Rid the Slice and Hit the Ball HIGHER, FARTHER, and STRAIGHTER

So often I see new players and higher handicappers resist the rotation of the clubface in an effort to keep the clubface perfectly square to the target . This not only fails to create much centrifugal force, but directional control suffers. The result is thin shots, shots that curve to the right, shots that lack any sort of “POP” or compression of the ball. A “glancing blow”.

Consider the following to help you swing the club with more speed AND accuracy.

HIGHER, FARTHER, and STRAIGHTER

We want to let the club face stay square to the arc of our swing. This arc, ideally, would trace along our target line in at least in the moment prior to… and after impact.

Think of a tilted Ferris wheel, but more as a thrill ride. The kind that throws you upside down on an angle. The Ferris wheel represents the arc of our swing and the target line is the straight line at the lowest point. Put simply, the chairs of the Ferris wheel come toward the target line in the downswing and away from the target line on the follow through.

In golfers terms, we want the clubface to be rotating slightly to the left of our target line in the moment after impact. (for a right handed player). This action will square the face and rotate the shaft counter clockwise, adding both speed and accuracy.

The first thing to look at is your grip. Does it allow you to easily rotate your left arm and the clubface? If not, you may need to make an adjustment. Place the heel of your left hand on top of the handle and that your right palm is facing the target. This gives the left wrist more freedom to rotate the clubface. Be sure your grip pressure is soft enough to allow this action.

After this adjustment, you should start to feel more solid, crisp shots. If the shots are hit sharply but a bit to the left or right, that is progress. Then its time to adjust the alignment and the direction your Ferris Wheel is swinging.