From slice to hook, troubleshooting your golf swing allows you to find more fairways off the tee and go for the green more confidently than ever before.
The concept of hitting a little white ball into a hole 200–500 yards away seems difficult enough. However, when you realize that over half of your shots bend like pipe cleaners after contact, the game can trigger even more fear in your heart. Nevertheless, troubleshooting your golf swing to eliminate a slice or hook may help you enjoy this sport more.
What’s a Slice?
A slice is an aerial shot that bends to the left for right-handed players. The conventional slice misses the mark to the right since it begins to the left. A push slice may potentially affect you, starting to the right of your target and bending farther to the right.
If you impart sidespin onto your golf ball, it will bend as it travels through the air, producing a slice. Many golfers mistakenly believe an out-to-in swing path is responsible for this side spin, but this is untrue. Your golf ball slices because the club face is open relative to your swing path at impact. This may seem like a minor detail, but it significantly influences your shot.
What Does a Hook Do?
A hook is the ugly cousin of the slice in golf. A hook is characterized by a strong turn to the player’s dominant side. The flight of a hook is like that of a draw, but it has greater side-to-side movement. The golf ball can hook regardless of the club used, especially when struck with a driver, fairway wood, or hybrid.
Unintentional hooks are a major issue in golf since the ball veers away from the aim and often ends up in difficulty or even out of bounds. When your timing or swing falters, you’re more likely to hit a hook, but there are instances when you want to utilize one to get out of a jam.
Tips for Fixing Either Swing Imperfection
The good news about these swing problems is that they are fixable. Regardless of your side, the tips on fixing either issue are relatively the same. You can try these ideas the next time you’re at the driving range or, better yet, a golf simulator. A golf simulator gives you more details about your swing and can help you add power to your swing for improved shots.
- Check your grip: A weakened grip will cause the club face to move before striking the ball, leading to poor results. There are several ways to grip a club, so trial and error should be the best option.
- Your off-hand’s wrist: A grip is one thing, but the opposite wrist must follow its lead. The more you extend or turn your wrist, the more likely slicing or hooking is.
- Release: Once you’ve got a good grip, the best way to let go is to make as few motions as possible with your hands and wrists. Instead, forearm rotation upon contact provides a significant release. This is a far more powerful and managed motion than just flicking at the golf ball.
Learning to troubleshoot your golf swing and fix your slice or hook does wonders for your game. Once you learn to strike the ball well consistently, you’ll realize there’s no better game in the world than golf!
