Our 50 best slice-busters : Seeking a cure for the common banana? Look here - golf tips for curing a slice

Golf Digest, June, 2000 by Ed Weathers

You swing, you slice. Gesundheit.

Like the common cold, the common slice has many causes. That's bad. It also has many cures. That's good.

For 50 years now, we at Golf Digest have been giving you remedies for your slice. From Middlecoff to Mickelson, from Penick to Leadbetter--the best players and teachers of three generations have offered you a thousand ways to rid yourself of the dreaded boomerangs.

Snake oil!, you say--because you've been a subscriber for years, decades even, and you've read every tip, considered every suggestion. And still you slice.

Well, don't blame us. Fact is, you can no more cure your slice by reading a tip than you can clear your sinuses by reading the prescription on a bottle. You have to read the tip and then do something about it. Take that tip to the range. Make 50 new practice swings. Maybe in front of a mirror. Even, gulp, change your grip if you must. In other words, take your medicine. Swallow the pill.

The cure for your slice is somewhere on the following pages--we promise. Now wipe your nose and get to work.

1. Take it back square

The first few feet of the backswing sets the tone for the entire swing. I try to keep the clubhead square on those critical first few feet. Average players fan the clubface open on the backswing and come over the top on the downswing trying to square it. Most often, they either pull-hook it or hit the banana ball. Check the first few feet of your backswing, and take the club back square. (By Phil Mickelson, year 2000)

2. Seek the perfect path

The slicer's clubhead comes at the ball from outside the target line (top). The ideal clubhead path is shown in the large illustration at right. Make sure your clubhead comes from inside the target line to along the line at impact, then back inside it. (Byron Nelson, 1976)

3. Start down with the arms

From a correct position at the top of the backswing, your forward swing should start with your arms swinging down. If your shoulders unwind too soon, your arms and club will be spun outside the correct path, and your club will approach the ball on too steep an angle. (Peter Kostis, 1978)

4. Take it easy

Don't tighten up that grip. Relax, relax, relax. (Sam Snead, 1963)

5. Play ball

Pretend you're at home plate. Aim your body slightly right of second base, but aim your clubface straight at the base. Come down the line on plane and hit a hard fly ball over the shortstop by rotating your left forearm. (Harvey Penick, 1992)

6. Hold the wrist cock

Keep your wrists cocked until your hands get down to waist level. Practice this in slow motion, over and over. (Johnny Revolta, 1952)

7. Change your grip

Try a stronger grip by turning both hands equally, little by little, to the right. (Jack Nicklaus, 1975)

8. Drive a stake down from the top

Your first move from the top of the backswing should be with your arms, wrists and hands swinging the club straight down. Imagine driving a stake into the ground. You can actually try it by gently tapping a stake or clubshaft placed as you see here. (Davis Love Jr., 1985)

9. Return the right elbow to the right side

Your left hip turns and leads your downswing. Early in the downswing, your right shoulder should lower and your right elbow should return to your right side. If your right elbow is flying or flapping in the breeze, you will cut across the ball, producing a pull or slice. (Sam Snead, 1964)

10. 'Lay on hands' for good address position

To avoid a slice, monitor three factors at address: (1) Your right shoulder should be lower than your left, (2) your shoulders should be parallel to the target line and (3) your right arm should be nearer your torso than your left. A good check is to lay the back of your right hand into your left palm. This should set you in the proper position. (Johnny Miller, 1997)

11. Stay 'inside' the target line

Your club, hands and arms should stay well inside the target line on the downswing and follow-through. With a proper shoulder turn (above), the clubhead will remain inside the target line throughout the swing, but will pass along that line in the hitting area, as this illustration shows. (Byron Nelson, 1968)

12. Try thinner grips

Thinner grips can help a golfer hit a draw because they allow more wrist action. (Gary Player, 1964)

13. Limit your hip turn

Minimize your hip turn on the backswing, so you don't take the club too far inside and then loop over the top. (Jack Burke Jr., 1961)

14. Start with face open

Start with the clubface open at address, so all your instincts are working to rotate the clubface to square at impact. (John Elliott, 1987)

15. Start down with the legs

Start your forward swing with a leg-thrust left. (Eddie Merrins, 1973)

16. Reverse the overlap

Grip with the left forefinger over the right pinkie. (Steve Jones, 1997)

17. Keep a steady head

To hit a draw, set your head back of the ball, then concentrate on keeping it there. To help you, have someone hold tightly to your hair while you hit full shots. This--painfully!--is how Jack Grout finally got the message to me as a youngster. Less drastically, hit shots while someone holds the grip end of a club lightly on top of your head. (Jack Nicklaus, 1974 and 1981)