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Slice-Proof Your Downswing Train with a resistance band to straighten things out BY DEBBIE DONIGER
A STEEP, LEFTWARD down- swing path, coupled with an open clubface, is one of the
left hand. Next, take a resistance band and wrap one end around the clubface while securing the other in your right hand. Swing the club back and through as slow as you can, maintaining the tautness in the band. As you transition down, notice how much longer your back faces the tar- get and your body remains closed to it, which is the opposite of what a slicer feels and does. Also, note how the club tracks more behind your body and the arms drop down. This allows for the club to swing from the inside, which is how you stop slicing and start hitting powerful draws. – WITH DAVE ALLEN DEBBIE DONIGER , one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in New York, is director of instruction at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford.
biggest contributors to hitting a weak slice. The club moves too much across the body, from outside the target line to inside of it, making it tough to keep the ball from curving way to the right. To get the face and club in a func- tional impact position, a slicer usually starts the downswing by either spin- ning the hips or upper body open – or both – and flicking the club outwards. Instead, you want to feel like the club is coming into impact more from behind you and your arms are dropping down and then moving out to the right of your target through impact. The fol- lowing drill will do just that and get your swing direction back on track. Grab your 7-iron and grip it in your
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES FARRELL
84 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
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