By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
Let’s start the new year the same way we ended 2023 – by working on our golf swings and heeding the advice of Cameron Robinson, British PGA Member and PGA Professional at Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles.
Here, in the fourth edition of Robinson’s golf swing case study series, he explains how to cure your slice by fixing the club face.
In this interview with avid surfer and golf fanatic Eli Schlesinger, the student shares insights into his golfing journey, his favorite tour player and how his golf game is improving with Cameron’s advice.
Probing Q&A
How long have you been playing golf?
Schlesinger: 4 and 1/2 years
Are you right or left-handed?
Schlesinger: Right-handed.
What is your motivation for playing golf?
Schlesinger: I love all aspects of the game of golf – from the history of the sport to the styles of golf courses and how they play. I also take pleasure in the process of getting better at something, and golf serves as a great platform for doing that.
Where do you play most of your golf?
Schlesinger: I learned the game at The Pine Orchard Yacht & Country Club and Alling Memorial Golf Course in my home state of Connecticut. I spent the past summer working and playing at Newport National Golf Club and recently moved to Southern California, where I now work at Brentwood Country Club. I’m exploring the local courses along with the style of golf the area offers.
What is your best score for 18 holes?
Schlesinger: 82
What injuries or restrictions to movement do you have?
Schlesinger: Fortunately, nothing.
What is your background in sport/physical activity?
Schlesinger: I played baseball and hockey growing up and at the varsity level in high school. I have always done a good bit of surfing but was able to pursue that interest going to college in Rhode Island, which is also where I picked up golf, and have been active in both for the past 4 and a 1/2 years.
Who is your favorite tour player?
Schlesinger: Adam Scott, the silkiest driver swing and a cool guy with a green jacket.
Do you go on the practice range before a round or in between rounds?
Schlesinger: I certainly do prefer hitting some golf balls before a round. But more frequently I will practice at the range in between rounds, spending around an hour a week working on my swing and my ball striking.
For a driver, describe your best shots.
Schlesinger: A rising ball flight with a straight trajectory with left to right curvature.
For a driver, describe your worst shots.
Schlesinger: A high slice that starts toward the target and begins to track right continuing that path.
For a 5-iron, describe your best shots.
Schlesinger: Once again, if I hit the golf ball flush it will take off with a high trajectory that might reflect a fade.
For a 5-iron, describe your worst shots.
Schlesinger: I have been working to avoid the long iron mishit as I struggle with hitting the golf ball thin or push-slicing it far right on a bad shot.
On wedge shots, do your divots tend to be shallow or deep?
Schlesinger: Deep when taking a full swing, but a bit shallower when picking the golf ball for a 40-70-yard approach shot.
Around the green, what is your favorite club for playing chip shots?
Schlesinger: 58 Degree.
What is your favorite club in the bag?
Schlesinger: 8 iron.
What is your desired ball flight?
Schlesinger: Far, straight and repeatable.
Precisely what ball flight characteristics would you like to improve?
Schlesinger: Getting away from mishits that result in thinned golf shots and pushed slices.
Robinson’s Diagnosis
Eli’s club face was too far open, otherwise known as a weak club face, in each stage of the swing leading up to impact. This meant that Eli struggled to hit the ball close to the target line consistently. The ball would frequently start to the right of the target and curve further right, finishing well right of the intended target. Please see the club face at the top of Eli’s backswing in Figure 1 where the top line of the 6-iron club head is left of the shaft (open club face). Eli had to make some drastic compensations during the swing to square the face to the target. This compromised key swing principles and led to strike issues and a push-slice ball flight.
Figure 1. A weak (open) club face: positioned left of the shaft at the top of the backswing.
Eli’s club face was open due to his hold on the club. The bottom hand (non-glove hand) was positioned on top of the grip, which can cause the club face to open during the swing. Please see Figure 2.
Figure 2. A weak grip, right hand positioned on top of the handle.
Solution
To address this issue, the solution was to move the club face into a stronger position relative to Eli’s grip. The right hand was moved more underneath, rather than on top of the grip. Please see Figure 3.
Figure 3. Successful Solution, stronger grip. The right hand positioned more underneath the handle helped close the face at impact.
Eli’s new ball flight – Fade or Pull Fade
“It doesn’t feel like I am going to slice it now, and contact feels better,” Eli noted.
Robinson explains how the fix worked:
The big miss to the right of the intended target was reduced by adjusting Eli’s club face, making it stronger by adding a club face closure relative to the grip and right-hand positioning. The adjustment in Eli’s setup at address consistently started his ball closer to the target line due to the club face being more closed during each stage of the swing before impact. This setup change eliminated the need for in-swing compensations, such as swinging left drastically in an attempt to stop the ball from starting right. Please see the stronger club face at the top of the backswing in Figure 4 after the set-up changes.
Figure 4. A stronger (more closed) club face at the top of the backswing leaves the club face positioned to the right of the shaft.
Please note: The ball starts primarily closest to where the club face is pointing at impact – roughly 85 percent for a driver and 75 percent for a 6-iron. Therefore, to reduce a push slice ball flight (ball starting right of the target and flying with left to right curvature finishing even further right of the target), addressing the club face first in this scenario was paramount.
Robinson’s Summary
It is paramount to consider the club face when trying to cure a slice. Before making swing changes, ensure that adjustments to your setup cannot achieve the desired effect on the ball flight first. The best players in the world consistently check their setup for this reason, enabling them to replicate the same ball flight.
