Of all of the problems that might develop with a golfer’s swing, an uncontrollable slice can be one of the most frustrating and disheartening. While a wild hook might land a golfer in the woods more often, it brings with it a certain satisfaction insofar as spin of that sort can contribute to distance off the tee. A slice, on the other hand, is a fundamentally weak shot, with the ball spinning and sliding off the club face in a way that robs it of power and turns the energy of the swing into little more than excess height.

Fortunately, a slice is often easier to cure than a hook is, and a couple of golf driving tips for slice problems are often enough to do the trick. Two separate factors can contribute to a habitual slice, with many golfers who have one exhibiting some degree of each. The first of these is a swing path that cuts overly much from outside to in compared to the intended flight path of the ball. The second of these is a lack of hand action through the hitting area, meaning that the club face is left excessively open when it should be squaring up for contact.

A number of different weaknesses can contribute to the first of these problems. One of the most common and easiest to fix is a setup that is simply too open to begin with, as many golfers feel more connected to their target when they align their feet in this way. Correcting this issue is typically just a matter of learning to square the stance and shoulders properly, and to become habitual about “feeling” the target with the leading shoulder rather than the chest.

As for hands that are too lazy, resulting in slices, corrective action can be a little more complicated. Some few natural golfers have swings that virtually guarantee that the hands follow properly as the upper body uncoils and unleashes the swing’s pent-up power, but many other golfers need to learn proper hand rotation through practice and the accumulation of muscle memory. For many golfers, though, simply spending enough time on the range thinking about turning the hands over as they move through the bottom of the swing eventually imparts the necessary knowledge.