Why do I slice the ball?

The notorious slice! What leads to this? It occurs when the club face is open relative to your club path (the direction the club is moving at impact). The Ball Flight Laws below describe the various relationships with the right column of the table provided by Golftec showing the different Face to Path relationships to get a slice. The greater the difference between the open club face and your path, the more pronounced the slice becomes.

Source: Golftec (for right handed golfers)

If you experience this shot curve, what should you do? Effective clubface management is crucial for good golf and achieved through a proper grip and release of the club at impact. The clubface accounts for approximately 80% of the initial direction. The difference between the clubface and the path creates the curvature "The face sends it, the path bends it". The left path often referred to as "Over the Top" is generally the compensation for an open face at impact and is from a weak grip (back of lead hand facing the target at address). The face-to-path relationship is crucial for eliminating the slice.

Definition of the "over the top" term in golf

The term "over the top" in golf refers to a specific swing characteristic that occurs during the downswing. The player's club is moving excessively outside to in (path left for a right handed golfer) - over top of the swing plane. This is due to improper sequencing where the arms/shoulder leads the downswing and typically results in a steep angle of attack (deep divots) and hitting down on your driver. This leads to various other undesirable shot outcomes including the top row in the table above: Pull Draw (hook) and Pull Straight. This swing characteristic can stem from several underlying issues, including incorrect grip, physical limitations, poor backswing and incorrect sequencing (upper body leads the downswing). Golfers who struggle with this characteristic may find that their shots lack distance and accuracy, as the over-the-top motion leads to inconsistent contact with the ball causing excessive side spin and weak short shots. To diagnose and correct the over-the-top swing, players will benefit from professional coaching offered by Golf 4 Life Grandview which includes a TPI physical assessment, video swing analysis, and drills focused on promoting a more neutral swing path and learning better club face control (face-to-path). The face-to-path relationship is easier to address when you get instant feedback from the launch monitor. By addressing this swing characteristic, golfers can improve their overall performance, leading to straighter and more powerful shots on the course and less lost balls. Get started today by booking your first session!. Preseason is a great time to take this on!

Golf is 4 Life! Lets enjoy it along the way!