Introducing the Best Slice Fighters
Whether you are going through a spell of leaving it out to the right or consider yourself a chronic slicer, sometimes you need some help. You could take swing lessons from your local pro, but that might take time to cure your swing flaws. Or, you could check out some anti slice drivers created by the golf club manufacturers.
But, before we get into what clubs are best to fight the slice let’s discuss why the slice happens…
Forget the why’s of the slice. Just tell me how to hit the ball straight! Here are the Best Drivers for a Slice:
Get the Right Driver
With so many options available picking the best driver for a slice might seem intimidating. Don’t worry though as I’ll walk you through this process. Before we discuss the top drivers for slice problems, let’s address the issues that cause the dreaded banana ball.
Why do I slice my driver?
First, how about we define the golf slice definition. Wikipedia definition for a golf slice is…
A shot that initially takes a trajectory on the same side of the golf ball from which the player swings but eventually curves sharply back opposite of the player.
Layman’s Terms: A slice is a shot that has a right side spin causing a flight pattern to the right side of the course.
This is, of course, for right-handed golfers. For left-handed golfers the shot curves to the left.
It is the most common mishit in the game. Although some golfers intentionally hit this shot from time-to-time. Better players sometimes need to bend their shot around an obstacle such as a tree.
Beginners and high handicap golfers, on the other hand, usually cannot stop the slice. And trust me, there are no amount of curse words that will help prevent this shot. Sadly, these golfers are most prone to this mishit. It becomes the bane of their existence on the golf course.
There are a handful of reasons that cause a slice:
- Poor Grip & Setup
- Outside-In Swing Path
- Clubface Open at Contact
Some golfers may only have one of these tendencies, while others might exhibit all of the issues in there swing.
Now let’s briefly discuss the causes.
Poor Grip & Setup
The golf swing begins when you grip your club and setup for the shot. Therefore, if there are flaws here, everything else will be very difficult to do correctly.
Outside-In Swing Path
If you’re not sure what an outside-in swing path is, check out this video where Maria Palozola quickly explains the slice-causing swing flaw…
Clubface Open at Contact
The last cause of a slice is the clubface being open at contact. This could be caused because of timing regarding the rotation of the body and the arms. Or your hands might not be turning over at impact.
This next video quickly explains the three clubface positions at impact…
Change the Swing, or Change the Driver?
Fixing your swing is the B-E-S-T long-term strategy to stop slicing your golf ball, hands down. But it might take time. Like months, or an entire season of working with a teaching pro. Maybe you don’t have this time. Or perhaps you want a temporary fix. Whatever the reason, the manufactures feel your pain and therefore try to create the best driver for a slice…
Just for you.
Offset, or draw biased drivers are your best options. These drivers usually have a high MOI (moment of inertia), and weights are deep and back in the head for forgiveness reasons.
How the Driver Can Help Stop the Slice
While companies have known for years how to help golfers fight the slice, technology is still improving to make these drivers better. In this section, we’ll cover how these drivers may help you hit better shots off the tee.
Head Design
Driver designs have definitely been interesting over the years for golfers. Companies try to figure out what works best for straight, long shots. Here we’ll take a closer look at:
Head Shape
The three most popular driver designs are traditional (sometimes referred as pear-shaped), draw biased, and offset head. Having a driver with a closed face angle is by far the best way to stop shots from slicing right… And we’re talking around 15 yards reduction.
Therefore, for this section, we’ll talk about these heads from a face angle standpoint regarding opened to closed.
Traditional Head
Traditional heads have the most neutral face angle of the three. Typically they have 1 to 2 degrees of a closed face. With the more neutral angle, low handicap and scratch golfers can manipulate the side spin on the golf ball more, allowing shot shaping abilities.
Draw-Biased
A draw-biased head is a more aggressive 3 to 3 ½ degree closed face. The 3-degree mark seems to be a sweet spot for most golfers with a typical slice problem. Draw biased is a good selection for those who consistently end up in the first cut or deeper rough, but not in the other fairway, or Out-of-Bounds.
Offset Head
Hands down, this is the best driver for a slice. These drivers tend to be 4 to 5 degrees closed. While some golfers might find the look ugly at address, there is no denying how effective this design is for helping to reduce shots to the right side of the fairway. If you are a habitual slicer and are fed up with losing balls to lakes to the right, or shots going OB then you should seriously consider an offset head.
You have sidespin and backspin on every shot you take. The more sidespin you have due to your swing the farther off course the ball travels. And the less loft you have on a golf club, the chances of sidespin increase.
Therefore, one way to achieve straighter shots is by buying a higher lofted driver.
Check out the pic above of the old TaylorMade Firesole Offset driver and the notch in the hosel for a reference to an offset head.
Weighting
While the face angle is by far the most vital part of helping to reduce a slice, the weight placement in the head has an effect too. Companies try to engineer the weights in three ways:
- Getting as much weight in the sole (as low as possible) to lower the center of gravity (CG) which results in more backspin
- Weight as far back (away from face) increases M.O.I. and creates a larger sweet spot on the face
- Put the weight in the heel which helps close face at impact
These weight manipulations result in shaving off maybe around 5 yards of going to the right. It’s a small fine-tuning and might not sound like a lot. But combined with the proper face angle, you could be looking at 20 yards closer to the center of the fairway without having to change a thing in your swing.
Loft
The loft can be a touchy subject for some high handicap golfers. Possibly because of a prior golf ball technology and beliefs of high launch angle = loss of distance. We’re not getting into golf ball tech here. But while yes, there is a tipping point where too high means loss of distance, understand this…
You have sidespin and backspin on every shot you take. The more sidespin you have due to your swing the farther off course the ball travels. And the less loft you have on a golf club, the chances of sidespin increase.
Therefore, one way to achieve straighter shots is by buying a higher lofted driver.
Look, drivers already have a huge risk/reward factor. And honestly, if you’re reading this part then your probably on the verge of desperation for help. So what, then, if a higher loft costs you 10 yards in distance if it means a chance at more fairways in regulation? Truth is, the only other alternative for a straighter shot is to grab a shorter club – Which means a higher loft and loss of distance. Stop obsessing with the low lofts because PGA Pro Joe uses an 8.5!
There’s a reason these kinds of drivers focus on higher lofts. And some companies do not offer below 10.5 for draw biased drivers. Food for thought.
Shaft Options
With all the shaft options available it’s best to work with a fitting professional if you want to dial in what’s best for your swing. The reason to work with a fitter is that the swing is a dynamic motion with lots of variables. And what shaft fits one high handicapper might make matters worse for another. Regardless, we’re going to cover some main points.
Shaft Flex
Drivers are offered in the following flexes:
- Ladies
- 1 inch shorter in length than men’s
- Swing speed below 80 MPH
- Light (Lite, M, or A Flex)
- Swing speed below 80 MPH
- Regular
- 80+ MPH swing speed
- Stiff
- 90+ MPH swing speed
- X-Flex
- 100+ MPH swing speed
The swing speeds mentioned above is the generic industry standards for shaft selection regarding flex. The tip-stiffness and shaft weight can change what flex a golfer needs too.
Tip Stiffness
Tip stiffness is a term used to discuss the overall stiffness of a shaft. Once again, speaking in general terms, there are three predominant types of tips – tip soft, medium tip, and tip stiff. Here’s an excellent article if you want to dive into a tip-stiffness rabbit hole.
Shaft Weight
The last part to understand with a shaft is the weight. Usually, lighter shafts are better for the slower swing speeds.
- Under 50 gram shafts considered ultra lightweight
- Under 60 gram = Lightweight
- Under 70 gram = average weight
- Above 70 grams is considered heavy
Driver shaft weights can and do go up into the 90-gram range, but unless your a former college or higher level baseball player I can’t imagine why you would need one.
When Not to Buy a Draw Biased Driver
Draw-biased drivers are not for everyone.
While it may seem obvious if you do not have a slice problem this driver isn’t for you. A closed head and/or heel weighting will cause the club to close down even more at contact resulting in possible hook shots.
Another reason to not buy a draw biased driver is if you are committed to fixing your swing. For you, a draw-biased driver could be considered bad because it will cover your imperfections and you won’t realize your swing mistakes. Also, once you do fix your swing, you’ll need to buy another driver due to the reasons mentioned above.
Why You Should Buy an Anti-Slice Driver
But even if you are working on your swing, an anti-slice driver is a great asset if you have consistent slice issues. Poor tee shots sap the fun out of a round. And the more fun you have, the better chance you have to stick with the game. Therefore, it is a good idea to at least consider these drivers.
You might fall into the category of having no desires to work on your swing. You’ve accepted your swing as permanent and want the most help you can get. Or, you don’t have time to practice golf and do not want to embarrass yourself on the course.
Well, then these types of drivers are for you!
Keep reading to see our top picks for the best driver for a slice!
Our Top 5 Pick for Best Drivers for a Slice
Ping G400 SFT Driver
Of the Ping drivers, the SFT is the most forgiving. One of the most impressive aspects of the SFT is the MOI being over 9000…
Forgiving drivers tend to hand out around 6000.
While it’s not an offset head, there are a lot of individual reviews from golfers praising the club for eliminating the slice. Along with extremely high MOI, Ping installed a 5-gram tungsten weight towards the heel. As mentioned above heel weighting aides a draw bias. Combine these points with a lighter swing weight (D1), which Ping claims to help square the face at impact, and you can understand why the social praise is so high.
The 445 head size selection is an interesting choice though. Most beginner and high handicap golfers prefer a bigger head size as it’s known to increase confidence.
Still, Ping definitely did their homework here and created a great club for beginner and high handicap golfers. And at a $399 price point, it’s worth a look! Check out our full review here.
Pros
- Over 9000 MOI is exceptionally high
- 5 Gram Tungsten weighting helps promote a draw
- Priced at $399 makes it affordable compared to other major brands listed below
Cons
- Most beginners and high handicap golfers prefer a 460cc head, and the 445cc head size is considered small
- If you are looking for a driver with adjustments, you will be disappointed.
Callaway Rogue Draw Driver
Repositioned weight is the name of the game for this driver as Callaway strategically relocated the savings to enhance the gear effect on off-center shots to fight the slice.
If you recall in the Weighting section above, I mention how companies try to position weight to enhance a draw. Well, Callaway was able to make the Jailbreak bars in the Rogue driver 25% lighter compared to the 2017 Epic Driver with an hourglass design. Other areas Callaway shaved some weight is with the Triaxial Carbon Crown and the VFT face.
Because of these mass savings, the company was able to put a 5-gram weight in the heel. Therefore, Callaway claims another 7 yards of draw bias.
Pros
- The Callaway Rogue Draw was a Golf Digest 2018 Hot List Gold Medal Winner
- With all the weight savings throughout the head, Callaway was able to create a draw-biased driver that they claim gets an additional 7 yards back to center
- The driver has an MOI rating of 8600
Cons
- At $499 this driver is an investment
- Lack of adjustability on the sole might cause some golfers to look elsewhere
TaylorMade M4 D-Type Driver
And the M4 D-Type has this face technology along with the Hammerhead Slot which is supposed to ‘produce distance and forgiveness across the face.’ The slot has an outer reinforced portion which makes the Twist Face tech possible.
Design wise, TaylorMade has two features to promote a draw…
First, they tweaked the crown graphics which makes the face appear more open. Taylormade feels that golfers will close the face down more because of the open face look.
They also put a 41-gram weight in the back of the sole closer to the heel. This should help slicers hit straighter shots. Moving the weight closer to the heel will definitely have an impact and should assist a golf slice to straighten out.
Pros
- The Twist-Face and Hammerhead Slot technology are a very good combination for straighter hitting shots
- 41-Grams of weight towards the heel help promote a draw bias
- TaylorMade probably has the best aftermarket shaft offer
Cons
- Concerning Anti-Slice, this driver is probably the least effective of the drivers’ mention
- At $429 it’s still an investment
- The Crown Graphics might not be effective for all golfers
Cobra F-Max Offset Driver
Cobra has combined weight in the heel with an offset hosel to help eliminate a slice and launch the ball in the air with ease.
This driver is definitely made for golfers with slower swing speeds. The heaviest shaft in the lineup is the stiff, and it weighs 55 grams. The club also has a light swing weight too. The 11.5 head is a D0, and the 10.5 head has a D1 SW.
One interesting choice Cobra made is to have a mid-size grip as the stock option. Something that is almost an old wives’ tale is that larger grips slow down the release, which in this case could lead to leaving the face open at contact. I’m sure there is some scientific proof to back up this claim. But having a grip that feels comfortable in the hands, regardless of size, is far more important, i.e., seniors with arthritis in their hands.
Pros
- Now at $199 from $299 this driver is a bargain
- Very good look with the glossy black paint complemented with the gold accents
- Heel weighting combined with offset hosel creates the ultimate anti-slice driver
Cons
- The light shaft and swing weight does not mold well with aggressive swing types
- Golfers might find the alignment aid on the crown distracting, at least at first glance
- Cobra installed a mid-size grip, which golfers accustomed to standard grips might not like
Tour Edge HL3 Offset Driver
This short Tour Edge HL3 offset driver review should explain why it is going to be the best value choice on this list of drivers.
First, It’s priced at $189.99. When considering there are drivers on this list over $400 you can see why this is a bargain.
Second, from a technological standpoint, it’s a simple driver. The HL3 utilizes R&D that is considered the norm to create maximum forgiveness. Due to the offset hosel, it is the best option for habitual slicers.
Third, Tour Edge offers a lifetime warranty for the driver. A traditional warranty for golf clubs is 2 years. And that protects normal wear and tear such as shaft breakage around the hosel, or in the grip. It also covers face cracks and dents.
And last, it’s ‘Hand Built in the USA.’ You can show your American pride everytime you tee off with this driver knowing you’re contributing to keeping your money in the States.
Now, sadly, there is one shortcoming associated with this driver. It’s known to have a loud sound when compared to other drivers at impact. The unpleasant sound might be due to the four-piece forged titanium head.
This offset driver also has a rear weight that moves the CG farther back. Therefore, higher launch angles can be expected. Having a driver with a low center-of-gravity is excellent for high handicap golfers, but probably not as much for golfers who do not need help getting it up!
Pros
- $189 price point makes it the best value on the list
- Lifetime warranty offered by Tour Edge
- Hand Built in the USA
Cons
- Some golfers might consider the driver inferior because of sound
- Even with the weight moved back it could have been brought closer to the heel to increase draw enhancements
The 2018 Best Driver for a Slice goes to…
Howard’s Golf believes the Cobra F-Max is the Top Driver for this award. Not only does it have an offset head, but it also incorporates draw weighting back and to the heel. And now that it is discounted down to $199 it’s flat out a steal!
While the Ping G400 SFT driver is probably our pick for the best Max-Game Improvement driver overall, this list is for the Best Driver for a slice. And therefore, will give it an honorable 2nd place here.
