Golf — Slicing: Pizza Good. In Golf, Bad.

There are as many different ideas about how to cure a slice as there are experts. But there are some fundamentals on which most agree.

What Is It?

A slice is a ball flight that curves from left-to-right (for right-handed golfers, right-to-left for the left handed). There are different causes for this, but the two main ones are a swing from over the top so the clubhead cuts across the target line. The second, related, cause is presenting a clubface that stays open and produces a left-to-right spin.

At a downswing speed of around 100 miles per hour, with sixty rotations per second just after impact, that can produce a large deviation from the target line. The initial momentum of the ball sends it straight, but as the ball slows, the spin factor becomes dominant.

What Causes It?

Golfers sometimes roll the clubface open on the backswing and there are, too, different causes for that. Part of the effect is a weak grip, causing the shaft to rotate slightly. But having too strong a grip contributes also, when it leads to excessive tension in the forearms and rotation on the downswing.

Stance plays a part as well. If the stance is too open — the front foot back from the target line — the body angle is too close to facing the hole. That tends to produce an outside-in swing and too much spin.

Incorrect ball position can contribute to the problem, particularly when it promotes a poor stance. A ball that's played too far forward forces the shoulders open. Too far back and the shoulders become closed.

How To Cure It

Keep the shoulders aligned along the target line, right foot straight ahead, the left slightly flared left. Your belt buckle should point straight ahead along the line through the ball. Increase your spine incline by bending more from the hips and jut your butt. (Imagine you need to sit on a bar stool that's just a little too high.)

Grip with your left hand, putting your thumb along the line of the shaft. The line through your thumb and index finger should point toward your right eye.

Check your V's. You should see the first two knuckles of your left hand and a V formed between your thumb and forefinger which points in the direction of your right shoulder.

Keep the elbow relaxed, but straight, and grip firmly but not in a death squeeze.

Position the ball where it allows your shoulders to remain parallel to the target line. Depending on the length of your clubs the angle to the ball can vary, but you should not have to stretch uncomfortably to put the clubhead at the ball.

On your backswing, start the club back low and slightly to the inside, keeping the right elbow close to your side. On the downswing, keep part of your attention on maintaining the right elbow close your side and allow the clubhead to swing to one o'clock.

Some Practice Drills

Point the end of the shaft at your navel. On the backswing, keep the end pointed at your navel until the clubhead is just outside your right foot. Now complete the swing to the top and start the downswing. Now the end should point away from your navel.

That tends to force the clubhead to move along the correct path.

At impact, the belt buckle should be even with the ball and most of your weight should be on your left foot. Avoid rotating your hips at the start of the downswing.

Good job. Now go have a slice of pizza!