Causes

and Cure of a Slice

Introduction

This review paper discusses many causes of a slice problem,

and it offers analytical golfers many suggested cures that are
causally-related to the relevant underlying causes of a slice.
Many golf instructional books state that a slice is the most
frequent problem affecting amateur golfers and it has
frequently been stated that as many as 80-90% of beginner
golfers have a slice problem. A slice problem can be a very
persistent problem for many golfers, because there are
many, many causes of a slice problem and a slice problem
may persist if all the underlying causes are not
systematically eradicated. I have read many golf
instructional books and I have viewed many golf
instructional videos that deal with the problem of a slice,
and I have noted that they often only mention a few causes
of a slice. They also offer a limited amount of useful advice
because their suggested cures are small in number and not
necessarily causally related to the slice problem from a
biomechanical, or mechanical, perspective. Many suggested
cures are merely exaggerated movements that are opposite
in form/direction to those causing the slice problem, rather
than being solidly based on sound golf
biomechanics/mechanics. I don't believe that a golfer should
attempt to cure his slice problem by using a variable number
of biomechanically unrelated golf tips, and I believe that a
golfer should attempt to recontruct his swing in a
biomechanically/mechanically sound manner so that it
eliminates his slice tendencies.
The best golf instructional video that I have seen regarding
the causes/cure of a slice problem is a 16-minute swing
video by Oliver Heuler [1]. Oliver Heuler is a deeply
analytical golf instructor, who is based in Germany, and he
has obviously spent a large amount of time studying the
slice swing fault. He has produced an excellent swing video
lesson and I highly recommend that all golfers view his slice
video lesson. I will be using his swing video lesson as a
"framework" to format this review paper, but I will be
offering my website visitors my personal/independent
opinions regarding the optimum method of dealing with
each particular slice problem. My website visitors can then
independently decide which suggested cure (Oliver Heuler's
or mine) makes more sense from a biomechanical and
mechanical perspective.

What is a slice?

A sliced shot is a shot where the ball curves to the right due
to the presence of slice spin that is imparted to the ball at
impact. Slice spin is imparted to the ball if the clubface is
open (relative to the clubhead swing path) at impact. A
sliced ball will always curve to the right, but its original
direction of flight is significantly affected by the clubhead
swingpath.



Slice ball flight - as influenced by the clubhead swingpath


The clubhead swingpath is depicted in green, the ball-
target line is depicted in black, the clubface is depicted in
blue, and the slice ball flight is depicted in red. In all these
examples, the ball curves to the right as a result of slice spin.
The first image demonstrates a straight slice ball flight. The
clubhead swingpath is "correctly" in-to-in and the clubhead
approaches the ball from inside the ball-target line and then
becomes square to the target by impact. The ball slices to
the right because the clubface is open at impact (relative to
the ball-target line and relative to the clubhead swingpath
which is directed straight towards the target at the exact
moment of impact). The initial direction of ball flight is
primarily affected (70-90% affected) by the clubface angle
and less affected by the clubhead swingpath at impact. This
"fact" is a reversal of a commonly held "belief" that
previously formed the foundation of the old ball flight laws.
According to older ball flight laws, the original direction of
ball flight would be primarily in the direction of the
clubhead swingpath, while any ball flight curve would be
dependent on the clubface angle (relative to the clubhead
swingpath). According to this old ball flight theory, if the
clubhead swingpath is in-to-out through impact, then the
ball would start off towards the right. If the clubface is open
(relative to the clubhead swingpath) at impact, then the ball
would curve even further to the right and result in a push-
slice ball flight. If the clubface is closed (relative to the
clubhead swingpath) at impact, then the ball would start to
the right, but curve leftwards due to draw spin imparted by
the closed clubface. However, a large amount of evidence
from Trackman machines has demonstrated that it is the
clubface, and not the clubhead swingpath, that primarily
influences the initial direction of ball flight. The old PGA
ball flight law predicts that the ball would start on the path
and curve to the face, while modern ball flight theory
predicts that the ball will start in a direction that is 80%
directed towards the clubface angle and that it will curve
away from the path.
The following composite photo shows the difference in
predicted ball flight between old ball flight laws and modern
ball flight theory (D-plane theory).



Ball flight photo - constructed from two orginal Brian

Manzella photos [2]

In both images, the clubface is facing the target at impact,
while the clubhead swingpath is in-to-out (relative to the
ball-target line).
The first image shows the predicted ball flight - according
to the old ball flight laws. The ball flight starts off in the
direction of the clubhead swingpath and then curves to the
left because the clubface (which is facing the target) is
closed relative to the clubhead swingpath. The closed
clubface imparts draw spin to the ball, which causes the ball
to curve to the left.
The second image better reflects reality. The initial ball
flight direction is 80% determined by the clubface angle,
and the ball starts off just to the right of the target. The ball
then curves to the left because the clubface is closed relative
to the clubhead swingpath at impact, which results in draw
spin.
If a golfer understands this point, then he can better
understand the different patterns of ball flight in sliced
shots.



Slice ball flight - as influenced by the clubhead swingpath


The first image shows a straight slice ball flight pattern.
Although it is labelled a straight slice pattern, the ball
actually starts off in a direction that is slightly right-of-
straight (due to the clubface being open and facing slightly
right of the target) and it curves further to the right (due to
the presence of slice spin).
The second image shows a pull-slice ball flight pattern. The
ball starts off in a direction that is slightly left-of-straight
and it curves to the right (due to the presence of slice spin
caused by the clubface being open relative to the clubhead
swingpath).
The second image shows a push-slice ball flight pattern.
The ball starts off in a direction that is significantly right-
of-straight, and it curves further to the right (due to the
presence of slice spin caused by the clubface being open
relative to the clubhead swingpath).
A golfer who has either a pull-slice or a push-slice ball flight
pattern has two problems that need remediation - i) an
incorrect clubhead swingpath and ii) an open clubface
problem. A golfer who has a straight slice ball flight pattern
only needs to correct his open clubface problem, because he
doesn't have a clubhead swingpath problem.

Causes of a slice

Straight slice ball flight pattern


I am going to start off by describing golf swing errors that
cause a straight slice ball flight pattern - where the problem
is due to an open clubface and not due to any clubhead
swingpath problem.
1) Open clubface at address (and therefore impact) -
despite a neutral grip.
If a golfer has a neutral grip and a perfect golf swing that
can generate a perfect in-to-square-to-in clubhead
swingpath, then he can still slice the ball if the clubface is
open at address (open relative to the back of the left
hand). The back of the left hand should be facing the target
at address/impact, and the clubface should also be facing the
target. If the back of the left hand faces the target at address,
but the clubface is directed to the right-of-the-target, then
the clubface is open (relative to the left hand) at address.
I think that one of the best ways of checking to see whether
the clubface is open (relative to the back of the left hand) is
to hold the club in front of one's face - as demonstrated by
Brian Manzella in this next photo.

Checking left hand/clubface alignment - from reference

number [3]

In this photo, Brian Manzella is holding his left
arm/forearm parallel to the ground, so that the clubshaft is
angled slightly inwards in front of his face. Note that the
back of his left hand is flat and straight-in-line with this left
forearm. He is looking at the clubface and noting that the
lower groove lines on the clubface (represented by the
yellow line) are parallel to the back of the left hand. One
should not look at the lower edge of the clubface because
the lower edge of the clubface may be rounded and not
parallel to the clubface's groove lines.
Note that the clubshaft is parallel to the left forearm, but
slightly closer to the ground than the left forearm - and that
is due to the fact that the left wrist is slightly palmar flexed,
which flattens the left wrist. A flat left wrist automatically
means that the grip end of the club is not straight-in-line
with the left forearm - if one has a neutral grip (see "weak
grip" as a cause of an open clubface for further details).
If a golfer has a neutral grip and a clubface that is neutral
relative to the back of the flat left wrist/hand, then he can be
sure that the clubface will be facing the target at impact if
the back of the left hand is facing the target at impact.



VJ Singh at impact
Note that VJ Singh's flat left wrist/hand and clubface is
facing the target at impact.

2) Open clubface at impact due to a weak grip
If a golfer has a weak grip, it predisposes to an open clubface
at impact because the hands are further forward at impact
(compared to the address position).


Hands at impact - from reference number [4]
Note that in a good golfer's swing that the hands are a few
inches further forward at impact (compared to their address
position) and that there is forward clubshaft lean at impact
(hands are ahead of the clubhead) - and this causes the
clubface to be more open if a golfer has a weak grip.
A beginner golfer must clearly understand the difference
between a weak and a neutral grip, and he must also
understand why a neutral grip produces a cupped/scooped
left wrist at address.
In his swing video lesson, Oliver Heuler demonstrates the
difference between a weak grip and a neutral grip, and he
states that a golfer must ensure that there is a 30 degree
angle in the back of his left wrist at address. I am not sure
how he measures the angle, and I presume that it is the angle
between the back of the left hand and the left forearm axis.


Neutral grip - from reference number [1]
Note that the left wrist appears to be bent backwards
(dorsiflexed) at the level of the left wrist joint, and the left
wrist is not flat. What causes the left wrist to be
cupped/scooped at address when a golfer adopts a neutral
grip?
If a beginner golfer wants to learn how to acquire a neutral
grip, then he should start with his left forearm parallel to the
ground while ensuring that the radial border of the left
forearm faces the sky. He should then stretch out the left
hand/fingers so that the back of the flat left hand is straight-
in-line with the back of the left forearm - see next photo.



Neutral hand grip attitude when grasping a rounded object

Image 1 shows a neutral wrist position where the left wrist
is neither dorsiflexed (bent backwards) or palmar flexed
(bent forwards) - note that the back of the flat left hand is
straight-in-line with the back of the left forearm. A line
drawn along the top of the left forearm is also straight-in-
line with the top of left index finger - which means that the
wrist is level (neither upcocked or downcocked).
Image 2 shows how the back of the left wrist
automatically/passively becomes scooped/cupped when the
left hand attempts to grasp an object. This dorsiflexion of
the left wrist occurs naturally/automatically and it is not a
deliberate action.
Image 3 shows that the degree of left wrist dorsiflexion
(degree of cupping) increases when one grasps a rounded
object that has a wide diameter.
If a golfer wants to practice holding a rounded object using
a neutral grip, then he should practice the motion of
reaching out in a neutral manner to grasp a rounded object
(eg. beer can) placed directly in front of his extended left
forearm (while ensuring that the radial border of the left
forearm faces skywards). That is the type of motion that he
should then use to grasp the rounded grip of his club.



Neutral grip and weak hand grip

Image 1 shows a neutral left hand grip at address (as
viewed from a golfer's normal eye position at address). Note
that the left wrist is slightly cupped (dorsiflexed) due to the
fact that the left hand is grasping a rounded object. Note that
the left thumb is placed just to the right of the center of the
top-of-the-shaft (slightly aft of the club). Note that one can
can clearly see two knuckles of the left hand. The amount
of cupping in the left wrist depends on the position of the
hands at address - there will naturally be more cupping if the
hands move closer to the right leg than the left leg.
Image 2 shows a neutral left hand grip at impact. Note
that there is forward shaft lean (due to the hands being ahead
of the clubhead at impact). Note that the left wrist is
flat. The left wrist is flat because the left wrist is slightly
palmar flexed (which means that the clubshaft's grip is not
in a straight-in-line relationship with the left forearm).
Image 3 shows a weak left hand grip at address. Note that
the hand has rotated counterclockwise on the grip so that
one can only see one knuckle of the left hand. Note that the
thumb is placed straight down the top of the shaft. Note that
the left wrist appears less cupped (less dorsiflexed).
A golfer should avoid adopting a weak grip because it
predisposes to an open clubface at impact - because the
hands are ahead of the clubhead at impact (thereby
producing forward shaft lean at impact).
Many golf instructors routinely advise their students to
adopt a strong grip when their student has a slice problem -
even if their grip is neutral and not the cause of their slice
problem. I think that it is a mistake to ever advise a golfer
to adopt a strong grip. A strong grip has many
disadvantages, and it doesn't necessarily cure the "true"
cause of the slice problem. I believe that the only
biomechanically-acceptable grip is a neutral grip, or a
slightly strong grip (where one can see three knuckles of the
left hand).
3) Open clubface at the end-backswing position
If a golfer has a neutral left hand grip at address, then the
left wrist will appear slightly scooped at address. That
should be the only time point during the backswing/
downswing when the left wrist is not flat. As soon as a golfer
starts the backswing, the left wrist should
automatically/passively become flat - due to a small degree
of palmar flexion of the left wrist induced by a bending right
wrist. The right wrist should start bending back
(dorsiflexing) at the initiation of the takeaway action, and
the degree of right wrist bending should progressively
increase during the backswing. This right wrist bending
action will ensure that the left wrist remains flat during the
backswing and that it is flat at the end-backswing position.



End-backswing position - from reference number 1

Image 1 demonstrates the "correct" position of the left
wrist/hand at the end-backswing position - note that the left
wrist is flat and note that the clubface is parallel to the back
of the flat left wrist and at an angle to the ground. In his
swing video lesson, Oliver Heuler states that he
"neutralises" the left wrist in the backswing, and what he
describes is simply the normal action of flattening the left
wrist during the backswing. I don't like his use of the word
"neutralise" because it implies that the left wrist was not
neutral at address - which is not true.
I believe that the "flat left wrist" phenomenon will happen
automatically if one performs a backswing action correctly.
If one uses a right forearm takeaway action - as
recommended in my review paper on How to Move the
Arms, Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing - then the right
hand carries the left hand to the end-backswing position. If
the right upper limb moves "correctly" (right arm externally
rotates at the level of the right shoulder socket and the right
elbow progressively bends to a 90 degree angle and the right
wrist progressively bends back while remaining level) then
it should allow the left wrist/hand to remain flat throughout
the entire backswing action so that one ends up with a flat
left wrist/hand at the end-backswing position (as in image
1).
See this swing video lesson segment for a visual
demonstration of how the left arm/wrist/hand should move
in the backswing
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9OQevIZS38 . The
discussion of the left arm/wrist/hand motions starts at 3:15
minutes and continues in the next video segment
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOlhnUpqxHI .
Image 2 shows an open clubface at the end-backswing
position due to a straightening right wrist action that twirls
the grip within the left hand. That should never happen if
the grip is held firmly within the grasp of the left hand.
Image 3 shows an open clubface at the end-backswing
position due to a left hand opening-up action (which causes
the proximal phalanges of the fingers of the left hand to
become straight-in-line with the back of the left hand. A
golfer should never allow his left hand to open during the
backswing, and a golfer should maintain a firm grasp of the
grip end of the club with the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers of the
left hand.
Oliver Heuler doesn't discuss what I believe is the most
common cause of an open clubface at the end-backswing
position - an upcocking action of the right wrist. In my
review paper How to Move the Arms, Wrists and Hands in
the Golf Swing, I described how the right upper limb must
move to keep the clubshaft on-plane in the backswing. I
mentioned that a key factor that keeps the clubshaft on-
plane is the "correct" movement of the right wrist. I
mentioned that the right wrist must bend backwards during
the backswing while remaining level. The right wrist must
not cock upwards during the backswing. If the right wrist
cocks upwards in the late downswing, then it will move the
clubshaft off-plane and cause it to cross the line, and it will
also cause cupping of the left wrist and an open clubface
(toe of the club will be pointing more towards the ground).


Author with left wrist cupping and an open clubface at the
end-backswing
Note that my left wrist is not flat - it is slightly cupped. That
is due to a lifting of the arms in the late backswing coupled
with an upcocking action of the right wrist - which causes
the clubshaft to move off-plane and cross the line. Note that
the toe of the club is pointing groundwards and that the
clubface is not parallel to the left forearm - and that
represents an open clubface. If the left wrist remains cupped
during the early-mid downswing, then it will predispose to
an open clubface at impact.
4) Open clubface at impact
If a golfer doesn't have the previously mentioned causes of
an open clubface (numbers 1-3), then he can still have an
open clubface at impact if he doesn't successfully complete
the release swivel action by impact. During the release
swivel action (which occurs when the clubshaft moves from
its delivery position to its impact position), the clubhead has
to rotate about 90 degrees so that the clubface can become
square by impact. A number of factors can prevent
successful completion of this release swivel action by
impact.
i) An open clubface at impact can occur if the golfer shifts
the pelvis too far left-laterally during the downswing.



Oliver Heuler demonstrating a pelvis over-slide action -
from reference number 1
Note that the outer border of his left pelvis (red arrow) is
outside the left foot, and that it is due to excessive sliding of
the left pelvis left-laterally during the downswing. When the
pelvis slides too far left-laterally, it moves the spine too far
to the left and it causes the hands to get to impact too far
ahead of the ball with an open clubface. To prevent this
problem, a golfer needs to learn how to brace his left-side
during the downswing. I discussed this issue in my
downswing chapter and I recommend this useful Shawn
Clement swing video lesson that discusses the issue of
bracing the left side.
Shawn Clement swing video lesson -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI3i936JRd0
ii) An open clubface at impact can occur if the hands move
too far forward of the ball by impact - even if the torso is
successfully braced so as to prevent excessive left-lateral
pelvic sliding.

Oliver Heuler demonstrating a too-far forward hand

position at impact - from reference number [1]
If the hands are too far forward at impact, then it predisposes
to an open clubface at impact. A golfer must avoid getting
the hands too far forward by impact by avoiding any
predisposing factors - i) swinging the hands too fast towards
impact so that the hands get to impact far ahead of the
clubhead; ii) actively applying push-pressure with the right
arm at PP#1 during the mid-late downswing that pushes the
left hand too fast/far into impact.
The degree of open clubface at impact is also influenced by
ball position. The further back the ball position, the more
likely the clubface will be open (for a given position of the
hands at impact) because there is less time to complete the
release swivel action.
iii) An open clubface at impact can occur if the golfer tries
to maintain a late lag position too far into the downswing.

Oliver Heuler demonstrating a late lag release position -

from reference number [1]
Many amateur golfers see certain professional golfers (eg.
Sergio Garcia) using a late release action where the pro
golfer maintains a 90 degree clubshaft-left arm angle to this
position (see above photo) in their late downswing, and they
attempt to mimic that action by artificially "holding onto
their left wrist-clubshaft lag angle". However, it is
extremely difficult to square the clubface from this late
release position, and it will often result in an incomplete
release action if a golfer doesn't have the skill to complete
the release action by impact. By attempting to artificially
"hold onto the 90 degree left arm-clubshaft lag angle" until
late in the downswing, a golfer interferes with the
natural/automatic centrifugal-induced release action and it
becomes even less likely that the clubface will become
square by impact. A golfer, who is a swinger, must have
relaxed wrists, because stiff wrists prevent the successful
completion of a natural release swivel action.
5) Open clubface during impact.
During a normal swinger's action, the clubface should be 1-
2 degrees open at the time of first ball contact, and it should
continue to close during the time period of ball-clubface
contact. The clubface should be square to the target at the
exact moment of ball-clubface separation in order for the
ball to go straight. If the clubface is closing slightly as the
clubhead passes through impact (due to a horizontal
hinging action), then it will impart a small degree of draw
spin on the ball. The ball will go straight and tend to fall to
the left at the end of the ball flight. By contrast, if the
clubface is opening slightly as the clubhead passes through
impact (due to a vertical hinging action [reverse roll action]
that produces clubface layback), then it will impart a small
degree of slice spin on the ball. The ball will tend to go
straight but it will curve to the right during the late ball flight
due to the presence of slice spin. The amount that the ball
slices to the right depends on whether another cause of an
open clubface is present - because they will act together to
increase the amount the ball curves to the right.
See my impact chapter for more details on
horizontal/angled/vertical hinging actions.

Open clubface due to a steep clubhead path

The clubshaft is normally at a 40-50 degree angle to the
ground at impact, and the sole of the clubhead should be
parallel to the ground. The exact clubshaft angle at impact
depends on the club - being steeper for short irons,
compared to long irons and woods. If the clubshaft is at an
excessively steep angle at impact, then the clubface will be
slightly open even if the grip is neutral and even if the
clubface is parallel to the back of the left hand at address.



Oliver Heuler demonstrating the fact that an upright
clubshaft causes the clubface to be slightly open - from
reference number [1]
Note that the pencil, which is vertical to the clubface, points
to the right. Note that the heel of the club is higher than the
toe of the club - due to the steep clubshaft angle.
There are a number of causes of a steep clubshaft path
through the impact zone (other than an OTT move which I
will discuss separately).
i) Steep clubshaft path pattern due to high hands at address.



Oliver Heuler demonstrating a steep swing - from reference
number [1]
A golfer may hold his clubshaft at address so that the
clubshaft is in a straight-in-line relationship with the left
arm (image 1). This high hand position can be due to
holding the grip end of the club in the mid-palm position -
with the butt end of the club being above the heel pad
(hypothenar eminence) of the left hand. The golfer then lifts
his arms upwards along a steep path during the backswing
(image 2). If the golfer swings the clubshaft down the same
steep path, then the clubshaft will be very steep at impact,
and the clubface is likely to be open. The golfer may also
"hold the clubface open" in the direction of the target in the
followthrough, which may aggravate the open clubface
problem. This type of open clubface problem requires that a
golfer learn how to grip the club correctly below the heel
pad of the left hand, so that there is an angle between the left
arm and the clubshaft at address. The golfer then also needs
to learn how to perform a "correct" backswing pivot action
that is rotary in nature. That will allow the golfer to acquire
a shallower left arm and clubshaft angle during the
backswing and downswing.
ii) Steep clubshaft path due to excess bend at the level of
the hips.



Oliver Heuler demonstrating a too-bent-over address
posture - from reference number [1]
If a golfer bends excessively at the waist (hip level), then it
predisposes to a steep backswing clubshaft path. Note that
the butt end of the clubshaft is pointing at the toes in image
2 - when it should be pointing at the ball-target line at this
time point in the mid-backswing. Note that there is little
knee bend at address, and this "stiff knee" condition
prevents the pelvis from easily rotating. Virtually all the
torso rotation is due to an upper body (shoulder) rotation.
The shoulders rotate perpendicularly around the bent-over
spine, and that causes the shoulders, and therefore the
arms/clubshaft, to rotate in a more vertical plane - like a
ferris wheel. This problem may be readily remedied if the
golfer adopts the correct amount of bend at the level of the
hips. If a golfer has a "correct" posture at address, then a
vertical line drawn through the middle of the right arm
should pass just in front of the knees and hit the ground at
toe level (or just ahead of the toes).



Nick Faldo - address posture - from reference number [5]
Note that Nick Faldo has more bend at knee level and less
bend at the level of the hips, and that the green line hits the
ground just ahead of his toes.
iii) Steep clubshaft path due to reverse pivoting.



Oliver Heuler demonstrating an incorrect takeaway action

and reverse pivoting - from reference number [1]
A golfer may start the one-piece takeaway action by moving
the clubhead out towards the ball-target line while leaning
the upper torso to the left. This causes the clubshaft to end
up in a steep position above the right clavicle (collar bone).
There is usually no rotation of the lower torso (pelvis)
during this type of backswing action, and the pelvis either
sways to the right or it remains static. When the golfer starts
the downswing, it is difficult to start the downswing with
"correct" kinetic sequencing (lower body moves first, upper
body moves second) and the downswing may start with an
arm movement that throws the arms/clubshaft down
towards the ground along a steep path that passes just in
front of the right shoulder. The arms/clubshaft track down
steeply towards the ball - in front of the right upper torso -
because there is no space under the right shoulder. The
golfer often ends up holding the clubface open through
impact (image 3).



Oliver Heuler demonstrating a reverse pivot and a "rock-
and-block" action - from reference number [1]
In this example, Oliver Heuler is demonstrating a "rock-
and-block" body motion. During the backswing, the golfer
tilts his head to the left while swaying his pelvis to the right.
He then lifts the arms and clubshaft steeply upwards to a
position above his neck. During the downswing, the golfer
sways the pelvis leftwards in order to acquire rightwards
spinal tilt by impact, and this lateral to-and fro swaying
motion, that causes a steep shoulder turn in the
backswing/downswing, produces a motion that John Jacobs
called "rock-and-block". The arms and clubshaft descend
too steeply down to the ball and the clubface is open at
impact, resulting in push-sliced shots.
Reverse pivoting is a major swing fault, that requires a
complete reconstruction of the golfer's backswing action. A
reverse pivoting golfer must learn how to perform a
"correct" backswing pivot action as demonstrated by Brady
Riggs in the following swing video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOr5nNqYEw



Brady Riggs demonstrating a reverse pivot and a "correct"

pivot action
A yellow line was drawn along the outer border of Brady
Riggs' right thigh/hip at address. In image 1, one can see that
Brady Riggs has allowed his right hip to slide to the right in
the early backswing and that he is keeping his head
"fixedly" stationary during the entire backswing. That
causes his spine to tilt to the left into a reverse pivot position.
Image 2 shows what happens at the start of the downswing
when one starts the downswing from a reverse pivot
position. Because the arms are cramped and there is no
space under the right shoulder for the arms to move down to
the ball, the reverse pivoting golfer tends to throw his arms
forwards over the toe line in a steep over-the-top move.
Image 3 shows the "correct" backswing pivot movement.
Note that Brady Riggs has rotated his pelvis, which causes
his right buttocks to move leftwards and backwards (away
from the ball-target line). Note that "air" appears between
the right pelvis and the yellow line, which is a sign of a
correct right hip pivot movement. Note that there is a large
amount of space under the right shoulder for the arms to
move down to the ball, and that there is no sense of arm
restriction. One can also sense, that when the downswing
starts with a pelvis shift-rotation movement to the left, that
the right elbow will be passively pulled down to the right
hip area, and that the arms will drop down along the
"correct" downswing arm swingpath. I have described this
action in great detail in my review paper on The Backswing
and Downswing Hip Pivot Movements; Their Critical Role
in the Golf swing.

Pull-slice ball flight pattern


A pull-slice ball flight pattern is usually due to a
combination of an out-to-in clubhead swingpath and an
open clubface (relative to the clubhead swingpath).
Golfers who have an out-to-in clubhead swingpath will pull
the ball left if the clubface is square to the clubhead
swingpath at impact. To prevent the ball going left, the
golfer may attempt to direct the ball towards the target by
trying to "hold the clubface open" in the direction of the
target through impact, and this will result in an open
clubface relative to the clubhead swingpath. The end result
is a pull-slice ball flight pattern. The ball will start off in a
direction that is just to the left of the target and curve away
to the right (away from the clubhead swingpath).
I believe (like Oliver Heuler) that a pull-slice golfer should
first correct the clubhead swingpath problem before he
addresses the open clubface problem. The open clubface
problem may simply disappear if the out-to-in clubhead
swingpath problem is corrected, because the open clubface
problem may be a reactive mechanism that a golfer adopts
to prevent a left-pull ball flight.
There are a number of causes of an out-to-in clubhead
swingpath, and I will discuss them in sequence.
Out-to-in clubhead swingpath problem due to an
incorrect address posture
A golfer may generate an out-to-in clubhead swingpath
because his shoulders are open at address and the ball is
positioned too far forward.



Golfer at address - from reference number [6]
In image 1, the ball is positioned well forward of the left
foot and the shoulders are open at address. This address
position predisposes to an out-to-in clubhead swingpath
through impact. The problem can often be corrected by
moving the ball back a few inches, and by ensuring that the
shoulders are squre to the ball-target at address (image 2).
Out-to-in clubhead swingpath due to backswing errors
i) A golfer who takes the club inside too quickly in the early
backswing (takeaway) will often get stuck in the mid-
backswing, and he will then end up lifting the arms in the
late backswing. That backswing action will then cause him
to loop the club over his right shoulder in an OTT move at
the start of the downswing.



Out-to-in clubhead swingpath - from reference number [4]
The incorrect backswing/downswing clubhead path is
depicted in black, and the ideal (ModelPro) clubhead
swingpath is depicted in blue [4].
During the incorrect backswing action, the clubhead path
is too flat and too inside in the early backswing, and it then
becomes steeper in the late backswing as the golfer lifts the
arms to the end-backswing position. The golfer then starts
the downswing with an upper body/arm movement that
throws the clubshaft OTT over the right shoulder, and the
clubshaft descends too steeply down to the ball before
traveling out-to-in through impact.
Here is a "real life" example of that swing problem.



Example of an incorrect backswing action and the resultant

OTT move - from reference number [7]
Note that the golfer has a poor address posture - he is too
bent-over at the waist with a rounded back and there is
insufficient knee bend (image 1).
Note that he starts the takeaway by immediately rotating his
pelvis and he pulls the clubshaft inside too quickly (image
2).
He then lifts the club to the end-backswing by lifting his
arms (image 3).
He then starts the downswing with an upper body/arm move
that throws the clubshaft over his right shoulder (image 4).
His arms/clubshaft then descend too steeply down to the ball
(image 5) and he will then subsequently swing out-to-in
through impact.
If you view the swing video, you will note that the golf
instructor recommends that the golfer should start the
backswing takeaway action by pushing the grip end of the
club back - by pushing the left hand back while
simultaneously rotating the left shoulder back. I personally
think that there is a much better way of starting the
backswing takeaway action - using a right forearm
takeaway action. I have described the right forearm
takeaway action in great detail in my How to Move the
Arms, Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing review paper.
My recommended takeaway action is based on
biomechanically natural body movements that allow a
golfer to keep the clubshaft on-plane during the backswing
while the clubshaft moves from the hand plane (at address)
to the turned shoulder plane (by the end-backswing).
ii) Other backswing causes that predispose to an OTT move.
A key element that a golfer needs to achieve in the
backswing is to get the hands sufficiently "deep" -
sufficiently far away from the ball-target line so that the
hands are close to the right shoulder at the end of the
backswing. The hands shouldn't end up above the neck or
central end of the right clavicle at the end of the backswing,
because it is difficult to prevent the hands from going OTT
over the right shoulder at the start of the downswing (even
if one starts the downswing correctly with a lower body
move).



Author demonstrating acceptable hand positions at the end

of the backswing
Image 1 shows the right hand position at the end of the
backswing (when the clubshaft is parallel to the ball-target
line). The hand is behind and above the right shoulder. An
inflexible golfer may only be able to get the hands opposite
the right shoulder - image 2/3. The left arm should lie
somewhere between the red dotted line and the blue dotted
line in image 1. It is disadvantageous to have the left arm
being too steep at the end of the backswing - see yellow
dotted line - because that will predispose to an OTT move
at the start of the downswing.
There are a number of reasons why a golfer may get the left
arm to be too steep at the end of the backswing. It may be
due to a failure to pivot-rotate the pelvis during the
backswing. If the pelvis is static during the backswing, then
an inflexible golfer may not be able to rotate the shoulders
enough to get the hands sufficiently "deep" by the end of the
backswing. Insufficiently "deep" hands may also be due to
the fact that the golfer lifts the arms straight up (vertical to
the ground) during the takeaway.
All these "steep left arm position" problems can be avoided
if a golfer uses the right forearm takeaway with an
adequate torso rotation that gets the hands to a position
near the right shoulder by the end of the backswing action -
as described in my How to Move the Arms, Wrists and
Hands in the Golf Swing review paper.
Out-to-in clubhead swingpath due to downswing errors
The most common cause of an OTT move and an out-to-in
clubhead swingpath is due to a golfer starting the
downswing with an incorrect arm movement and/or an
upper body rotation movement and/or a rotary pelvic
movement.
i) Starting the downswing with an OTT arm movement.
According to Oliver Heuler, the most common reason why
a golfer goes OTT at the start of the downswing (which
causes an out-to-in clubhead swingpath) is due to the fact
that the golfer throws his hands outwards at the start of the
downswing, so that the hands soon cross the toe line.


Oliver Heuler demonstrating an OTT move - from reference
number [1]
There are certain golf instructors who teach an arm swing,
rather than a pivot-driven swing (which is the swing
methodology recommended in this golf website). There are
a number of variants of the left arm swing methodology, but
they all presume that the hands will move down to the ball
along the "correct" track - down-and-out-and forwards
along an optimum hand path. Unfortunately, many arm
swingers (who start the downswing with an arm movement)
move their hands too much outwards (towards the ball-
target line) and the hands soon cross the toe line in an OTT
move. This causes the right elbow to "float in space" (see
image 1) when the right elbow should move down to the
right hip area at the start of the downswing. Even if an arm
swinger correctly brings the right elbow down towards the
right hip area, they may have "incorrect" spinal tilt -
leftwards spinal tilt (see image 2) rather than rightwards
spinal tilt - and this also causes an out-to-in clubhead
swingpath.
The approriate remedy is correct kinetic sequencing -
starting the downswing with a lower body shift-rotation
move => increased rightwards spinal tilt (secondary axis
tilt) => right shoulder moves downplane => arms move last
along a "correct" inside-out track under the right shoulder.
See my downswing chapter for further details.
ii) Starting the downswing with a right shoulder
roundhousing move.
Although Oliver Heuler believes that this is not a common
cause of an OTT move, I see many golfers go OTT because
they rotate their right shoulder too horizontally in a
roundhousing manner. This problem is particularly common
in golfers who start the downswing with an upper body dive
move as demonstrated in the next diagram.


Upper body dive movement - from reference number [4]
Many golfers start the downswing with an upper body move
where they rotate their shoulders too horizontally around a
spine that becomes tilted to the left (instead of being tilted
to the right).
I believe that the remedy lies in correct kinetic sequencing -
as described in my downswing chapter. The right shoulder
must move downplane at the start of the downswing, so that
the right forearm can be driven towards impact along an
inside track. A golfer needs to understand the golf
biomechanics that allow the right shoulder to move
downplane, rather than move too horizontally, at the start of
the downswing. I have described the biomechanics in great
detail in my downswing chapter and my review paper on
The Backswing and Downswing Hip Pivot Movements;
Their Critical Role in the Golf swing.
iii) Starting the downswing with a right pelvis rotary
movement.
A golfer who starts the downswing correctly with a lower
body move can still go OTT if the lower body movement is
not correct. The pelvis should shift left-laterally at the start
of the downswing, and it should not rotate around in a hip
spinning manner. If the right pelvis rotates outwards
(towards the ball-target line) at the start of the downswing,
then it will cause the right shoulder to also spin outwards
and this will cause an OTT clubshaft movement and an out-
to-in clubhead swingpath. A golfer needs to learn the correct
pelvic shift-rotation move that is described in great detail in
my downswing chapter and my review paper on The
Backswing and Downswing Hip Pivot Movements; Their
Critical Role in the Golf swing.
Many golf instructors attempt to cure the OTT move by
using obstacles placed in a golfer's clubshaft/clubhead path
to try and induce the golfer to learn how to swing more from
the inside.


Soft foam obstacle structure - from reference number [1]
This soft foam obstacle structure will obviously induce a
golfer to find a "way" to come from the inside, instead of
OTT, when he swings his clubshaft down towards the ball.
Other golf instructors use other types of obstacle (eg. 2x4
wood plank, or plastic soft drink bottle, or a plastic ball
basket) that they place just outside the ball-target line.
I have no sympathy for this type of golf instruction, because
although the golfer may learn a "way" to avoid hitting the
obstacle, the "way" may not be optimum from a
biomechanical perspective and a golfer may also not retain
the memory of how to move the body/arms in the "same
way" on the golf course when the obstacle is not visually
present. My golf instructional website is based on optimum
golf biomechanics and optimum golf mechanics, and I
believe that a golfer must cognitively learn how to swing
correctly. My review paper on How to Move the Arms,
Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing provides a golfer with
the intellectual ammunition that will allow him to construct
a biomechanically sound golf swing that is not vaguely
based on "feel". I don't believe in vague "feel" golf
instructional methods, and I believe that a golfer must know
exactly what he is doing with his arms, wrists, hands at
every moment in the swing. In other words, I believe that a
golfer must learn how to have "educated hands".

Push-slice ball flight pattern
A push-slice ball flight pattern usually occurs due to an in-
to-out clubhead swingpath combined with an open clubface
(relative to the clubhead swingpath).
I suspect that the most frequent cause of an excessive in-to-
out clubhead swingpath is excessive pelvic sliding left-
laterally towards the target at the start of the downswing. If
the pelvis slides too far to the left at the start of the
downswing, then the right shoulder tilts more vertically
down towards the ground, instead of moving downplane.
That causes the arms to also drop behind the right torso, and
the arms get blocked ("trapped") behind the right hip area.
The only way that a golfer can get the arms to bypass the
right hip area is to slide them passed the right hip area in an
in-to-out direction (relative to the ball-target line).


"Blocking" due to excessive sliding of the pelvis - from
reference number [6]
Note the excessive pelvic slide - the outer border of the left
hip is outside the left foot. Note that the right shoulder has
tilted down towards the right foot, and note how the right
elbow gets trapped behind the right hip (instead of being in
a pitch position in front of the right hip).
If the golfer manages to get the right elbow to just scrape
passed the right hip area, the arms/clusbhaft will be directed
too much outwards (relative to the ball-target line). Also, it
is very difficult (from a biomechanical perspective) to
successfully complete a release swivel action that gets the
right palm to face the target by impact - from that "blocked"
position. The end-result will be an in-to-out clubhead
swingpath and an open clubface (due to an incomplete
release swivel action) and that combination will result in a
push-slice ball flight pattern.
The golfer must learn how to brace his left side, and create
a "firm supportive left side" in the downswing, to prevent
excessive pelvic sliding and I have described this remedial
action in my downswing chapter.

Conclusion

I have participated in many online golf discussion forums,

and the question of "how to cure a slice problem" is often
introduced by a forum member, who has a slice problem.
Many forum members subsequently offer advice without
seeing a swing video of the golfer, and without accurately
identifying the "true" cause of the slice problem. I believe
that the cure of a slice must be causally connected to the
cause of a slice - and because there are so many causes of a
slice problem, there obviously must be many potentially
useful remedial actions. The golf tip recommendation of
using a "strong grip" is the most common recommendation
offered in online golf discussion forums, but it obviously
has no relevance to a golfer who has a slice problem that is
not causally related to an incorrect grip (weak grip). An
individual golfer may also have multiple causes of an "open
clubface" swing fault and I believe that the slice problem
will only be successfully cured if all the causes are
accurately identified and corrected. Using a video camera to
record the swing and then examining the videoed swing
using a swing analyser program is highly recommended,
because it is very difficult to identify all the causes of an
open clubface without slowing the swing down to very slow
speeds.