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(photo A), then cuts back across the line through impact (photo B). If his clubface is open to the c...
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lder down on the forward swing. RELATED ARTICLE: How to get a free 10-minute lesson. For the six...
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et line to inside through impact. But as you can see in the photo at right, John's slice swing start...
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l list at www.golfdigest.com, www.PGA.com and www.thegolfchannel.com. Make an appointment. 2. Remo...
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Improve Golf Swing
ways like to look at what causes the path or the face to be in the wrong position. In John's case,...
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Simple Golf Swing
y from the ball being to set up the proper forward swing. To help him feel where his club should be ...
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Basics Golf Swing
move the card adjacent to this page, fill it out and take it to your lesson. 3. Get the PGA profes...
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hen cuts back across the line through impact (photo B). If his clubface is open to the club's path a...
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ow you how we fixed this common swing fault--and I'll also tell you how to get a free 10-minute less...
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st, I asked John to address the ball with his shoulders parallel to the target line. This adjustment...
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PGA professionals across the country will be giving thousands of 10-minute lessons in the month of May. For free.

What can you expect to accomplish in 10 minutes? My goal is simply this: To find one thing that's going to change your ball flight immediately. Then I'm going to work on fixing that one thing and that one thing only.

Most slicers have the same problem as John Pastore, a 9-handicapper from Upper Darby, Pa. A slice is always the result of either an incorrect swing path or clubface angle, so when we fix a slice, we fix the path or the face angle--or both. But I always like to look at what causes the path or the face to be in the wrong position.

In John's case, his slice was caused by an incorrect swing path, his club traveling from outside the target line to inside through impact. But as you can see in the photo at right, John's slice swing starts with poor alignment. By aiming too far right of the target, he naturally wants to compensate by working his club back to-ward the target and swinging across his body, pulling the ball immediately left. On the following page I'll show you how we fixed this common swing fault--and I'll also tell you how to get a free 10-minute lesson of your own.

John's problem: The classic pull slice

Like many slicers, John aims way right at address, which sets up a downswing in which the club moves outside the target line (photo A), then cuts back across the line through impact (photo B). If his clubface is open to the club's path at impact, the ball will curve back to the right. If the face is square or closing through impact, the ball stays left. To fix John's out-to-in swing path, I look at what's causing his club to be in the wrong position. It's because his shoulder turn is too flat in the forward swing, common to many slicers.

Rick's solution:

Fix John's aim, then work on his swing path

First, I asked John to address the ball with his shoulders parallel to the target line. This adjustment improves his swing path on the takeaway--the whole point of the swing away from the ball being to set up the proper forward swing. To help him feel where his club should be on the forward swing, I asked John to start at the impact position and from there swing directly to the finish. We worked on keeping the club more in front of his body, rather than finishing low and left, by keeping his left shoulder down on the backswing and his right shoulder down on the forward swing.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to get a free 10-minute lesson.

For the sixth consecutive year, Golf Digest and the PGA of America have teamed up to provide free 10-minute lessons to thousands of golfers through "Play Golf America." This year, Golf Digest's sister magazine--Golf For Women--and The Golf Channel also join as partners. To get a free lesson:

1. Check the list of participating PGA professionals in your region beginning on page 126 or the national list at www.golfdigest.com, www.PGA.com and www.thegolfchannel.com. Make an appointment.

2. Remove the card adjacent to this page, fill it out and take it to your lesson.

3. Get the PGA professional to sign the card, and then drop it in the mail.

Your name will be entered in a sweep-stakes. The prize for the amateur and his or her pro (chosen at random) is a four-day, three-night golf vacation at PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Fla., a custom-fit set of Nike clubs and $1,000 worth of Nike Golf footwear, apparel or bags.

Rick Martino, voted No. 18 by his peers in Golf Digest's ranking of America's 50 Greatest Teachers, is based at the PGA Learning Center, Port St. Lucie, Fla. He was the 1997 PGA Teacher of the Year.

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