How to Fix a Golf Slice with a Driver in 2 Minutes

That towering, weak slice that sails right into the trees isn't just frustrating, it feels like a problem that’ll take months to fix. But what if you could put a major dent in it right now, in the next two minutes, with a couple of adjustments you can take straight to the tee? This guide will show you exactly how to do that by targeting the real source of your slice with simple, actionable changes to your grip and setup. You can read this, stand over your ball, and hit a straighter, more powerful drive.

Understanding Your Slice: The Vicious Circle

Before we jump into the fix, let’s quickly understand what's happening. A slice is the result of a simple equation: an open clubface at impact combined with a swing path that cuts across the ball from outside-to-in. Think of it like slicing a banana. Your club is coming from the outside and wiping across the ball, applying sidespin that sends it curving weakly to the right (for a right-handed golfer).

Many golfers try to solve this by aiming further left, but this just makes the problem worse. Aiming left encourages your shoulders to open up, which promotes that over-the-top, outside-to-in path even more. It’s a vicious circle. Our 2-minute fix is designed to break this cycle by attacking its two main causes: the clubface and the swing path.

The First 60 Seconds: Fixing Your Steering Wheel (The Grip)

Your hands are your only connection to the club, making them the steering wheel for your clubface. For at least 80% of slicers, the problem starts with a “weak” grip that leaves the clubface open at impact, no matter how good the rest of your swing is. Let's fix it.

Step 1: Strengthen Your Top Hand (Left Hand for Righties)

A "weak" left-hand grip is when the hand is rotated too far to the left (counter-clockwise) on the handle. From your perspective looking down, you might only see one knuckle, or maybe none at all. This position makes it very difficult for your wrists to release properly, leaving the face wide open through the hitting area.

The Fix:

• Take your normal grip on the driver.
• Now, without changing anything else, rotate your left hand to the right on the grip, as if you were turning a doorknob clockwise.
• Rotate it enough so you can easily see at least two, and preferably two-and-a-half or three, knuckles on your left hand when you look down at address.
• The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should now point toward your right shoulder or even to the right of your shoulder.

This "stronger" grip will feel strange at first - maybe even drastically so. Trust it. This simple change pre-sets your wrist in a more powerful position, making it miles easier to naturally roll the clubface square at impact.

Step 2: Position Your Bottom Hand (Right Hand for Righties)

The right hand often gets too “on top” of the grip, which leads the right shoulder to lunge forward and encourages that over-the-top path. The right hand should be a supporter, not a dominator.

The Fix:

• After setting your strong left hand, bring your right hand to the club.
• Let it fit more underneath the shaft, so the palm of your right hand is facing more upward towards the sky, or at least parallel to the clubface.
• When you close your hand, the "V" formed by your right thumb and forefinger should also point up toward your right shoulder, mirroring your left hand.

This holds the club more in the fingers of your right hand and places your right shoulder slightly lower than your left at address, which is a powerful position to swing from the inside.

The Next 60 Seconds: Changing Your Launch Pad (The Setup)

With your grip fixed, we now need to give your club a clear runway to approach the ball from the inside. This will change your path from an "out-to-in" slice to a powerful "in-to-out" draw. A few small setup tweaks work wonders.

Step 1: Adjust Your Ball Position and Tee Height

Slicers often play the ball too far back in their stance with their driver, which forces a steep, downward strike - again, promoting a slice. We want to do the opposite.

The Fix:

• Tee the ball higher than you normally would. You want at least half of the ball to be sitting above the top edge of your driver face at address.
• Position the ball well forward in your stance. You want it lined up with the heel or big toe of your front foot (your left foot for a right-hander).

This setup encourages you to hit the ball on the upswing. Striking on the ascent is a major factor in promoting an inside-out swing path and launching the ball with less spin and more power.

Step 2: Close Your Stance slightly

This is the final piece of the puzzle. Now that we’ve adjusted the grip to help close the face and the ball position to promote an upward strike, we need to create the inside path. The easiest way is to adjust your body alignment.

The Fix:

• Set your clubface so it's pointing directly at your target. Do not change this.
• Now, adjust your feet. Pull your back foot (your right foot) away from the target line by a few inches, so your feet are now aimed slightly to the right of your target.
• Your hips and shoulders will follow your feet, also closing slightly to the target. It will feel like you are aiming your body into the right-hand trees (for a righty).

It will feel like you're going to hit the ball to the right, but remember: your clubface is still aimed straight and your new grip wants to close the face. This closed stance FORCES you to swing from the inside, giving your club a path that will smack the back of the ball squarely and send it straight, or even with a slight draw.

Your Swing Thought for the Tee Box: "Right Field"

Now that you've made these changes, the last thing you want to do is get choked by a dozen swing thoughts. You need one simple feeling. As you stand over the ball with your new grip and setup, the only thing you should think about is this: "Swing the club out to right field."

Feel like you are sending the clubhead far out to the right of your target after impact. Don’t try to "pull" the ball back on track. Your setup and grip have already done the a great deal of the work. Your job is just to commit to this feeling of swinging from the inside and extending *out* through the ball. The ball will start a little right and, thanks to your new grip, draw back toward the target.

That's it. Go to the range. Go to the first tee. Take two minutes to feel this new grip and setup. You might be surprised when that hated slice transforms into a powerful, straight shot down the fairway.

A Quick Drill to Make It Permanent

To really get comfortable with the feeling of swinging from the inside, try the "Gate Drill." It gives you instant physical feedback.

1. Tee up your ball as you normally would.
2. Place your driver headcover (or another object) on the ground about a foot outside and a foot behind your golf ball.
3. Place another object (like a sleeve of balls) about a foot inside and a foot in front of your golf ball.

You’ve now created a "gate" your club must swing through. If you come over the top with a slice swing, you'll hit the headcover on the way down. The only way to hit the ball cleanly is to approach from the inside and and swing through the gate. This drill hard-wires the new swing path into your muscle memory far faster than simply hitting balls.

Final Thoughts

Transforming a stubborn slice comes down to fixing the root cause: an open clubface and an outside-in swing path. By strengthening your grip, closing your stance, and adjusting your ball position, you directly attack both of these issues and can create lasting change in your ball flight in a ridiculously short amount of time.

And while these quick-fix adjustments can feel fantastic on the range, a common challenge is trusting them on the course. For those moments where you are standing on a pressurised tee box, wondering if your old habits are coming back, personalized advice in you pocket is invaluable. It’s why I created Caddie AI. The app allows you to get an instant strategy for any tee shot you're facing, or even ask questions about your swing mechanics to ensure you’re focused on the correct feel. You can even take a photo ofa troublesome lie to get a recommendation, building the on-course confidence that comes from knowing you're making the smartest play.