Golf Slice Tips on How to Fix It

Almost nothing in golf feels worse than watching your perfect-looking drive start straight and then take a sharp right turn into the trees or the next fairway over. That banana ball, the dreaded slice, can turn a good round into a frustrating one in a single swing. The good news is that a slice is fixable, and it isn't some complex mystery. Fixing it is about understanding a couple of simple cause-and-effect relationships in your swing. This guide will walk you through the most common causes of a slice and give you clear, understandable drills and checkpoints to finally straighten out your ball flight.

What a Slice Really Is (and Why It Happens)

Before we can fix it, we have to understand the mechanics behind that ugly curving shot. At its core, a sliced golf shot is the result of impartng significant sidespin on the ball, similar to how you would slice a tennis backhand. This sidespin is predominantly caused by two main contributing factors often working together:

1. An Open Clubface: This is the number one cause. An open clubface means that at the moment of impact, the face of your club is pointed to the right of your swing path (for a right-handed golfer). No matter how good your swing path is, if the face is open, the ball will start right or curve right.
2. An "Out-to-In" Swing Path: This is often called coming "over the top." It means that your club starts its downswing by moving outside of the target line and then cuts across the ball, moving back to the inside of the aarget line through impact. When this out-to-in path is combined with an open clubface, you get the classic weak, high-arching slice.

The goal is to get your clubface square at impact and your swing path moving from in-to-out, or at the very least, straight down the target line. The rest of this guide is about making that happen.

Your Grip: The Steering Wheel for the Clubface

If your car keeps pulling to the right, the first thing you check is your grip on the steering wheel. The same is true in golf. An improper grip is the root cause of a slice for an overwhelming number of amateurs. The most common fault is a “weak” grip, which encourages an open clubface.

Here’s how to build a stronger, slice-resistant grip.

The Left Hand (for Right-Handed Golfers)

A "weak" left-hand grip is one where the hand is rotated too far to the left (toward the target) on the club. This makes it very difficult for your wrists to release properly, leaving the face open at the bottom.

• Get the position right: Place the club diagonally across the fingers of your left hand, from the base of your little finger to the middle joint of your index finger. Don't hold it in your palm.
• The checkpoint: Once you close your hand, look down. You should be able to clearly see at least two, and ideally three, knuckles on the back of your left hand.
• Check the "V": The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point somewhere between your right ear and right shoulder. If it's pointing at your chin, your grip is too weak.

The Right Hand

Your right hand should work in partnership with your left, not fight against it. A common error for slicers is a right-hand grip that slides too far underneath the club, which can also limit release.

• The palm faces the target: As you bring your right hand to the club, the palm should be facing your target. Think of it as shaking hands with the handle.
• Cover the thumb: The middle of your right palm’s lifeline should cover your left thumb.
• Feel it in the fingers: Just like the left hand, the right hand should hold the club primarily in the fingers, not the palm. This allows your wrists to stay supple.

Drill: Go to the range and hit 20-30 shots with just a half-swing, focusing only on this new grip feel. It will almost certainly feel strange or “too strong” at first. That's a good sign! It takes repetition to make a new grip feel natural.

Your Setup: Stop Aiming for a Slice

Many slicers unconsciously create a vicious cycle. Knowing the ball will curve right, they start aiming their body far to the left of the target. While this seems logical, it actually makes the problem worse. Aiming your body left PULLS your swing path even further to the left, promoting a more aggressive over-the-top, out-to-in move. You have to break this cycle by aligning correctly.

Aligning Parallel Left

Imagine a set of railroad tracks. Your ball and your target are on the right rail. Your body (specifically your feet, hips, and shoulders) should be perfectly parallel to that, on the left rail. They should not point at the target itself.

Drill: The Alignment Stick Check
Lay two clubs or alignment sticks on the ground.

1. Place the first stick on the ground so it points directly at your target. Place your ball just inside this stick.
2. Place the second stick parallel to the first one, but closer to you. This is your body line. When you take your stance, the toes of both your feet should be right up against this second stick. Your hips and shoulders should feel like they are also aligned with this stick. This will feel very "closed" or aimed to the right at first if you're used to aiming left, but this is the correct, neutral alignment.

Ball Position Matters

Especially with the driver, your ball position can greatly influence club path. Slicers often play the ball too far back in their stance. With a driver, you want to hit the ball on a slight upswing. Poasitioning the ball forward encourages this upward strike and an inside-to-out path.

• Irons: For middle irons (like a 7-iron), the ball should be roughly in the center of your stance.
• Driver: For the driver, the ball should be positioned much further forward, off the inside of your lead foot's heel.

The Swing Path: Slaying the "Over-the-Top" Dragon

With a solid grip and correct alignment, you’ve built the foundation. Now we tackle the swing path itself. Fixing an over-the-top move is about changing how you start the downswing.

A Wider Tkeaway

The problem can often start right away. Slicers tend to pick the club up too abruptly with their hands and arms, getting the club "outside" the proper plane immediately. Instead, focus on a "one-piece" takeaway.

For the first few feet of the backswing, feel like your hands, arms, and chest rotate away from the ball together. It should feel wide aund connected, not like a narrow, handsy lift.

The Magic Move: Starting the Downswing

Here it is. This is the part that will drastically change your club's path. From the top of your backswing, the very first move should not be unwinding your shoulders or throwing your hands at the ball. The first move should be a small, lateral shift of your hips towards the target.

1. Get to the top of your backswing.
2. Pause for a split second.
3. Feel your weight shift to your lead foot by "bumping" your lead hip towards the target.

This slight lower-body-first move does something incredible: it forces your arms and the club to drop slightly down and behind you. This is called "shallowing the club," and it is the antidote to an over-the-top path. It slots the club into the perfect inside position to attack the ball.

Drill: The Pump Drill
Take your normal setup. Go to the top of your backswing. From there, start your downswing but only come down until the club is parallel to the ground. As you do this, feel Your lead hip bump forward and your trail elbow tuck in close to your side. Then go back to the top. Repeat this "pump" two or three times, ingraining the feeling. On the final pump, swing all the way through to a full finish. This is perhaps one of the best drills for feeling an inside path.

Releasing the Clubhead

The final piece of the puzzle is allowing the club to "release" through impact. Slicers often fight this, holding the clubface open as they try to steer the ball down the fairway. Releasing is simply letting the momentum of your swing allow your right arm to cross over your left arm after the ball is gone.

Don't think of it as a conscious wrist-flick. Think about making a full, uninhibited swing all the way to a balanced finish, with your chest and belt buckle pointing at the target. When you swing with a proper sequence and commit to the finish, a natural release will happen.

Final Thoughts

Tackling a slice is a process of checking your foundations in order. Start with your grip - it’s the most likely culprit. From there, ensure your alignment isn’t working against you. Finally, change your mental picture of the downswing to start from the ground up, allowing the club to drop from the inside. Be patient and give yourself time to get comfortable with these changes.

We know translating tips from the range to the pressures of the golf course can sometimes feel like two different sports. This is exactly why we built Caddie AI to be your digital expert, wherever you are. If you’re standing over a tough tee shot and worried about the slice showing up, you can get immediate, simple strategy on the best way to play the hole. And if a question about one of these fixes pops into your head during practice, you can get a clear answer in seconds, giving you that bit of expert confidence right when you need it most.