How to cure that slice? Want to get rid of your hook? When it comes to golf swing troubleshooting, it is helpful to realize that you need to consider all aspects of your position and movement and not only the swing. For example, your stance must be right to produce a good swing. Golf swing troubleshooting can be as easy as following the tips below.

These are the most common problems:

• Slice
• Hook
• Pull
• Push
• Shank
• Fluff
• Top

Slice - This is when the ball starts to the left of the target line and then curves right to land to the right of the target. To correct this problem, you must improve the position of the clubface through impact (square it off) and learn to swing on a more in-to-out path. Try the following:

• Change the alignment of your body by aiming your feet, hips, and shoulders to the right of the target.
• Straighten your arm early in the downswing. Picture yourself standing on a clock with the ball in the center and 12 o'clock being the target. It should seem as the club is swinging down from 7 o'clock through to 1 o'clock.
• Strengthen your grip by moving both hands to the right on the club until you can see three knuckles on the back of your left hand. Make sure the "Vs" between both thumbs and forefingers are parallel.

Hook - The ball starts to the right of the target line and then curves to the left to land left of the target. This fault can be identified by the divots landing to the right of the target. Try all of the following to see which works best for you:

• Feel that your hips are opening up toward the target, and that your right shoulder is moving forward as you hit the ball.
• Weaken your right hand grip. Turn that hand to the left on the club.
• Make sure that the toe of the club points skyward halfway into your backswing.
• Open up your upper body in relation to the target line at address.

Pull - This is identified by the ball starting to the left of the target line and continues to travel straight along that line. The fix for this is the same as the "slice," above.

Push - A push is when the ball flies in a straight line to the right of the target. The feet, hips, and shoulders might be aiming too far to the right and/or you are likely to be taking the club away too much on the inside of the target line. Follow the hints in "hook," above.

Shank - This is when the ball flies sharply to the right. It is a result of striking the ball with the hosel. The cause is one of two things: 1) Your weight shifting forwared outtoward the toes, causing the hands and the clubhead to be further away from the body. 2) Standing too close to the ball.

• Relax your grip pressure to allow the clubhead to swing freely and release through impact.
• Improve the line of your swing through impact. A good way to do this is to place a ball about one half of an inch outside your object ball. Then try to hit the inner ball with out dislodging the other.
• Shift your weight toward your heels by curling your toes up inside your shoes. Keeping them that way throughout your swing will help stop you from falling forward.
• Practice proper posture and alignment.

Fluff - A fluff is when the clubhead digs into the ground short of impact and the ball barely moves.

• Avoid extremes of posture - being too crouched or too erect.
• Make sure your hands are not too far behind the ball as you set up.
• Make sure that the ball is not too far forward in your stance.
• Try tightening your grip.

Top - This is when only the bottom of the clubhead strikes the ball and the ball travels only a short distance. Do the following:

• Don't lift your head and body away from the ball on your follow through.
• Your left arm should be fully extended at impact.
• Make sure the ball is in the middle of your stance.
• Flex your knees at address.
• Turn your hips into the ball on follow through.