Do You Slice

The problem with most poor golf techniques is the fact that they get worse the longer they are left unaddressed.

Many people have a problem slicing the ball when driving off the tee than virtually any other area.

Go to and public golf course any day of the week and you will be sure to find someone slicing the ball.
Even players with single digit handicaps can slice the ball on a regular basis.

Some people even adjust their game to allow for a slice that they can't seem to cure.

The more most people try to cure their slice the worse it seems to get and even professional tuition from golf pros can take quite some time to resolve this issue.

And what makes it all the more frustrating is the fact that during the week when you were at the golf range all your drives where as straight as a die.

So you arrive at the course for your weekend game and it all falls apart again.

The majority of golfers just accept that they have a problem and do nothing about it, resigned to the fact that it is an inherent problem with their game that they can't seem to fix.

Unfortunately problems like this put a dampener on the pleasure you can get from your game, so it is certainly worthwhile addressing the issue.

Spending money on new golf clubs, or changing the types of golf balls you use won't solve the problem.
It needs to be addressed as soon as possible as it will generally tend to get worse.

The problem is so widespread that one golfer dedicated his time to a study of golf slices and created a guide to help people eliminate this problem and open up their opportunity for rapid improvements in their game.

It is called the 'Dave Way' and is well respected as getting many distraught golfers back onto the 'straight and narrow' - that being the center of the fairway.

If you have a problem with slicing the ball you need to address the issue with the help of your golf pro or the information that is available in Dave's guide.

By pinpointing what you are doing wrong, rather than guessing and possibly messing up more of your game, you can target the most common flaws that lead to this problem.

Just like practice and education can improve your short game, eliminating your slice when you drive will result in more distance and the ability to ensure that your approach to the green won't be coming from somewhere out in the rough.

Accuracy First and Distance Will Follow

Most beginners have one thing in mind, and that is to hit the ball as far as possible.
Many golfers never quite get out of this mindset and this is one of the reasons why they will never get the distance that they are capable of hitting the ball.

The wise golfer will practice for accuracy first and concentrate on the distance once they have mastered the art of control.

It's not much point hitting the big yards off the tee if the ball is going to end up on another fairway or in the rough.
All you will succeed in doing is make the following shots all the more difficult.

A drive down the center of the fairway, albeit a few meters shorter, will set you up for a better approach shot and a lower round score.

By playing with smaller, more controlled swings, you will gain control of your shots sooner and you will progress to the longer distances faster.
You will be learning correct techniques that will hold you in good steed for the rest of your playing career.

By developing accuracy first, you will also be lengthening the distance of your drives and will in fact hit the ball further.

By starting with smaller swings it will be easier to train your body to develop the correct actions, and these actions will always be needed when you progress to the longer drives.

As you master your swing, you can progress to a full swing knowing that you will have the control to hit the ball in the right direction.
This combination of correct action and a full swing will ensure you will hit the ball further than would be possible if you had only aimed for the big shots from the outset.

If you find that your drives are going wayward, then it would be wise to focus on control, even if that means limiting your swing until you are hitting the ball straight.

A Balanced Approach

Golf is all about balance.
You need to get the right balance on your feet, in the movement of your body, in the swing of the clubs and so on.

Balance goes further than just the body however.
You need a balanced approach to the game with your mind in sync with your body.

You need to only consider the one stroke that you are playing and not let other holes impact on your balance.

When we get golf lessons we're taught about the distribution of weight on our feet and the weight distribution when we swing to strike the ball.

Many of the techniques seem foreign to the beginner but it is all about training the player to find balance in their game so the actions are effortless and natural.
Our balance should flow through with the movement of the swing in one fluid action to the striking of the ball and even after the ball has been hit with a balanced follow through.

It is a natural feeling that will become second nature with practice.

It is through finding balance in your mind and body that you will start hitting consistently good shots.
Without this it will be very difficult to find any consistency in your game.

Once you get your upper body correctly positioned behind the ball, you will find that you are naturally placing more weight on the back foot.

Try it next time you have a practice swing.
Stand balanced on your feet with no more pressure on the front of the foot than the back.
Position yourself behind the ball and gently swing through without making any effort to concentrate on the distribution of the weight on you feet.

You will find that this will come naturally with no effort at all and that is precisely how you should feel when you are striking the ball.