Something for the Weekend: Square the shoulders

This week in Something for the Weekend - our regular Friday series in which we offer a simple tip for you to try out on the course over the weekend - we offer some advice on how to reduce those destructive slices.

Tip to keep shoulders square to target

When you go for a custom-fitting session, as I did yesterday at Titleist's state-of-the art facility at St Ives Golf Club, it's important to ideally bring your A-game to the bay so the clubs you're planning to use can compliment your current swing.

Obviously faults can creep in but PGA-trained fitter Richard Harries gave me a tip he always used in the early part of his amateur career which helps to square the shoulders at address and reduces the risk of them opening up to the target as you grip the club, forcing a tendency to slice.

He recommends: “As a right-hander I was always encouraged to grip the club with the left hand and place the clubhead behind the ball, with my right hand behind my back.

“This way, the teaching pro watching from down the line, could see the correct position of the inside of my left elbow with my shoulders square to the target. Step two is to then bring in the right hand on to the grip from underneath the shaft and into position. 

“This helps retain the shoulders in a square position, as opposed to immediately putting the right hand on top of the grip and tending to force the shoulders open.”

Hopefully it's a tip that will work for you, too and immediately reduce the chances of that destructive out-to-in swingpath which can cause the dreaded slice.

Want more?

Head to our Something for the Weekend index. Remember to let us know how you get on and share your own tips with us in the forum and on our Facebook page. You can also tweet us @Golfmagic.

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