Gary Player might be one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in the game, but he certainly gives out some gems for amateur golfers!
The South African is always keen to share golf tips with players looking to improve their game. He is a nine-time major winner, and Gary Player thinks he’s the third-best golfer ever! He does have a wealth of knowledge from his eight decades of experience.
Player once set about trying to fix a key issue that plagues many “weekend golfers”: a tendency to slice the ball. Most golfers would love to be able to get the ball moving from right to left in order to take away the big miss to the right, which is common among amateurs.
If you suffer from the slice and want to learn how to draw the ball, you’re in luck! Player had a simple tip that should really help you generate that shot shape.
Gary Player’s simple tip on how to draw the ball
Player explained that eliminating the slice all comes from the initial part of the swing: the takeaway.
He explained: “I got to make sure that I draw the ball into the wind and don’t let it fade to the right. Let me mention a little bit about that.
“One of the biggest faults with weekend golfers, they take the club back too straight or a little bit outside the line. We want the weekend golfer to get the club to come a little on the inside. Very important, I think one of the most important things in the swing for a weekend golfer.
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“Get the club a little on the inside, which enables him to turn and release the club head through the ball better. When they take the club head outside the line, they cut across the ball like that, and they hit that big slice.
“Now, if you’re a real champion golfer, like Lee Trevino or Fred Couples, that happen to take the club a little outside the line, but they make great moves to bring back the club on the inside, or on the line.
“But the average golfer cannot do that, so take the club back a little bit on the inside.”
Most players understand that the slice is caused by coming over the top with the swing, but they try to fix that issue with their downswing. Instead, Player recommends fixing your takeaway first.
Why Gary Player’s advice prevents slices
Most amateur golfers take the club out outside the line, as Player mentions, because they use their arms instead of their bodies. This creates a steep swing, forcing players to cut across the ball on the way down.
By taking the club back inside the line, you create a shallower plane. This path allows the golfer to turn their swing and release the club, rotating the clubface from open to closed through the strike zone.
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Players like Trevino can overcome this by looping the club back during their transition from upswing to downswing, but this is difficult to emulate because of the hand-eye coordination it requires. This will typically result in an over-the-top swing for the average player.
Instead, take the club away on the inside of your path to take the slice out of the equation.
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