explanation of this concept, please see LPGA instructor Kristin Sunderhaft’s great post “Improving your grip will improve your game”.

One final thought on your grip. Watch a PGA Tour event on TV and see when the pros grip the club. They grip the club while holding the club in the air, not after addressing the ball with the club on the ground. The benefit of gripping the club while holding it in the air is that it promotes gripping the club in your fingers and not your palms. Check out the video below as Matt Hilton explains.

We’ve covered three important concepts regarding the grip – the types of grips allowing interaction of your hands, how to have a strong grip, and when to grip the club. The grip is one of the easier parts of your game to correct. You can also practice your grip almost anywhere. If you’re looking for how to fix a slice, start by improving your grip.