Golf Tip: How to Stop Slices & Hooks

This story is for you if...
• You're making controlled, balanced swings but the ball is curving hard to the left or right.
• You've tried every drill imaginable and still can't hit the ball straight.

The Problem
You follow up a severe slice on one tee with a vicious hook on the next.

Why It's Happening
You're taking the club back off plane, and aren't making the necessary compensations on the way back down.


THE SOLUTION
You can search for downswing compensations to help you hit the ball straight, but why not just fix your backswing? It takes 20 seconds.
Lay your driver across your shoulders with the grip end to your left. Take your stance and make your regular backswing turn. Now, you may have seen this drill before, but hardly anyone does it correctly. Most golfers think that you should make your backswing turn so that the shaft points at the ball (photo, top right). That's way too steep, and one of the reasons why you slice. Swinging the club too flat with the shaft pointing way beyond the ball (photo, bottom right) is equally bad (and a potential source of your hook).
The correct way to perform this drill is to turn your shoulders and maintain your posture so that the shaft points at a spot just a foot on the other side of the ball. That's a perfect on-plane position. Combine a nice, smooth backswing with this exact shoulder turn and you'll be in perfect position at the top.

Sincerely,Dan The Golf Man