how do I stop slicing the ball

Question
Hi,my handicap is 28 and i have a dunlop cube driver,10.5,stiff shaft.Every time i hit my driver off the tee I slice it realy bad,i slice it a bit with my 3 wood but every other club in my bag is fine,straight every time,all i ask is to tell me what I mite be doing wrong.

Thanks!
Connor

Answer
Hi Connor:

The best advice I can give you is to get some golf instruction from a PGA Professional in your area.  They can help you fix your problem for good.  It's frustrating isn't it?  The reason you slice the ball is the clubface is open at impact.  If the face of the club is open (means pointing to the right of the target assuming you are a right handed golfer), at impact, it imparts left to right spin on the ball as the clubface moves across the ball.  Plus, if you slice it real bad, which it appears you do, then the club is also moving too far to the left as it goes through impact instead of the club swinging towards the target.  So, in order to hit the ball straight, you must learn how to square the clubface up against the back of the ball at impact.  A square clubface means the leading edge of the face (at the bottom) is at a 90 degree angle to the target line AT IMPACT.  If your face is wide open, you must learn how to grip the club correctly and use your hands correctly so you can rotate or turn the clubface into the ball at impact.  So here is the motion you can practice until you get yourself some lessons.  Stand straight up.  Extend your right arm straight out to your right side and turn the palm of your hand to the sky.  In this example, the palm of your hand is the clubface.  Now, swing your arm out in front of you and when the arm is straight out in front of your chest, your right palm should be facing the target now.  Do it slowly a few times again and notice how the hand rotates as your arm gets more out in front of you to get the clubface square at impact.  That is what the clubface needs to do when you swing it.  Then, slowly continue the arm swinging around to the left, turn with it to the left, and as the arm gets straight out to the left (like before on the other side), the palm of your hand should be facing the ground.  So in a nutshell and only in example Connor, that is the motion needed to correct a slice.  You need to learn how to square up the clubface at impact.  Go practice with a wedge or a 7 iron and practice turning the clubface over.  Make some small swings and watch what happens.  Gradually work your way up to your driver.  Do the same thing.  Once you get your lessons, make sure your Pro checks the stiffness of the shaft in your driver.  As a 28 handicap, that is probably too stiff.  Too stiff a club means the face stays open aiding in the slice of the ball.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member