A common reason for slicing is an outside in down swing path with an open club face and to steep of a downswing. If you break a lot of tees with your driver you are coming in to steep. Try strenghting your grip a little bit where the "V's" on both hands are pointing at your right shoulder (for a right handed golfer) when holding the driver out in front of you with both arms extended out in front of you before you address the ball. Try to make a flatter back swing. This will help in hitting the ball from a inside out down swing. Good luck.

Paul Wilson of Revolution Golf had a series of anti-slice videos.  His main comment was that the reason people slice is they swing too hard.  This results in coming over the top and an outside in motion where the ball starts left and goes right.  They go over the top because they push the shoulders outward to start the down swing.  The hips rotating are what starts the downswing, then the shoulders rotate, and when your hands are near impact, the front arm rotates to square the club.

A push slice is caused by standing too close to the ball and catching it closer to the heel. 

Another source of slice is the handle too far ahead of the clubface at impact (caused by not releasing the club going through).

Yet another is taking the club too much inside on the takeaway (overly rotational swing).

Jim McClean and a couple others offer checkpoints in the swing. Waist height, the clubface should point vertical both on the backswing and follow-through.

I got a nice tip from allexperts.com about rotation of the front arm - hold it shoulder height like shaking hands.  Palm down on backswing, palm up on downswing.

I was in the same boat as you a month ago, i was barely hitting my 7 iron more than 120 yds, everything was low, skulls, and right, i had trouble breaking 100 on most courses.  what made it frustrating was when i use to play a lot i would break 90 with relative ease, then again i was playing 4 - 5 rds a week, the last few years i would be lucky to play 6 rds a month.

Lucky for me i found my savoir on youtube, I stumbled across Shawn Clement, and praise the lord i am back to breaking 90 and flirting with breaking 80 for the first time in 12 years.  Once again lucky for me i watched his videos in this order, 1 - Focus, dynamic vs static motion, Grip, Focus, Focus, Focus, I truly think had I watched his videos in a different sequence I would of been completely turned off and even more confused.

For me, focusing on where i want the ball to start was the key to better ball striking, naturally allowing what my body has been trained to do for the last 2 million years has totally freed me up, allowing me to hit amazing shots.

Secondly, what is your GPA, grip, posture, alignment - working on those 3 elements with focus based swinging is freaking amazing, you will be happily surprised at how easy it is to hit good shots with the right GPA (primarily the GRIP).  You will also notice how easy it is to hit poor shots with a weak grip.  

Strong Grip = Strong and Long shots.  Even Tiger has gone back to a stronger grip.  i don't have time to practice my swing, but i can certainly hold a club when watching the Golf Channel, there is no excuse in my opinion why you should not grip the club properly.

Posture -  spine tilt is so critical to getting power in your swing and allowing your path to come swing from "inside out".

Alignment is easy, just remember to align yourself from 6 feet behind the ball (make sure you do this at the range, every shot all the time), never align yourself when you are set up to the ball.  Humans have one eye that is more dominate than the other, your eyes will play tricks with your mind when you are trying to align your self from the set-up position.  For putting though, because you are "over" the ball you can rely on your eyes to accurately align your putter and body.

Strong grip, focus on where you want to hit the ball and remarkable things will happen.

All this mumbo jumbo about position X, stance, do this do that with your swing, swing path, inside out, over the top, all that is fine and dandy for someone who actually has time to practice, but for the 99.99% of us, do what comes naturally, let your focus, mind, body do the work for you.

Slicing is a combination of a poor grip and wanting to hit at the ball.  those are generally the 2 culprits in people who continually slice after 20 years of golf.  if you mind is focused on hitting the ball, guess what is the easiest way to hit at the ball, coming over the top because that is the shortest and easiest path to the ball, hence no matter how you change your set up, you always end up slicing because your mind is forcing your body to come over the top!

We all want that magic pill that fixes our golf game, (ie, make your left arm straight, put a cover under your left arm pit, get to position x in your back swing, don't over swing, flip those hand, turn your chest....blah blah blah, i have walls of golf magazines and books, endless hours analysing how the pros swing) but in reality our mind and body are the most incredible piece of information that we will ever need.  Do what comes naturally, grip the club properly, hit great shots, don't sweat the crappy shots, enjoy the game.

End Note - I recently read the Golf Magazine with J. Rose, and that was one of few times that an article actually and accurately described what and how a player is trying to swing a club.  A golf swing can not be described or fixed in a 1 page spread, (they actually allocated 4 - 6 pages) Rose talked about some of the elements he was working on, and how what you think you are doing is not necessarily what reality is.  For instance he described dropping is arms and swinging left, you would think he is trying to pull the ball but in reality in real speed, with the momentum you generate in your swing, you are actually swinging more along the path.  Just a great article, well done to GM, finally putting out a tip from a pro that is not a single sentence like "hold the grip like a bird".

Two things you might want to think of

- Grip.  Trying strengthening your grip (rolling your top hand palm toward the ground.  It's an easy fix

-Swing on a clock.  Assuming noon is right in front of you and 3 is on your right, swing from 5 to 1 o'clock.

My slice is caused by my tendency to swing too hard and hang on too tight.  This causes all my muscles to tighten and nothing moves as it should.  Try taking a deep exhale then starting the swing.  If you are nervous over the ball because you're afraid of your slice, that tension will also equal a bigger slice.  Whatever you do, do not open your stance in some strange attempt to "aim left", you will only hit it further right.  If you're a lefty read the last sentence backwards.

Also, if you are having trouble with the driver, try choking up on it a little, some of the modern drivers are just too long for a normal person (even shorter pros) to square at impact consistently.  I just tested a few drivers tonight at GG and I hit nothing but push slices with the RBZ, the Burner Superfast 2.0, and the G15.  I then took my same swing with a 910D3 with a Aldila Voodoo SVS7 shaft and started hitting them dead straight and longer since I has less sidespin.  I then noticed the Titleist was at least a half inch shorter than the G15 and RBZ, and an inch or more shorter than the Burner Superfast 2.0.

Good luck, let us know how you make out.

Best tip I can give is go get a lesson with video tape.  Nothing you get on here is going to help without actually seeing your swing, and why you are getting the results you are getting.

I used to have a hook before because my grip was so strong that my right hand would almost lay flat.

I do agree about the modern driver and wood lengths - they are way too long.   I have been using a 44.5 inch driver since about 2007.   I just shortened my current driver from 45" to 44.5"; the problem I had was I would get a push slice on an "overanxious" (swinging too hard) swing.  Now I can hit pretty much dead straight, even getting on it a bit.  My fairway wood and hybrids are all 1/2" shorter than standard - otherwise I hit it near the heel.

Amen....  Just to complete the list, or, perhaps only add to it, full arm extension with wrists crossing upon impact.  "Chicken winging" (lead/left elbow pulling up and back) also keeps face open (pointing towards slice).  Any of these are quickly identified on a video.  The hard part is changing your swing to the point you no longer remember how to hit it wrong.

The last bit in the whole schmear about slicing is that sometimes you have to work with Mother Nature. I think Chi Chi Rodriguez does that; if anyone noticed on "Playing Lessons From the Pros", he hits his woods with a closed stance.

I've been very successful using a slightly closed stance on the driver and the fairway wood.  I take a square stance with the hybrids and irons and hit them dead straight.  My ball striking for the past 3 years has been pretty good. 

Mother Nature seems to have bestowed me with a slight bit of an outside-in swing on the driver and fairway woods.  I felt a bit restricted trying to take it inside with a square stance.  The best move I made was going from a 10.5* neutral face driver to a 13* draw driver;  with the former, my straight shots would be a bit high and I got more distance with a power fade by a good 20-30 yards.  I actually hit a lower and straighter ball flight with the 13 (and I tee it about 1.5" or so).  As far as the 5 wood, it is neutral face but I seem to have a bit more oats with a slightly closed stance.  There was also a golf tip I read about a slightly closed stance being more of a power move; also works pretty well in softball and tennis (I bat with a closed stance and I also apply some of my golf swing to softball and rip them pretty well; as far as tennis, I play left handed and I have a pretty mean backhand).

I had a horrible problem with slicing my driver.  It was so bad that I would have to aim out of bounds and hope it would make the fairway.  

I have two tips. 

I read in golf magazine that when you practice wear a watch.  When adressing the ball the face should be able to be seen by you.    On your back swing you should be able to tell the time, and on downswing a friend should be able to read the time.  Finally at impact the face should be pointed at your target.

Second, most slices are from an inside out swing.  Stand farther away from the ball so this won't happpen.

These two tips have really straightened out my drives, and I hope this will help the rest of you.  There's nothing worse than playing a second shot from the trees or the opposite fairway.

Standing too close to the ball with an inside out swing will cause a push slice.  A pull slice (starting left and going right) is caused by "over the top" with an outside-in path; this is because the individual tries to hit the ball too hard and the upper body pushes out - bumping of the hips is what is supposed to start the downswing.

My other post is still floating but I have heard about the drill with the watch.  I wear my watch on the left hand and I read about the face pointing toward the target.  In relation to this, a volunteer teaching pro at www.allexperts.com gave the tip about "palm down, palm up" - in the drill you extend your left arm at shoulder height and the hand points vertical - on the backswing the entire arm is palm down and on the follow thru it is palm up.

Paul Wilson (www.revolutiongolf.com) had a couple great tips about slicing - 1.  If you hit a push-slice you are standing too close to the ball (you make contact too close to the heel).  2.  A slice that starts left and goes right is due to swinging too hard and coming over the top (because your shoulders push away).

Jim McClean (also recently joined Revolution Golf) had a tip about taking it too far inside too soon.  That  causes a slice or even a shank.    He has a book "The Three Scoring Clubs" and he reiterates his 8 step swing.

The handle being ahead of the ball at impact (causes the clubface to be open) is another slice causer - improper release.  I read this somewhere.

mychalll

You asked for a quick fix. I have one. I don't remember who I heard it from but here it is. Take your address position. When looking at the ball, draw a clock face on the ball. Twelve o'clock is the front, pointing direct toward your target  and 6 o'clock is center back where most beginners naturally try to strike the ball. Look at your left hand. Notice that the left palm is facing away from the target line toward 6 o'clock.. Move your club head forward approximately 4 feet in front of the ball as if you were into your follow through. Notice your left palm is starting to now point somewhat upwards (or at least it should be) as your club rotates through. Here is the fix. Start with slow practice swings. As your club moves through the previously described position of 4 feet into your follow through, pretend your are trying to catch a rain drop with your left hand. In other words, your left palm will be facing directly up at 4 feet into your follow through. Now as you start to hit actual balls at your normal speed, you may have to pretend to catch the rain drop earlier into your follow through. As a matter of fact, with one fellow I was helping with his slice, he had to pretend to start catching the rain drop on his down swing. I guararatee you that this will correct your slice if you are faithful to the concept. If you are a rare individual who atually succeeds in having your left palm pointing directly up at 4 feet into your follow through, you will probably hit either a hook or pull-hook.

Once you have corrected your slice, you may find that you have a problem with pulling the ball although you indicated you seem to naturally push to ball. If you do end up with a straight pull to the left of your target. Here is the fix. Do not try to hit the back of the ball at dead center; 6 o'clock. Try to hit the ball at the 7 o'clock position out to 1 o'clock. This is a lot harder to do than you may think (mostly mental) as you will be swinging toward where your slice normally ends up in the right rough. One reason this is hard to do is most folks, in an effort to add power and square up the club face either cast the club from the top or start turning their shoulders to the left way earlier than is called for in proper timing. How to check either of those problems? I'll call it the "1 o'clock x 2" position check. Take your practice swing to the top of the backswing and hold for 4 seconds while looking at the ball on the ground. Now, while looking at the ball on the ground, start your normal downswing in slow motion. Stop when you feel your hands are even or just below your belt line. This is what I consider the very beginning of the hitting area. Now look back at your club's position without moving your shoulders. It should be pointing almost vertically up (approximately at the 1 o'clock position if straight up is 12). Next, notice your shoulder position. If you draw a line through your shoulders from back to front, they should be pointing no more forward than the 1 o'clock position relative to your ball on the ground. If you can reach both those positions, "1'o'clock x 2", at your normal swing speed, swing through the ball from 7 o'clock to 1, and catch a rain drop with your left palm; I guarantee you that you will either hit the ball straight or with a slight draw. Do not, under any circumstances flip your wrist to catch the rain drop; instead use a smooth rotation of your left forearm to turn your palm up. If all this sounds complicated, it is to a certain degree. It will take practice, mostly to overcome the mental hurdles. Final thought; Ben Hogan once wrote something that I have found to very true in my own game. To paraphrase, "if an man pick up a club for the first time and had no clue on how to hit a proper golf shot, he should do the exact opposite of his every inclination." Good luck!

RC

mychalll,

Earlier I sent you my "guaranteed" fix for your slice of "catching a rain drop". I also added some other ideas. Soon after, I realized that I had miss read my clock face on the downswing when I said to look back a your club shaft after bring your club down to just below belt high. I said you should see the club angle at no less than a 1 o'clock position. I should have said an 11 o'clock position from vertical. One o'clock would be just about an impossible club angle to retain although some players like Segio come close. Some players never get to much more than a 12 o'clock angle to begin with, such as Steve Stricker. The point is that you should retain a good amount of your wrist *** to at least half way down in your swing or you will most probably hit a slice. The most compelling reason for that fact comes from Bobby Jones. He describes a "magic line" which is the arc from the top of your downswing to the ball which the club head travels. He says if the club head crosses the magic line buy going out side the arc (also known as "casting"), the swing will be ruined and have no chance for recovery. This always leads to pulls and slices. Another major reason you want to retain the angle down to the start of the hitting area as Jones and Boros says in his book, "Swing Easy, Hit Hard" is so you will have some sting or power to your strike of the ball and not feel as if you need to heave or jump at the ball for power. Hope this as some clarity.

RC