4 Tips To Stop Slicing The Driver

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4 tips to stop slicing the driver

The dreaded slice doesn't just result in a loss of distance, it's also less accurate than a sweetly struck shot with a straighter ball flight. Banishing the slice is a priority for many golfers, so we have reached out to one of our experts to help you do just that.

In this video and article, Nick Drane, PGA Pro and Master Fitting Specialist at Titleist Performance Centre at Woburn, shares for tips to cure the slice and save your scores...

Nick Drane

Nick Drane is a PGA professional and Master Fitting Specialist at the Titleist Performance Centre, Woburn. Nick has supported numerous golfers to find the perfect clubs that help to improve their game, and is an expert in the field.

For amateurs, the most common cause of the slice is a poor set-up. The fundamentals of addressing the ball are key, because they then influence how you swing the golf club.

It is true that many tour professionals swing the club in quite different ways, their address position is always very similar. This position is the foundation of a good golf swing, and allows you to start moving in the correct way. If you struggle with the slice, this is a good place to start.

1. Ball Position Inside Left Heel

Getting the perfect ball position with every club is vitally important. Unlike when working out how to hit a 3-wood off the ground, with a driver, you want have an upward angle of attack. This requires the sternum to be further behind the ball at address and as you swing. 

Note how I have the ball just inside my left heel, while my right shoulder drops slightly lower than my left at address. This creates an angle that helps me to hit the ball on the up. Be careful not to position the ball too far forward, as this will encourage you to swing more across it.

2. Set Up Behind The Ball

Your arms, hands and shoulders should be relaxed at address. You don't want to be 'on top' of the ball. This causes the shoulders to point to the left, and encourages an over the top clubhead path - so you'll cut across the ball. This means the ball will start left, before curving viciously to the right.

3. Check Your Grip

With a weak golf grip, the 'V' shapes made with your thumbs and your hands point to the left of your head. What this does is make it difficult to square the face through impact. Generally, I like to see the Vs of thumb and forefinger pointing towards the right shoulder (as above). This makes it less likely that you'll leave the clubface open at impact, causing the left-to-right spin that creates a slice.

So, at address, check that you can see two, or even two-and-a-half knuckles on your top hand to ensure the grip is neutral. Watch the video above and see how I put this all together to make a solid swing, one that flies straight and long. Note how my weight moves onto my right side during the backswing and onto my left side in the follow-through.

4. Get Custom Fitted

Irrespective of what level you play golf at, I recommend everyone should get custom fitted. The fitter should be able to find a set-up to help guard against your most destructive shot. It might be that closing the face a fraction, for example, will straighten out your start line and help you to stop slicing the driver.