Now that we know what basic fundamentals we need to work on to avoid a slice and have created a solid pre shot routine we can focus on the swing motion. We have set up to the ball with a neutral to strong grip, the ball is in the correct position, and we have aligned correctly to our aiming point and in this article in the Cure Your Slice series we are going to focus on the backswing.

Start the Swing.

You may read golf magazine articles or golf instruction books written by tour professionals. Inside, they normally write about what they work on to correct swig flaws. They have progressed to a high level of proficiency and the main focus of their swing training is creating the proper turn in the swing. For the vast majority of golfers and especially golfers who slice focusing on the turn can create a bigger slice. Golfers who slice can help to reduce the learning curve by learning how to swing the swinging elements of the golf swing better and the swing elements are the hands and arms.

To start the swing, from a well balanced and athletic starting position, swing the club back starting with the hands and arms. As the arms swing the hands begin to react to the weight of the club and they begin to hinge, your shoulders begin to turn, and the trail arm begins to fold. Soon the club will reach the toe up position.

Toe Up Position

At the toe up position, the club will be parallel to the ground and parallel to the target line. The target thumb will be on the top of the shaft. Your shoulder will have turned only a small amount. As a check, look at the club head is the leading edge straight up and down or leaning towards the ground a small amount. If yes then the club face angle is correct, however if the leading edge is angling skyward the clubface is already open suggesting the grip is still a little weak or the golfer is fanning the club open in the swing.

Arms Parallel to Ground

As we swing the arms back further the target arm will become parallel to ground. At this point a full hinge of the wrists in encouraged, creating a 90 degree angle between the target arm and the shaft of the golf club. The trail arm will have folded a lot more then at the toe up position. Your shoulders will have turn more as reaction to your arms swinging. The end of the club grip should aim just inside the target line.

As the arms swing to the top of the backswing your trail arm should fold to about 90 degree and your shoulders will have fully turned. And this is the basic motion for the backswing. In the next article we will look at the top of the backswing.

Many instructors like to start the swing with something called a one piece takeaway. This is a term I personally do not like because it forms bad habit when not done correctly. A one piece takeaway creates unneeded tension by the golfer when they try to move the arms, hands, shoulders, and body in unison. Tension and distance have an inverse relationship, the greater the tension the less the distance. The one piece takeaway emphasizes the turn of the golf swing and the path will come too much to the inside. To compensate the golfer will re-route the club to bring the club’s path outside-to-inside on the downswing.

Start the swing with the arms first and let the hand hinge, the arms fold, and the shoulders turn as a reaction to the weight of the golf club as it is being swung.