The Slice

The Cause - Slice

The cause to every outcome begins in the overall movement of energy the golfer creates. Every movement, from large to small (referenced here and in the foundational material), falls within the parameters of our measurement.

The Large = Full Body Weight

The Middle = Shoulders, Hips, Knees

The Small = Head, Hands, Feet

The cause of the slice, at Position A, is a strong lateral (yellow) movement away from the ball. This means the player’s motion is laterally dominant. Based on the small to large positions of the body, the position created at A increases the likelihood of something happening at both B and C.

(Right Image from Foundational Material - Repeat Text Here)

Red Arrow = Rotational Movement

Yellow Arrow = Lateral Movement

Green/Blue Arrow = Path From*

When a slice occurs, typically position B is heavily on the body early and club behind at impact. The relationship between the body and the club is both lateral and rotational when it is said to be “early or late.”

A laterally heavy Position A will preset a higher probability the body will be early both laterally and rotationally. This creates a heavy yellow position B.

Yellow: Body is Early = Club is Late = Right Bias

Orange: Body = Club = Straight Bias

Red: Body is Late = Club is Early = Left Bias

The permutation of Position A and Position B place cause upon the clubpath and clubface. The combination of Position A and Position B output a probability effect at Position C.

For a slice a true slice where the ball starts left and finishes back on line, the path is left. Most players hit a Push-Fade, which is a combination of an inside out path with an open face.

Red Arrow = Push to the Right = Right Bias

Orange Arrow = Push Straight = Straight Bias

Yellow Arrow = Push to the Left = Left Bias

Right handers would mostly call this a Pull* to the Left.

Pictured Next: Comparing the Correct Position for a Straight Flight (left) and the Slice Flight (right).

(Pictured below: Each position broken down comparing a straight flight - top* to a slice flight - bottom*).

“All of the ‘Large’ positions at A, B, and C that create each ball flight (below). Large includes everything from the weight transfer and turn to the grip and release of the club. If we swing with the Large Muscles, the small will eventually fall in line. We still do want to understand the small parts. As beginners, focusing on how you move your body is more important than the club path, face, or position. The small does play a huge part in capturing the energy the Large creates and discharging that energy into speed or spin of the ball flight.

Really, the slice is the most common miss for some very obvious scientific reasons. The golf swing is about making room and displacing pressure. For a golfer that stands on the left side of the target line, a barrier is added. The goal of the swing is to remove that barrier at the perfect moment in time. The slice is produce because new golfers cannot precisely time multiple moving parts at impact. Pressure exits the system the quickest and easiest way possible - to the right of the target line.”

-Instructor

  • Straight

  • Fade

  • Push

  • Push-Fade

  • Draw

  • Pull

  • Pull-Draw

  • Heavy/Thin Miss

  • Left or Right Miss

Isn’t this about shaping the ball? “

Yes and no. This is about understanding the miss and then missing on purpose. Each shot possesses a correction. If the ball did not go in the hole, there was a correction to be made. Golf is not a game of perfect. Golf is a game of understanding the cracks that create puzzling imperfections.”

-Blaine