Question:“No matter what club I have tried, I still hit a big slice. Can equipment and fitting really cure this?”
— George Spencer
Valencia, CA
Answer:
“Don’t feel alone, this is one of the most frequent inquiries I receive. You will be happy to know there are several solutions.First, I recommend that you work with a professional fitter who can help you find a club that you can control. Most clubs are built at 45 inches or longer to achieve greater distance, but unfortunately that results in less control. Most touring professionals opt for shorter clubs for more control in order to increase their ability to hit the ball on the center of the face. That way they achieve both greater distance and less dispersion.
Your professional fitter will also select a shaft with the proper weight, flex, torque, and bendpoint to accommodate your swing speed and tempo. Selecting the clubhead that reduces sidespin is essential. Many companies offer ‘weight adjustment’ clubs now, such as TaylorMade, Adams, Hogan and KZG.
Using a launch monitor, your fitter will be able to establish your optimum launch angle and then adjust the screws on the clubhead for a draw bias to minimize or eliminate your slice. Once fitted, these weights should not be moved. This is an equipment ‘spec’ no different than a lie angle.
Another solution is to test ‘offset’ drivers with exaggerated hook faces, offset, and internal draw bias that can help counteract a slice.
The key is proper fitting by a professional. And for some players, a few lessons to minimize an exaggerated open clubface to swing path may prove helpful.”
Steve Benzin is a certified Master ClubFitter and has been rated in the Top 100 ClubFitters in the World for two years. He is a founding member of IPAC (International Professional Association of ClubFitters). He was formerly a Touring Professional and today is the Director of Fitting and Education for a golf manufacturer.
If you have questions for Steve, send us your e-mail at: foremagazine@scga.org. |
