A slice is a common problem for amateur golfers, and many do not know how to fix it.
This happens when the clubface is open at impact, which means it’s pointing to the right for a right-handed player. That leads to side spin and sends the ball curving off target.
Slices are caused by an open clubface (pointing right for a right-hander) compared to the path of the club at impact.
On that topic, Justin Thomas has revealed a driving range drill that could also benefit amateur golfers.
Justin Thomas explains simple drill to fix a slice
During the FedEx St Jude Championship, a reporter noticed Justin Thomas always had something on the ground during his range sessions and asked him why.
Thomas explained that he uses a head cover placed next to the ball to help prevent an out-to-in swing path, which is what typically leads to a slice.
It’s a straightforward drill that he often recommends to amateur golfers during pro-am events.
“I think it just started with my dad at a very young age,” Thomas said. “I think it’s like if you’re… I do it all the time in pro-ams. For guys that slash across it, if I put a head cover in front of you to the left, you need to avoid that head cover.
“Quite often they will hit it, but it’s something when you’re on the range… everybody reacts to different things differently, but for me, it’s just if something is there like I’m subconsciously going to miss it, and then what I’m trying to do is to associate a feel to what I’m doing to miss that, which I feel like is swing properly or move how I want to.
“Yeah, it’s something I’ve always done. I feel like I just react and respond well to objects or sticks or whatever it is, and I’m able to just kind of react to them and, like I said, I’m just trying put something into that.”
How Tony Finau tackled his slice and changed his swing
Even top golfers like Tony Finau experience slices, proving it’s a common issue that can be overcome with targeted practice.
Finau has spoken before about how he adjusted his technique to get rid of the slice from his game.
“Here’s how I ‘slice-proofed’ my golf swing,” Finau wrote. “I used to have my right hand too much on top of the grip, and my right arm straight at setup.
“If you’d laid a club across my forearms, it would’ve pointed dead left. To offset that, I’d roll the clubface open going back. That one move set up my slice.
“The first change Boyd and I made was to move my right hand more under the grip. I quickly started curving the ball less.
“You might think tour pros make only sophisticated changes, but that simple move made a huge difference. If I feel a little off one day, it’s the first thing we check.
“The stronger right hand also helps me put some bend in my right arm and set it close to my side. I want my right arm under my left. The feel for me is, the right elbow is bent and tucked.
“This change, and the new grip, helps me get a good start to my swing, with the clubface rotating naturally. I don’t even think about the face.”
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