Few people understand the golf swing as well as Gary Player, whose experience and insight have made him a respected voice in the sport for decades.
But what really stands out about this tip from Player is how straightforward it is.
Since stepping away from competitive play, he has regularly shared tips aimed at helping everyday golfers get better.
However, the 90-year-old South African is not just knowledgeable – he is also one of the most accomplished players in golf history.
He racked up 159 professional wins around the world, including nine major titles – a record few can match.
Player recently ranked himself as the third-greatest golfer in history, putting only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods ahead of his own achievements.
You may not agree with where he put himself on that list. But there is a case to be made for him being right up there.
And no matter your view on the rankings, when someone with his background offers tips – especially ones as clear-cut as this – it pays to listen.
Gary Player’s five-minute tip to fix a slice
Player has featured on the Gary Martin Golf YouTube channel, where Martin – a PGA teaching professional – asked the nine-time major winner to help fix his father’s slice.
It only took five minutes for the South African legend to get the job done.
“Move your (lead) hand over, how many knuckles can you see? Three, that’s what you’ve got to see. If you see no knuckles, you’re going to slice (it),” Player said.
“Then don’t put your right hand (trail hand) over, put it the same way (angle) as your left.
“The one thing you can’t do, it’s hard to play golf with a bad grip.
“Two things, get the grip right and then what they call, ‘hit and hold’. Look pretty for the camera, have balance and finish properly. They are the only things you’ve got to do,” he concluded.
This kind of advice from Player is especially valuable because it is so easy for amateur golfers to try out themselves. But strengthening your grip might feel unusual at first. Sticking with it and giving yourself time to adjust will be key to making lasting changes.
Alternative methods for curing the slice off the tee
A frequent error among amateur golfers attempting to correct a slice is initiating the downswing by leading with their front shoulder, resulting in an “over the top” movement.
The more you pull across the line with your lead shoulder, the worse the slice will get.
It is important to bring your downswing path more from the inside, rather than from outside the line of the ball.
A useful drill is to place a tee in the ground a few inches to the right and slightly behind your ball (reverse this if you are left-handed).
If you hit the tee, it means your angle of attack was too steep.
As you practice this drill and get better at avoiding the tee, you will notice that your lead knee starts to initiate your downswing.
This adjustment will not just straighten out your shots; it should also add some extra power to your swing as well.
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