Nothing sours a round of golf faster than watching your tee shot start promisingly down the fairway before making a sharp, right turn into the trees. That giant, curving slice is the most common frustration among amateur golfers, but fixing it is more straightforward than you think. This article will walk you through the real reasons your ball is slicing and give you practical, step-by-step instructions to hit straighter, more powerful shots.
That banana-shaped shot that finds the right-side rough nine times out of ten comes from a combination of two things: your swing path and your clubface angle at impact. For a right-handed player, a slice occurs when you swing the club from "out-to-in," cutting across the ball from right to left, while the clubface is "open" (pointing to the right) relative to that path. This combination puts a ton of side spin on the ball, causing it to curve dramatically. The ball might start left of your target and curve past it, or start to the right and curve even more to the right.
Many slicers try to fix this by aiming farther left, but that only encourages an even more severe out-to-in swing, making the problem worse. The real fix isn't about aiming for your slice, it's about correcting the fundamental movements in your setup and swing that cause it. Let's break down the four biggest culprits and how to correct them for good.
Your hands are your only connection to the club, making them the steering wheel for your shot. An incorrect grip is the leading cause of a slice, and happily, it's also one of the easiest things to fix. Most slicers use what is called a "weak" grip, which naturally encourages the clubface to open up at impact.
A weak grip for a right-hander means your left hand is rotated too far to the left (counter-clockwise) on the grip, so you might only see one knuckle or even none when you look down. Your right hand then comes too far over the top, covering the left thumb completely. This alignment makes it incredibly difficult to square the clubface through the hitting area without some heroic, last-second hand manipulation.
A stronger grip will help you naturally rotate and close the clubface at impact, turning that slice into a straight flight or even a gentle draw.
A Quick Word of Warning: This new grip will feel extremely strange at first. It might even feel like you are going to hook the ball off the planet. Trust the process. This adjustment is one of the bedrocks of swinging from the inside and squaring the face. Hit small, easy shots at the range until it starts to feel more comfortable.
Your setup is the foundation of your swing. If you're aimed incorrectly from the start, your body will instinctively make compensations to try and get the ball to the target, and those compensations often result in slicing. As mentioned, many slicers aim far left to play for their big curve. Let’s correct this habit.
Proper posture also helps. Hinge from your hips, keeping your back relatively straight, and let your arms hang naturally down from your shoulders. This creates space for your arms to swing freely. As for ball position, especially with your driver, make sure the ball is positioned off the heel of your lead foot (your left foot). This gives you the best chance to hit the ball on the upswing and allows for ample time to square the clubface.
What happens in the first two feet of your backswing sets the stage for the rest of an athletic, powerful motion. A common mistake for slicers is immediately snatching the club away with their hands and arms, taking the clubhead "outside" the target line. This puts the club on a path where the only way down is "over the top."
Instead, focus on a "one-piece" takeaway. This means your hands, arms, and torso turn away from the ball together as a single unit.
The "over the top" swing is the classic slicer's move. It happens when you start your downswing with an aggressive, lunging motion from your upper body - your right shoulder and arms throw the club out and away from you, forcing you to cut across the ball. To fix this, you have to retrain your swing to start from the ground up.
The correct downswing sequence feels much different. After you've completed your backswing rotation, the first move down should be a small shift of your hips toward the target. Think of it as a subtle "bump" with your left hip. This does two amazing things:
This will feel like you’re dropping the club to the inside before uncoiling towards the ball. It's the polar opposite of the upper-body-first move you're used to.
Reading about it is one thing, but feeling it is another. Here are a couple of great drills to ingrain this new feeling:
Correcting a slice boils down to addressing its twin causes: an open clubface and an out-to-in swing path. By strengthening your grip, fixing your alignment, and re-sequencing your swing to start from the ground up, you can eliminate the main faults that send your ball curving in the wrong direction. Be patient with these changes at the range, and you'll soon be enjoying the sight of well-struck, straight shots on the course.
Applying these new swing thoughts on the range can build a solid foundation, but taking that new skill to the course brings up other questions. That's where an on-demand golf expert like Caddie AI transforms your game. Imagine facing a tough downhill lie in the rough - you can snap a photo, and our app will a provide smart strategy for playing the shot and avoiding a big number. It takes the guesswork out of tricky situations, helping you make smarter, more confident decisions that let your improving swing shine through.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
