Error 3 – Swing Plane

Another common mistake players make in trying to fix their slice is starting the backswing by swinging the club inside the correct plane in the move away.  Again, the natural thinking is the more you swing on the inside in the backswing the easier it will be to swing from the inside on the downswing.  If this was the case, it would be very easy to fix a slice!  What actually happens when someone starts the swing on the inside is they turn their shoulders too quickly, completing a full 90 degree shoulder turn well before the top of the backswing.  With most players not flexible enough to keep turning, the only option to finish the backswing is to lift the arms independently.  This will result in the arms lifting up into a very high position and looping down on the outside in the downswing, increasing the out – to in path at impact. This swing has more planes than British Airways!

The Fix

Again, the fix is to do quite the opposite to what most players are trying to do to fix their slice.  If you look at the great majority of players who draw the ball, they will tend to swing on a steeper plane in the backswing to that of the downswing – a little outside in the backswing, and inside on the downswing.

Exercise

• Place a soft object (a head cover is a good start) about 1 meter on the ground behind the club head.
• Have the feeling that you are going to start the backswing on the outside of the object and swing down on the inside.