How to Fix a Push Slice in Golf

Seeing your golf ball start to the right of your target and then curve even farther right is one of the most frustrating shots in golf. The push slice doesn't just miss the fairway, it often leaves you in the trees, in a different fairway, or out of bounds. This article will break down exactly why this shot happens and provide a clear, step-by-step guide to get you hitting powerful, straight shots again.

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

Understanding a bad shot is the first step to fixing it. Unlike a standard slice that starts relatively straight and then curves off-line, a push slice starts right of your target line and continues to slice even farther away. It's a double whammy of directional errors.

So, what's going on in your swing to produce this specific ball flight?

Golf's ball flight laws are straightforward. There are two primary factors that determine where your ball goes:

1. The Swing Path: This is the direction the clubhead is traveling through the impact zone. For a push slice, your swing path is traveling severely from in-to-out relative to your target line. This "push" sends the ball starting to the right (for a right-handed golfer).
2. The Clubface Angle: This is the direction your clubface is pointing at the moment it strikes the ball. For a push slice, your clubface is open relative to your swing path. The open face imparts the side spin that makes the ball curve from left to right.

When you combine an in-to-out path with a clubface that's open to that path, you get the push slice. We need to tackle both of these issues to straighten out your ball flight, and it all starts before you even begin your swing.

Fix #1: Correcting Your Setup and Grip

Many swing faults, including the push slice, are born from a poor setup. If you're not in a good position before you take the club back, you’re forced to make compensations during your swing, which rarely ends well. Let's build a solid foundation.

Check Your Grip (It's Your Steering Wheel)

The grip has the biggest influence on your clubface. A lot of push-slicers have what’s called a "weak" grip. This doesn't refer to pressure, it refers to the position of your hands on the club. A weak grip makes it very easy for the clubface to open during the swing.

• The Problem (Weak Grip): For a right-handed golfer, a weak grip means the left hand is rotated too far to the left (counter-clockwise), so you might only see one knuckle or even none when you look down. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger points toward your left shoulder or chin. This position encourages an open clubface at impact.
• The Fix (Neutral to Strong Grip): We want to get your hands in a more neutral or slightly "strong" position. Set up to the ball and place your left hand on the club. You should be able to see at least two, maybe a hint of a third, knuckle on your left hand. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should now point towards your right shoulder. Now, add your right hand, fitting the lifeline of your right palm over your left thumb. The "V" on your right hand should also point towards your right shoulder. This grip gives you much better control over the clubface and makes it easier to square it up at impact.

Check Your Alignment

This is a common trap for slicers. Out of fear of seeing the ball go right, many golfers subconsciously aim their feet and shoulders far to the left of the target. While it seems logical, this aImnment actually encourages an even greater in-to-out swing path as you swing "out to the right" to try and get the ball back toward the target. This makes the push slice even worse.

• The Problem (Aiming Left): Standing open to the target line (feet, hips, and shoulders aimed left) clears your hips out too early and gives your arms a huge runway to swing from inside to out.
• The Fix (Parallel Alignment): Use alignment sticks, or simply lay a club on the ground. Place one stick on the ground pointing at your target. This is your target line. Place a second stick parallel to the first, just inside the ball, pointing at the target. Align your feet, your hips, and your shoulders so they are all parallel to these sticks. It might feel like you're aiming right at first, but this is the correct, square alignment that helps promote a neutral swing path.

Check Your Ball Position

Having the ball too far back in your stance is another sneaky cause of an in-to-out path. When the ball is back, you naturally catch it earlier in the swing arc, when the club is still traveling out to the right.

• The Problem (Ball Too Far Back): Encourages an early impact on the in-to-out part of the swing.
• The Fix (Ball Forward): For shorter and mid-irons (like a 9-iron to 7-iron), the ball should be positioned in the middle of your stance, directly under your chest. As you move to longer clubs like hybrids and fairway woods, the ball should move slightly forward of center. For the driver, the ball should be placed off the inside of your lead heel. This gives the club time to "bottom out" and start swinging back to the left (for a righty) around your body, neutralizing the path.

Fix #2: Neutralizing the Swing Path (The "Push")

Once your setup is correct, we can address the swing itself. An overly "in-to-out" path often comes from a feeling of getting "stuck" on the downswing. The lower body spins out too fast, trapping the arms and club behind you. To save the shot, your only option is to throw your arms out to the right.

Drill: The Swing Path Gate

This is one of the most effective drills for training a better swing path. It provides instant feedback if you swing too far from the inside.

1. Take your normal setup to a golf ball.
2. Place one headcover (or a rolled-up towel) on the ground about 6-8 inches inside and behind your golf ball.
3. Place a second headcover about 6-8 inches outside and in front of your golf ball.
4. You have now created a "gate" through which your club must travel.

Your goal is to swing the club through the gate, hitting the ball without striking either headcover. If you swing too far from the inside (your old push slice move), you will hit the inside headcover. This drill forces you to feel the club approaching the ball from a more neutral direction and extending down the target line.

Fix #3: Squaring the Clubface (The "Slice")

You can have a perfect swing path, but if the clubface is open at impact, the ball will still slice. Getting the face squared up is about rotation, not manipulation.

Feel the Release

Many slicers prevent the club from releasing naturally because they have an image of "holding the face" square to the target. In reality, the arms and club must rotate through the ball. This isn't an intentional, flicky hand motion, it's a natural result of the body unwinding.

Drill: The "L-to-L" Swing

This drill helps synchronize your body and arms and lets you feel a proper release.

1. Take your setup without a ball.
2. Make a half-backswing until your lead arm is parallel to the ground, and the club is pointing straight up, forming an "L" shape. Your wrists should be hinged.
3. From here, initiate the downswing by turning your body. As you swing through, let your arms and club continue until your trail arm is parallel to the ground on the other side of your body, with the club again pointing up to form a reverse "L."
4. Focus on the feeling of your right forearm rotating over your left forearm (for a righty) *after* the point where the ball would have been. Don't try to force this with your hands, let the momentum of the swing do the work as your body unwinds.

Start with slow, smooth swings. Once you feel this rotation, take a few small swings at a teed-up ball. You'll start to see a much straighter, if not a slightly drawing, ball flight. This is the feeling of a square clubface.

Putting It All Together on the Course

Start by incorporating one change at a time. The first step for anyone with a push slice is to check the setup basics: grip, alignment, and ball position. These are easy to monitor and often solve a huge part of the problem. Then, go to the range and work on the path and face drills separately before trying to combine them.

Remember that the goal is to get your swing path and your face angle working together. A neutral path with a square face equals a straight shot directly at your target. It's that simple.

Final Thoughts

Unwinding the habits that cause a push slice takes patient practice, but understanding the root causes - an in-to-out path and an open face - is more than half the battle. Focus on improving your setup first, then use targeted drills to retrain your swing motion correctly.

Fixing a swing fault requires commitment, but having a trusted source can make the process much easier. That's why we built Caddie AI. The next time you're on the range and can't figure out why your push slice is back, you can get a quick analysis of your lie or ask for a simple drill based on your exact situation. Our goal is to give you that expert-level guidance, providing simple and clear answers on demand, so you can play with more confidence and less frustration.