“I’m not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes they would have come up sliced.” Lee Trevino

Take the 30-Day Challenge today

All this week I will focus on tips and drills to help cure your slice. Check out my Cardiogolf Facebook Page for tips and drills.

The slice shot (when the ball curves left to right for a right-handed golfer) in golf is one of the most common swing ailments. The slice most commonly occurs when the clubface is open relative to the swing path and/or when the swing follows an “out to in” or “over the top” swing path. All this week, I will post tips and drills to help you cure your slice.

Ball Position Review

Ball position and weight distribution are closely, related. The distribution of your weight at address can affect your swing significantly. In fact, weight distribution should change to match the shot you are playing.

With short irons, there is slightly more weight on the lead leg and the ball position is in the middle of your stance. With the rest of the irons and fairways woods, the weight distribution is about even. When driving, there is slightly more weight on the back leg than the front leg.

Ball position for short irons is just to the right of center for right-handed golfers and just to the left of center for the left-hander golfer. As you progress to longer clubs, move the ball a half of a rotation toward the target. The ball position for the driver will then end up opposite of the front heel. With a driver, the ball should fall underneath your front ear, making your head start behind the ball.

: Ball Position for an Iron

: Ball Position for Driver

Trouble-Shooting

The “slicer” tends to keep too much weight on the front leg at address for all shots, which restricts the shoulder turn and encourages a steep out-to-in swing.

Someone that tends to “hook” the ball too much will have too much weight on the back leg and play the ball too far back in the stance. Adjust your weight distribution to correct your swing flaw.

: Slicer’s Position-too much weight on front side

Alignment Tips

Alignment is the easiest fundamental to work on, and probably one of the most neglected principles of golf. A good shot is useless unless it is going toward your intended target.

First, you align the clubface square to your target line, and then you align your body. One of the biggest mistakes I see as a teacher is when people line up their body to the target first, then set the clubface down. This sequence usually makes people misalign their bodies, causing them to twist and turn inappropriately to get the ball to the target. Do not make the mistake that 90 percent of higher-handicappers do by not taking the time to align the body correctly.

The easiest and most effective way to align correctly is to set-up in an alignment station. Place a club down on the ground, pointing parallel to your target. With a secure grip and stepping forward with your back foot, set the clubface down behind the ball with the leading edge perpendicular to your target line. Then set your front foot into position and adjust your back foot into place so that both are parallel to your target line. Your feet, hips, knees, shoulders and even eye line should be parallel to your target line.

Avoid aiming your body at the target. This closes you off and promotes an inside-out swing or makes you hook the ball excessively. Practice hitting to targets with clubs so you can teach yourself to aim correctly.

: Use a club on the ground for alignment

On-Course Exercise

Practice hitting shots with correct alignment: aim the clubface is the first and most important part of correct alignment. Use a club on the ground as a reference point around which you can position your feet and body correctly. Remember also that while the clubface aims at your intended target, the rest of your body aims parallel to the target line.

Try an online golf fitness class

To learn how to do this exercise and other golf-specific exercises take the Cardiogolf 30-Day Challenge.

“Discover a unique and simple program to improve your swing, shape up your body and trim your handicap”

Take the 30-Day Challenge today

LPGA Teaching Professional Karen Palacios-Jansen was voted 2008 LPGA National and Southeast Section Teacher of the Year. Voted by Golf Digest Magazine as one of America’s “Top 50 Female Instructors” for 11 straight years, Karen has her own golf events company-Swing Blade Enterprises, as well as being a certified personal trainer. Her golf-specific fitness system called Cardiogolf is available on DVD and online. Karen lives in North Carolina with her husband Dan Jansen. Over the years she has helped thousands of golfers improve their golf games. For more information-visit http://www.kpjgolf.com.

Disclaimer-This program is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment. Any participant should not attempt any exercises mentioned herein, without reviewing and consenting with their doctor or health professional. Karen Palacios-Jansen, Cardiogolf and KPJgolf.com are neither responsible, nor liable for any harm or injury resulting from these exercises or the use of the Cardiogolf program described herein.