Watching your golf ball leak, curve, or sail directly to the right is one of the most maddening experiences in the game. It’s a recurring problem that can torpedo a good round and destroy your confidence. The good news is that every shot tells a story, and a ball flight that goes right is giving you very specific feedback about your swing. This guide will help you understand that feedback, diagnose precisely why your ball is going right, and give you clear, actionable steps to finally start hitting straighter, more powerful shots.
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First, We Diagnose: Is It a "Slice" or a "Push"?
Before we can apply a fix, we have to correctly identify the problem. A ball that ends up right of the target for a right-handed golfer gets there in one of two ways. Mismatching the fix to the fault will only make things worse, so let’s get clear on this first.
The Slice
The slice is the most common miss for amateur golfers. It’s the shot that starts either at the target or slightly left of the target, and then curves dramatically to the right during its flight. It often feels weak, robbed of power, and flies higher than you intended. The defining characteristic is the rightward curve in the air.
The Push
A push is a different beast. This shot starts to the right of your target line and then flies relatively straight on that path, never curving back toward the flag. It might feel like a solid strike, but it simply starts in the wrong direction and stays there. The defining characteristic is the straight flight path to the right of the target.
Knowing which of these two shots you’re hitting is the first step. A slice is generally a clubface and path issue, while a push is often an alignment or exaggerated path issue. Now, let’s fix them.
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How to Correct The Slice: Taming the Open Clubface
The slice is almost always caused by a combination of two things: an open clubface at impact and a swing path that travels from “out-to-in” across the golf ball. The open face is the main culprit for starting the ball right of its initial direction, and the out-to-in path imparts the sidespin that causes the dramatic curve. To fix the slice, we have to address both, starting with the clubface.
Fault #1: Are You Holding It Wrong? The “Weak” Grip
Your hands are your only connection to the club, making them the steering wheel of the golf shot. If your grip has your hands rotated too far to the left (for a right-handed player), it’s called a “weak” grip. This position naturally encourages the clubface to rotate open as you swing, and it requires a heroic effort with your hands to square it up at impact. Most of the time, that heroic effort fails and the face is left open, producing a slice.
The Fix: The Neutral Grip Check
Let's find a neutral, powerful grip that helps you control a square clubface almost automatically. Follow these steps:
Settle the club. Place the clubhead on the ground behind the ball, making sure the leading edge is perfectly square (perpendicular) to your target line.
Place your lead hand (left hand for righties). Let your left arm hang naturally from your shoulder. Bring your hand to the side of the grip and hold the club primarily in the fingers, from the base of your pinky to the middle joint of your index finger.
The Two-Knuckle Check. Now, wrap your hand over the top. When you look down from your playing position, you should be able to clearly see at least two knuckles of your left hand (the ones on your index and middle finger). If you can't see them, your grip is too weak. If you see three or even four, it’s likely too "strong," which can cause hooks (shots that go left).
The "V" Check. The ‘V’ formed by your left thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder or even to the right of your collarbone. This confirms a neutral-to-stronger position.
Add your trail hand (right hand for righties). Bring your right hand to the club. The lifeline of your right palm should fit snugly over your left thumb. As with the left hand, the club should rest more in the fingers than the palm. The ‘V’ on your right hand should mirror the left one, pointing up toward your right shoulder.
This will feel strange at first. Very strange. Stick with it. This single change gives you the best chance of returning the clubface to a square position at impact without any extra conscious manipulation.
Fault #2: The Dreaded "Over-The-Top" Swing Path
The "over-the-top" swing path is the classic slice move. It happens when your first move down from the top of the backswing is with your shoulders and arms, throwing the club outside the correct swing plane. The club then travels down and across the ball from out-to-in. When this path is combined with the open face from a weak grip, you get that ugly banana ball flight.
The Fix: Retraining Your Path from Out-to-In to In-to-Out
To fix this, we need to feel the opposite. We need the club to approach the ball from the inside of the target line and extend outward towards the target. Here’s a fantastic drill you can do at the range:
The Headcover Drill
Take your normal setup.
Place an object - like a headcover or an empty basket - on the ground about a foot outside of your golf ball and slightly in front of it.
Your goal is simple: miss the headcover.
If you have an over-the-top swing, your instinct will be to come over the top of the ball, which will make you hit the headcover or come dangerously close.
To avoid the headcover, you’ll be forced to drop the club into the “slot” on the downswing, making it approach the ball from the inside. This is the feel you want. Make some slow, deliberate half-swings first to get the sensation right before hitting full shots.
This drill provides clear, instant feedback. You won't just think about keeping the club on path, you'll feel what it takes to do it.
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How to Correct The Push: When a Straight Shot Goes Wrong
Unlike the slice, a push doesn’t curve. It feels solid but starts right and stays there. The issue here isn't usually sidespin, it's about the starting direction of your swing. This is often caused by setup errors or a swing path that is too severely in-to-out.
This is the most common cause of the push, and happily, it's also the easiest to fix. Many golfers aim their feet at the target, but then their clubface, chest, and shoulders are pointing way to the right. Or they aim the clubface correctly and their entire body is aligned to the right. The ball will almost always start in the direction your body is aiming, regardless of where the clubface points.
The Fix: The Railroad Tracks Drill
Never eyeball your alignment again. Our brains are not reliable at perceiving parallel lines. Use this method every time you practice:
Place a golf club or alignment stick on the ground pointing directly at your target. This is your target line.
Step back and place a second club or stick at your feet, parallel to the first club. This is your body line. Remember, like railroad tracks, the two lines should never cross.
When you take your setup, your toes, knees, hips, and shoulders should all be parallel to that second stick. Your clubface should be perpendicular (or square) to the first stick.
Spending five minutes practicing with alignment sticks at the start of every range session will fundamentally change your game. You'll build trust in a setup that is actually aimed at the target.
Fault #2: Swing Path Is Too Much From The Inside
While an "in-to-out" path is desirable to stop a slice, it can be overdone. If your swing path becomes excessively in-to-out without enough body rotation, your arms can get "stuck" behind you. From this stuck position, the only place the club can go is out to the right, pushing the ball. You might feel like you're trapping the club behind your body.
The Fix: Rotate Through the Shot
The push often happens when the body stops turning through impact. The fix is to feel like your torso, chest, and belt buckle finish the swing facing the target. This ensures your arms have room to swing past your body and down the target line, instead of being blocked and forced out to the right.
After you strike the ball, focus on maintaining a positive motion through the finish, making sure your weight transfers to your lead foot and your entire body - chest and hips - are pointing where you want the ball to end up. Don't let your body stall.
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Stopping your ball from going right comes down to proper diagnosis and systematic solutions. First, identify if you have a curving slice or a straight push. Then patiently check your grip, realign your body with alignment sticks, and practice drills that retrain your swing path. Be patient, focus on one change at a time, and you'll start to straighten out that ball flight for good.
Once you are hitting the ball straighter on the range, bringing that confidence to the course makes all the difference. This is where our tool Caddie AI acts as your expert partner. If you're facing a tee shot with hazards lurking on the right, you can simply ask for a smart strategy to help you avoid that blow-up miss. When a weird lie throws you off, you can even take a picture of your ball and our app can offer you instant, unemotional advice on the best way to play it. We designed it to take the guesswork out of difficult golf decisions, so you can focus on committing to your swing and enjoying the game more.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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