If you walk up and down any driving range that’s full of amateur players, there’s a good chance you’ll see lots of slices. That’s not meant to be a knock on anyone’s ability, it’s just the truth: amateurs tend to struggle with opening the clubface at impact.
While there are lots of reasons why a slice happens — whether it’s a problem with rotation, rolling the hands over, an out-of-whack swing sequence, or the inability to stay on plane — actually solving the issue can feel like it’s a never-ending journey.
But it doesn’t have to be.
On a personal note, I had always been a slicer (especially off the tee when using my driver). But by making some easy adjustments and reworking my grip over the past five months or so, I’ve been able to practice better swing fundamentals, leading to more of a draw with my driver.
I even hit 12 of 14 fairways during a recent round, which is by far the best percentage I’ve ever had.
So how can you stop slicing and start experiencing straighter, longer shots? By watching the video below from GOLF Top 100 Teacher Andrew Rice, who has a quick-fix drill that can improve you clubface control.
Try this drill to fix your golf slice
Follows these guidelines to destroy your old slice forever! If it’s not working, you’re not doing it correctly. Give it a go! pic.twitter.com/J1yQiFU0Ly
— Andrew Rice (@AndrewRiceGolf) November 14, 2023
Since slices occur due to either an open clubface and/or an out-to-in club path, Rice says that it’s important to work on addressing these issues first. That’s why he uses this slice drill on his lesson tee nearly every day.
Rice recommends using a 7- or 8-iron while trying this drill, but anything that’s capable of putting a little draw on the ball works.
“You’re going to peg an alignment rod into the ground at an angle, pointing straight at your target,” he says in the video. “The tip is about 15 inches off the ground, so I’m going to place a ball directly under the tip of the alignment rod.”
Next, Rice says to take some practice swings, ensuring that the clubface is a bit more closed — which will help reduce the chances of slicing. As you get that feel, you should notice how the club isn’t hitting the alignment stick that you stuck into the ground.
“When I setup, I want to make sure that I keep my clubface a little bit more closed than normal,” Rice says. “You don’t need to change your grip, just feel like you’re going to keep the face tip down to the ground more in both the backswing and downswing. Now make a couple rehearsals, and, as you notice, if I come into this with an out-to-in swing path, I’m going to hit that rod.”
The key to this drill is sticking with it, and practicing the motion as much as possible. By doing so, you’ll begin to build up muscle memory and start to exhibit good swing habits.
“If you want to make changes, you’ve got to make sure that you’re actually making changes instead of just feeling or thinking like you’re making changes,” Rice says. “This will help.”
