How Slices And Pulls Are Linked

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How slices and pulls are linked

It’s easy to regard the pull and the slice as two completely different shots when they end up on opposite sides of the hole, 100 yards away from each other. They are, however, very much part of the same family. In this video and article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Dan Grieve explains how they are linked, and how understanding this can help you to cure both and hit the ball straight.

A pull goes straight left for a right-handed golfer. My target here (see below) is represented with the white alignment rod. The red rod is the club path, while the yellow rod is the clubface. If the clubface (yellow) matches the club path (red), that will give you a straight pull to the left.

If the clubface (yellow) is open to the club path (red), the ball is going to slice – and the more open it is, the more it will do so (as below). So, although the clubface is the variable, what is fixed is the direction of travel of the club path.

The natural tendency when you repeatedly look up to see your ball sailing right of target is to aim further and further left, but this will only aggravate the problem. That’s because you’ll force the club to travel on an even greater out-to-in path in order to cut across the ball and shape it towards the target. And if you happen to release the club well the outcome will be a disastrous left shot. Luckily, the fix is often simpler than you think.

Whether you’re slicing or pulling, the fix usually involves getting the clubhead more in behind you so you’re swinging more on the inside. Here are some tips on how to stop slicing the ball. Should your bad shot be a pull, here are some tips on how to stop pulling the ball.