Peter Malnati and Emiliano Grillo point right into 2018 at the Travelers Championship.
Getty Images
Andrew Rice, whose video was recorded and his tweet of the video shared, got the answer. Why, the commenter wrote, there are so many pieces of content – about how to treat a piece.
Said Rice:
“Hmm! I wonder why…?”
Indeed. Fixing a slice is a popular topic, as a slice is the most commonly encountered error. That said, Rice, a GOLF Top 100 instructor, believes there are three steps to directing the plane from right to left (or left to right), and you can watch it in the video below. We’ll update them when you’re done watching them.
1. Clubface adjustment
“Every game, I want you to keep the clubface as tight as you can,” Rice said in the video. “That means going back, looking down; come down, face down.”
2. Correct rotation
“From the top of the backswing, I want you to finish any rotation,” Rice said in the video. “We will not open. You’re going to keep your back toward the target, your hips as locked as you can drive into the golf ball.”
3. Front-side drive fix
“That’s where we’re going to drive to our front side,” Rice said in the video. “I want you to feel like you have a good swing in that lead foot, and that will allow us to get pressure behind the golf ball.”
At this point in the video, Rice swung, and his ball bounced. Will his fix take time to bake? Yes. But do they account for what leads to destruction? And yes.
Let’s keep the conversation going. Last year, Kellie Stenzel, another GOLF Top 100 teacher, wrote an article for this site titled “10 ways to stop cutting the ball off the tee (good)!”, and you can read that article by clicking here, or by scrolling. below.
***
If there is one problem that many beginners struggle with, it is cutting the golf ball.
Go to any driving range or golf course and you’ll see your fair share of players doing this, depriving themselves of distance, and being forced to play off the fairway.
But there are ways to avoid the frustration of cutting – it just takes a few adjustments, understanding and the right attitude. If you are open to teaching, before you know it, you will be hitting the ball forward and straight.
To help you get there, I’m giving you 10 ways to stop cutting the ball for good. Check them out below.
10 ways to stop cutting the ball off the tee (good!)
By:
Kellie Stenzel, Top 100 Teachers
1. Focus on the clubface
Most golfers who cut the ball have an open clubface during their swing – not just at impact.
The clubface has a huge influence on the swing of the ball, so it’s important to get it square as soon as possible in your swing. Remember, the ball will deflect where the clubface is aiming, so if the face is open, the contact is not square – which will cause the ball to cut.
2. Holding
To avoid cutting the golf ball, your grip needs to be spot on. This means that the club in your lead hand is properly gripped with the fingers and not the palm. For those golfers who have a hole in their glove, this means you are holding the club incorrectly.
Most cutting golfers tend to place their thumb straight down in the middle of the grip. Instead, place your thumb just off-center to the right if you’re a right-handed golfer, and to the left if you’re a left-handed golfer.
3. Standing
Posture has a lot to do with good communication. This means that your arms hang with your hands under your shoulders, which will help focus your swinging club.
Naturally, your arms swing where they hang, so good posture will help you stay longer in flight.
4. Depth of return
You absolutely need to let the club go off your back as your chance. Depth is directly related to the rotation of your body through the back and hips, rather than using only your arms.
When you turn and rotate your body, you can allow the arms to rotate around your shoulder line. This correct technique will help produce a straight shot or draw – assuming your grip and clubface are correct.
5. Release
To help combat this issue, I suggest using one of my favorite exercises.
Separate your hands from the club grip by 4 to 6 inches, and perform your normal golf swing. The clubhead doesn’t need to hit the ground when you do this, and you don’t even need to use the ball at first.
Try to feel a little ‘whoosh’ in the forward swing, and, because your hands are spread apart, it should influence the clubface to stay square and closed.
If you are too tight, or delay this release, you won’t be able to hear the ‘whoosh’ sound.
Once you hit the ball, bring your hands back together, trying to release the clubface.
6. Exaggerated relief
I think drills are a great way to prevent you from cutting the golf ball – so here’s one to try.
Place your ball on the low tee.
Now, take a half-swing with a short to medium iron, and, on your forward swing, try to exaggerate the release of the clubface by making the face face down. It should be at hip level on the front side of your swing.
If done correctly, you should be able to produce hooks due to this exaggerated release.
7. Be willing to hit the hooks
Having a positive attitude and trusting the process goes a long way when trying to make changes to your golf game.
So if you have a long cut, hitting a draw or a hook will sound and feel really good – as it produces a very strong connection.
Just remember to be patient as you make changes to your swing – nothing will be fixed overnight.
8. The way down
Beyond the clubface effect, the second major influence on the ball’s flight is the downward path. This is where you will want your arms to swing down over your shoulder line.
To get a feel for this, I recommend using directional sticks, which can help guide your swing on the way out and off the ball.
Putting things in a way to avoid this high road will help provide feedback and improvement.
9. End disagreements
As mentioned earlier, tension can greatly influence your piece. So you’ll want to try to slow it down for a natural release and speed.
Most club grips are tapered, meaning they are larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. However, many beginners grip the club too tightly, wrongly thinking it will go over them if they loosen their grip.
Instead of using a deadlift, hold the club lightly. This will allow you to feel the weight of the clubhead throughout your golf swing.
10. Close your posture
To help improve your turning ability and have depth in your backswing, try closing your stance.
Take your normal setup and aim your clubface at your target. Then, just drop your foot back about 2 to 6 inches, letting your shoulders and arms react to this as well.
This subtle movement will give you a head start on your timing, helping the club to come out more on the inside – which will help finish the pieces.
Nick Piastowski
Golf.com Editor
Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for planning, writing and promoting news on the golf course. And when he’s not writing about how to hit the golf ball forward and straight, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash down his scores. You can contact him about any of these topics – his news, his game or his beer – at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
