How To Grip A Driver Not To Slice (Full Method Explained)

 

A slice is one of the most frustrating misses in the game of golf.

You will watch your shot start straight down the center of the fairway, and then it will trail off more and more to the right while you feel you have no control.

A slice is difficult to deal with, and it can sometimes take years to fix.

If you are a player who is struggling with a slice, sometimes the best course of action is to work on your grip.

A golf grip is the only connection you make with a club, and therefore, it is important to make sure your grip is perfect each time.

 

How to Grip a Driver Not to Slice

 

When people look at the golf grip of a right-handed golfer, it is often the position of the right hand which stands out.

The right hand is usually more visible, and therefore, golfers think the position of the right hand is what will help fix the slice.

In reality, it is important to position the left hand in the proper location on the club.

The left hand is the hand which determines the position of the right hand, and it also guides the club throughout your swing.

When you hold the club with your left hand, you will want to make sure you see more of the back of your hand than your thumb.

Grip the club in the fingers of your hand, and then your thumb should lay down to the right of center.

If you put your thumb straight down the center of the shaft, the grip is too neutral and not great for fixing a slice.

By turning that left hand slightly and having it point down the right side, you have this hand in the perfect position.

Once your left hand is in place, then you can add the right hand.

For the right hand to properly connect with the left at this point, you will notice that your hand looks a bit more open.

When you look down, instead of seeing the top of your thumb, you will see a view which shows more of the pad of your thumb.

This is a much stronger grip and one which can help a golfer with a slice.

One of the main reasons a slice happens is that the clubface is left open at impact.

With your hands on the club in this strong position, you will have more control to turn the club over on impact and hit a straight shot.

Of course, this process is still going to take time to figure out and perfect.

One thing you will also have to work on is finding the perfect balance with those hand positions.

If your hands are too strong on the club, you can start hooking the ball as opposed to slicing it.

Eventually, golfers will want to get back towards a more neutral hand position, but it is certainly understandable if this takes a bit of time to figure out.

Once your slice is fixed, start analyzing your grip to see if it is safe to return to the original position.

 

How to Get the Perfect Grip

 

Finding the perfect grip can be difficult.

You will need to play around with the positioning of your hands and make sure you have placed your hands on the club properly.

However, a few training aids out there will help you position your hands on the club in the right way.

Gripping the club with a training grip can give golfers the feeling and understanding of what it takes to have your hands in the proper location.

A grip training device can be put on one of your current clubs, or you can purchase a weighted club with one on it.

We like the idea of a weighted club with the training grip in place.

This way, you will get several training aids for the price of one.

When children are learning the game, it can make sense to put a grip training aid on one of their clubs.

This will act as a gentle reminder of what it takes to grip the club properly and move on with your game development.

Many golfers are eager to learn distance and feel and control.

However, until the connection you have with the club is established and perfected, you will need to focus your time and effort on that.

 

Does Grip Size Matter When Fixing a Slice?

 

Having your hands in the proper position can sometimes be just as important as the grip you are using on your golf club.

If you use an oversized golf grip, you may have a hard time getting your hands into the proper position.

Some golfers who have a midsize grip on their club but really don’t need the midsize will find that they continue to slice the ball.

Your hands will need to be able to turn over and release the golf shot.

With a larger than the standard grip on the club, this is going to be difficult to accomplish.

When you go to a golf club fitter or local pro shop, they will be able to give you a few different grips to help you see if you can find one that works for your game.

If you are wearing an extra-large glove, it is likely that the mid-size, larger grip is a perfectly suitable match for your game.

The problem lies mostly with people who have an average hand size playing with a mid-size or jumbo golf grip.

 

Will an Offset Fix My Slice?

 

An offset golf club can undoubtedly help to fix a slice, but it is probably not going to cure it completely.

With an offset golf club, you will get a bit more face rotation than you would with a club that is square or neutral.

This face rotation makes it easier for a golfer to release their hands and follow through at the impact position.

If you have been slicing the ball for many years, it is probably a smart choice to look for an offset golf club.

Even if the offset takes your slice from a twenty-yard slice to a ten-yard slice, you will be surprised at what a difference that can make.

 

Do I Need a Draw Bias Club?

 

A draw bias golf club is used to help golfers straighten out a slice.

With a draw bias club, the clubface will be slightly closed.

This closed club face will help a golfer who is not doing a very good job of squaring it up at impact.

Draw bias is a great choice for those with slower swing speeds who have struggled with a slice for quite some time.

If you have a temporary slice, as in it just started happening in your game, it is really not worth changing clubs for.

One of the best things about an adjustable driver is that you can set it to have a draw bias.

When you set the driver to work for you, you will notice that you have a much easier time hitting the ball straight.

The best thing about this adjustability is that it doesn’t need to be permanent, you can change the driver back to neutral, and it will work even after you fix your slice.

Ultimately, the goal is to move away from golf equipment that will need modifications to help you hit the ball straight.

It should be a goal of every player to learn how to hit a ball straight as opposed to making modifications to their equipment to lessen a slice.

Sometimes it will take lessons, hard work, videotaping your swing, and other steps to get the driver not to slice.

Taking these steps and putting the time in are going to be worth it in the long run.

Most golfers will tell you that fixing a slice is one of the most satisfying things about the game of golf.

 

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now feel more equipped to grip the club without having to worry about a slice.

Slicing the golf ball is frustrating, and sometimes a minor adjustment to the hands can eliminate this frustration.

If you are struggling with a slice and need to figure out where it is coming from, start with the grip.

The proper grip will allow you to get the club squared up and start hitting straight shots.