4 Tips To Stop Slicing The Driver

Stop slicing the driver with these four top tips from Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach and PGA pro Nick Drane

Stop Slicing The Driver with 4 top tips from Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Nick Drane
PGA Pro Nick Drane gives four top tips on how to stop slicing the driver
(Image credit: Tom Miles)

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4 tips to stop slicing the driver

The dreaded slice doesn't just result in a loss of distance, it's also less accurate than a sweetly struck shot with a straighter ball flight. Banishing the slice is a priority for many golfers, so we have reached out to one of our experts to help you do just that.

In this video and article, Nick Drane, PGA Pro and Master Fitting Specialist at Titleist Performance Centre at Woburn, shares for tips to cure the slice and save your scores...

PGA Pro Nick Drane
Nick Drane

Nick Drane is a PGA professional and Master Fitting Specialist at the Titleist Performance Centre, Woburn. Nick has supported numerous golfers to find the perfect clubs that help to improve their game, and is an expert in the field.

For amateurs, the most common cause of the slice is a poor set-up. The fundamentals of addressing the ball are key, because they then influence how you swing the golf club.

It is true that many tour professionals swing the club in quite different ways, their address position is always very similar. This position is the foundation of a good golf swing, and allows you to start moving in the correct way. If you struggle with the slice, this is a good place to start.

1. Ball Position Inside Left Heel

PGA Pro Nick Drane demonstrating ball position for driver

The ball should be in line with your left hell (for right-handers) when hitting a driver

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

Getting the perfect ball position with every club is vitally important. Unlike when working out how to hit a 3-wood off the ground, with a driver, you want have an upward angle of attack. This requires the sternum to be further behind the ball at address and as you swing. 

Note how I have the ball just inside my left heel, while my right shoulder drops slightly lower than my left at address. This creates an angle that helps me to hit the ball on the up. Be careful not to position the ball too far forward, as this will encourage you to swing more across it.

2. Set Up Behind The Ball

Nick Drane demonstrating address position

It's vital to hone a good set-up position

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

Your arms, hands and shoulders should be relaxed at address. You don't want to be 'on top' of the ball. This causes the shoulders to point to the left, and encourages an over the top clubhead path - so you'll cut across the ball. This means the ball will start left, before curving viciously to the right.

3. Check Your Grip

Nick Drane demonstrating golf club grip

It's vital to keep on top of the basics, like the grip, to make sure you haven't developed bad habits

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

With a weak golf grip, the 'V' shapes made with your thumbs and your hands point to the left of your head. What this does is make it difficult to square the face through impact. Generally, I like to see the Vs of thumb and forefinger pointing towards the right shoulder (as above). This makes it less likely that you'll leave the clubface open at impact, causing the left-to-right spin that creates a slice.

So, at address, check that you can see two, or even two-and-a-half knuckles on your top hand to ensure the grip is neutral. Watch the video above and see how I put this all together to make a solid swing, one that flies straight and long. Note how my weight moves onto my right side during the backswing and onto my left side in the follow-through.

4. Get Custom Fitted

Titleist Driver

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

Irrespective of what level you play golf at, I recommend everyone should get custom fitted. The fitter should be able to find a set-up to help guard against your most destructive shot. It might be that closing the face a fraction, for example, will straighten out your start line and help you to stop slicing the driver.

Michael Weston
Contributing editor

Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. As a multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the men's European Championships, The FA Cup, London 2012, and FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest equipment manufacturers, and has developed an in-depth knowledge of this side of the industry. He's now a regular contributor, covering instruction, equipment and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars, including six world number ones, and has attended and reported on many Major Championships and Ryder Cups. He's a member of Formby Golf Club.