So, there I was, fresh from my first round of golf with the ladies, and it was as clear as day that I needed some professional help. The majority of my shots had ended up heading to the right. I was slicing, and I could not for the life of me figure out what was causing it. I felt like I was aiming in the right direction and that my clubface was pointing correctly, so what was going on? With five lessons included in my ladies academy membership, I decided it was time to take the plunge and book that first lesson focused on golf slice correction.

Of course, I had a head full of questions. What should I wear? Which clubs should I bring, if any? What exactly does a golf lesson entail? Thankfully, the ladies from my group were great as always. They advised wearing comfortable clothes similar to what we wear for a round of golf along with trainers, as the lesson would be indoors and to bring my driver and 7 iron. As it turned out, I only needed the 7 iron since it’s the best club for beginners like me to start with.

My First Lesson

I arrived for my lesson, and the coach took me to the golf studio. The golf studio, I quickly learned, was a spacious room equipped with a golf simulator. For those, like me, who didn’t know what that meant, it had carpeted walls on either side and a large canvas screen in front. The screen displayed a computer-generated image of a fairway, and it was where I would be hitting my shots. On the carpeted floor, there was a patch of artificial grass – your mini fairway, so to speak.

G.A.S.P – Grip, Aim, Stance, Posture

My lesson kicked off with the coach asking if there were specific issues I wanted to address. Right away, I knew I needed to tackle the problem of my shots veering consistently to the right. The coach suggested we start at the beginning by looking at my Grip, Aim & Alignment, Stance, and Position. All these factors, he explained, play a crucial role in golf slice correction and determining the fate of the golf ball. Normally, I would gasp after my shot, watching it head to the right. But here, I learned that I should “GASP” before hitting the ball.

G.A.S.P. Defined:

• Grip: How you hold the golf club, influencing your control during your swing and helping you make solid contact.
• Aim: Where you want the ball to go – like the flagstick.
• Alignment: Setting up your body and club so you’re pointed toward the target.
• Stance: The position of your feet and body, providing a stable foundation for your swing.
• Posture: Involves bending at the hips, knees slightly flexed, arms hanging naturally from your shoulders.

Diagnosing the Slice

To kick things off, the coach needed to see my swing. He placed some balls on the artificial grass and fired up the simulator. The screen displayed a computerized fairway with a flagstick and a guiding line. I was to use the 7 iron and aim at that line while we observed the ball’s trajectory. I took my stance and hit the balls. As expected, the simulator showed the arc skewing to the right.

Now, it was time to dissect what was going on and see how we could straighten out those shots with effective golf slice correction techniques. I held the club as if I were about to swing. Turns out, there are three main grip styles: overlap, interlock, and baseball. I had been using the baseball grip, which was letting the club shift mid-swing. I was also using the alignment arrows on the shaft to line up my thumb, which created a weak grip and little control.

The coach explained that a weak grip meant little hand rotation during the swing, leaving the clubface open and causing the ball to slice right. The fix? A better grip.

Changing My Grip

I switched to an interlocking grip with a neutral strength, which was better for my small hands. This provided control, prevented the club from shifting, and encouraged a square impact for a straighter shot.

Aim and Alignment

Next, we tackled aim and alignment. The coach laid down two clubs like train tracks. I placed my toes along the edge of one, aligning my knees, hips, shoulders, and head parallel to it. The second club represented the ball’s path. This gave me the sensation of being square to the ball.

Since you can’t lay clubs down during play, he advised visualising a target line and using a spot just ahead of the ball for alignment. This helped simplify the process. Thankfully, I hadn’t done too badly with this step.

Stance and Distance

Then came stance. I stood with my feet shoulder-width apart, weight evenly balanced. My right toes were parallel to the ball, my left foot toed out slightly for follow-through. This was ideal for irons. I learned that widening the stance helps with woods and narrowing helps with wedges.

To check distance from the ball, I stood with it centered between my feet. I slightly bent my knees until my weight shifted from heels to mid-foot. I rested the club on my front leg; it should be an inch above the knee cap. This confirmed my setup was solid.

Posture Check

Lastly, posture. Knees slightly flexed, weight centered, feet shoulder-width apart, front foot toed out, ball slightly forward from center. Then, I bent forward from the hips, maintaining a straight spine – no sticking the bum out or curving the back!

The Moment of Truth

It was time to hit again. I lined up, checked the clubface, and took a deep breath. I swung – and the simulator line was straight! I was over the moon!

But… after a few more shots, the rightward curve crept back in. Not as bad as before, but still there. Frustrated, I asked the coach, “What am I doing wrong?”

He replied reassuringly, “Keep practicing what you’ve learned today. Next lesson, we’ll look deeper at your swing. You’re not rotating your hips enough, and your shoulders are rising early. Don’t worry – we’ll get there. Start by turning today’s basics into habit.”

And so, my journey to straighter shots and effective golf slice correction had begun.