Driving

Slice No More!

March 18, 2013
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How many times have you heard that to fix a slice, you have to swing in to out? What that means is, the club should swing down from inside the target line and then move outside the line after impact. The intent of that advice is good, but it causes a lot of golfers to hit the ball even farther to the right.

If you're a slicer and you try to swing in to out, you'll be inclined to start the club back more and more to the inside to set up that path (above, left). Sooner or later, you'll start taking it back so far inside that you have to loop it to the outside on the downswing. Guess what? That's the swing shape you've been trying to eliminate. So you're back to where you started.

Remember this: In to out is a downswing thought, not a backswing thought. As you swing back, try to create some room for the club to move on an in-to-out path coming down. To do that, keep the club in front of your torso as long as you can going back (above, right). If you've been flipping it way inside, this will feel like the club is moving away from your body. That's good. It means you're creating enough room to swing from in to out through impact.



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We're all aware of the dangers of getting too much sun. Protection and regular checkups are critical. But the sun has its benefits, too, like providing the body with vitamin D, an essential nutrient for bone density and muscle function. So it can be beneficial to expose your skin to the sun before applying sunscreen. Protection is key, of course, but a little sun can be good. (Editor's note: On May 14, Leadbetter is hosting a charity event called Leadbetter Skins 4 Healthier Skin at The Concession Golf Club, Bradenton, Fla., site of his newest academy. It's a fundraiser for skin-cancer prevention.)

DAVID LEADBETTER, a Golf Digest Teaching Professional, operates 26 golf academies worldwide.