How to Cure a Push Slice in a Golf Swing

The push slice is one of the most frustrating shots in golf, sending your ball starting right of your target and then curving even further away into trouble. It feels powerless and out of control, but the good news is that it’s an incredibly common issue with a very clear cause. This article will break down a push slice to its core components and provide you with a step-by-step blueprint of actionable drills to straighten out your ball flight for good.

What Exactly is a Push Slice and Why Does it Happen?

Before we can fix it, we have to understand the two pieces of the swing puzzle that create this shot. A push slice is not one single problem, but the combination of two distinct issues happening at impact: your club's swing path and your clubface angle.

The "Push" Component: Your Swing Path

The "push" part of the name refers to the initial direction the ball starts. For a right-handed golfer, this means the ball starts to the right of the target line. This happens because your swing path is moving too much from inside-to-out through the impact zone.

Imagine your target line is a straight railroad track pointing directly at the flag. An inside-to-out path means your clubhead approaches the ball from inside that track and, at impact, is still traveling outward, away from your body and to the right of the track. Think of it as swinging out towards first base instead of straight down the fairway. This path shoves, or "pushes," the ball to the right from the very start.

The "Slice" Component: Your Clubface Angle

The "slice" part refers to the spin that makes the ball curve. A slice spin is created when the clubface is open relative to the swing path at the moment of impact. When that open face makes contact, it imparts a left-to-right sidespin (for righties), causing the ball to bend dramatically to the right during its flight.

When you combine an inside-to-out path with a clubface that's open to that path, you get the double-whammy of a push slice. The path starts the ball right, and the open face adds the wicked slice spin to send it even further right. Now that we know the cause, we can begin to work on the cure.

Your Step-by-Step Plan to Eliminate the Push Slice

We're going to tackle this systematically, starting with the simplest fixes at setup before moving onto the swing itself. Don't skip ahead! Your setup can often be a major contributor a bad swing path.

Step 1: Get a Grip on Reality

Your grip is your only connection to the club, making it the steering wheel for your clubface. Many amateurs who slice have a "weak" grip, which promotes an open clubface and is a primary cause of that slice spin.

A weak grip (for a righty) typically involves the left hand being turned too far to the left, towards the target. When you look down, you might only see one knuckle, or maybe none at all. This position makes it very difficult for your wrists to release properly and square the clubface through impact, instead, it tends to keep the clubface coming through wide open.

Grip Checkup:

• Take your address position. Look down at your left hand without moving your head. You should be able to clearly see at least two, and preferably closer to three, knuckles.
• Check the "V" aformed by your thumb and index ainger on your left hand. It should point roughly toward your right shoulder or right ear. If it points more at your chin or left shoulder, your aip is too weak.
• Now add your right hand. The "V" formed by your right thumb and index finger should also point towards your right shoulder. It should cover your left thumb so it's not visible.

Fixing your grip will feel very strange at first. Stick with it. A more neutral or "stronger" grip gives your forearms and wrists a far easier job of squaring - and even closing - the clubface through the ball, which is exactly what you need to fight a slice.

Step 2: Fix Your Alignment and Ball Position

This is a an incredibly common trap golfers fall into. Because you watch your ball slice to the right, your brain intuitively tells you to aim further left to compensate. You might set your feet and shoulders pointing way left of the target.

The problem is, when your body is aimed left, your arms have to swing "out to the right" just to make contact with the ball. This act of swinging across your body all but guarantees the inside-to-out path that causes the "push." You've accidentally reinforced the very aove that creates half of your problem!

Alignment Drill: The Railroad Tracks

1. Get two alignment sticks (or two golf aubs).
2. Place the first stick on the ground aing directly at your target. This is the ball-to-target line––this ack represents where you want the ball to start.
3. Place the second stick parallel to the first one, but a few feet closer to you. Th is the track for your body. Your heels should be right up against it.

This simple visual forces you to separate your clubface aim (on the outer track) from your body alignment (on ththe inner track). For square alignment, your feet, hips, and shoulders must be parallel to your target line, not pointing at the target itself. Practice hitting shots with this setup until aiming square fels natural.

Also, double-check your ball position. Playing the ball too far back in your a can also encourage tha inside-to-out move as you're catching it too early in the swing arc. For `a mid-iron, the all should be in the center ofyour sstance. For longer clubs, it moves progressively forward.

Step 3: Correcting the Swing Path

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