How to Fix a Golf Slice

Fighting a golf slice is one of the game's most common battles, but it’s a battle you can absolutely win. That weak, curving shot that robs you of distance and lands you in the right-side trees isn’t a life sentence. This guide will walk you through exactly why a slice happens and give you a simple, step-by-step plan focusing on an effective grip, an athletic setup, and a body-driven swing to straighten out your ball flight for good.

So, Why Am I Slicing the Golf Ball?

Before we can fix the slice, we need to understand what causes it. At its core, a slice is a combination of two things: your swing path and the clubface angle at impact. For 99% of slicers, the club is traveling on an out-to-in path (cutting across the ball from right to left, for a right-handed golfer) with a clubface that is open (pointed to the right) relative to that path. Think of it like trying to hit a tennis slice - you cut across the ball. In golf, this imparts left-to-right sidespin, and the ball heads off on its sad, curving journey.

The most common reason for this out-to-in swing path is a move affectionately called coming "over the top." This is where, in the transition from the backswing to the downswing, your shoulders and arms lunge forward toward the ball, throwing the club outside the correct swing plane. We’re going to fix this, starting not with the swing itself, but with what you do before the club even moves.

The Fix Starts Before You Swing: Grip & Setup

Great golf shots are built on a solid foundation. You can’t build a straight ball flight on a shaky setup. Many slices are virtually baked in before you even start your backswing because of a poor grip or bad alignment. Let's sort that out first.

1. Strengthen Your Grip (Your Steering Wheel)

Your grip is the only connection you have to the golf club. It’s a huge influence on where the clubface points. Most slicers use what’s called a “weak” grip, where the hands are rotated too far to the left (for right-handers). This makes it very difficult to square the clubface at impact, naturally leaving it open.

We’re going to switch to a “stronger” grip. Don't worry, this has nothing to do with grip pressure - it’s just about hand position.

• Left Hand (Top Hand): Place your left hand on the club so you can clearly see at least two, maybe even three, knuckles when you look down. The 'V' formed by your thumb and index finger should point toward your right shoulder. This change alone will feel weird at first, but it pre-sets your wrist in a much more powerful position to release the club.
• Right Hand (Bottom Hand): Next, place your right hand on the club so its palm basically covers your left thumb. The 'V' formed by your right thumb and index finger should also point toward your right shoulder. You can use an interlocking, overlapping, or a ten-finger grip - whatever feels most comfortable and secure.

Changing your grip feels bizarre. It might be the strangest thing you do in your golf game, but stick with it. It’s the single most effective change you can make to start hitting straighter shots.

2. Check Your Alignment and Ball Position

After years of slicing, many golfers develop a bad habit: they aim left of the target to account for the curve. This is a temporary fix that only reinforces the problem. By aiming left, you encourage an out-to-in swing path to get the ball back toward the target. We need to break this cycle.

• Aim correctly: Get yourself a couple of alignment sticks. Place one on the ground pointing at your target. Place the second one parallel to the first, just inside the ball, pointing at where your feet should be aligned. For a straight shot, your clubface should be pointed at the target, while your feet, hips, and shoulders are aligned parallel to the first stick (like train tracks). You should feel like you’re aiming slightly left of the target with your body, even though you’re squared up.
• Ball position: For most irons, the ball should be in the center of your stance. A ball position that is too far back can sometimes promote a steeper, more over-the-top attack. For your driver, place the ball up off the inside of your lead foot. This helps you hit the ball on the upswing, a key ingredient for hitting powerful, high draws.

Correcting Your Swing Path

With a proper grip and setup, we can now address the actual motion. The goal is simple: change that over-the-top, out-to-in path to a more desirable in-to-out path. This means the club will approach the ball from the inside and travel out toward the target line, promoting a straight or a draw-shaped shot.

The Downswing: Getting the Club "Slotted"

The transition from the top of your backswing into the downswing is where the magic (or the disaster) happens. Slicers almost always initiate the downswing with their upper body - the shoulders spin open, and the arms get thrown "over the top."

We need to reverse this sequence. The downswing should start from the ground up.

From the top of your backswing, feel the first move as a slight shift of your weight and pressure onto your lead foot. Feel your lead hip starting to open up. A great swing thought is to feel like you are keeping your back to the target for as long as possible while your lower body starts to unwind. Another very effective feeling for slicers is to imagine your right elbow C (for righties) tucking into your right side as you start down. This "slots" the club on an inside path, preventing it from getting thrown out and across the line.

Here’s a fantastic drill to ingrain this feeling:

Drill: The Headcover Blocker

Take your driver's headcover and place it on the ground about two feet behind and slightly outside your golf ball. If your slice comes back, it's very probable that your driver hit the headcover as an over the top swing motion is taking place. So that in this simple fix using a headcover as a reminder, it's going to work as a deterrent forcing you to bring in a club from 'your slice swing'. For this exercise to solve the slice your golf club will come much more 'from the inside'. And one more headcover in place as you swing, there is one other headcover you're to miss and this can stay in place. This'll be placed about approximately a foot and within front to the left from which it's intended to play golf. Make a few slow-motion practice swings, deliberately feeling your club travel from inside, make contact with the ball, and then exit to the right of the front headcover. After a few rehearsals, try hitting balls at 50% speed. This provides instant feedback, you’ll learn that dropping of the club 'on the slot' is your one route to tidy ball-striking.

Untaming the Clubface

Okay, so you've fixed the path and are now swinging more 'from the anside'. Big step in the right path! But your shots could now become beginning out straight to the correct (aka. pushes), or possibly they even cut more. The last component from our puzzle box we are looking a t to cure the ball is having 'release' which clubface is supposed to. For slicers, they maintain the face in this open position, so that the player is hitting the shot with the face pointing outwards.

Releasing the Club Naturally:

Releasing the club does not 'mean' you actively try/catch' it through by flipping your wrists. Good 'release' is instead, a natural un-hinging for your wrists while allowing your other 'forearms,' i.e.," the 'right to return above the left" in an athletic gesture. If the handle of the hand gets through the zone first then your forearm on 'left'" must have' been a-turning downwards" so to close 'face', because our powerful hold gives way helping make release' easier". I wish this 'feeling!' to go down with the back of a front side left wrist coming to be straight like" the point the the flagstick to ensure ball and strike'. Try out the split handed technique for golf'. Hold one your golf club 'with one your 'main' right or left forearm out and then swing around and down to feel how rotating one’s body while swinging an around it’ will 'naturally cause" your 'hand’ to’cross back-in'. The feel this move into your'golf’ is a' key, a 'simple process'. The most straight forwards golfers do it just that! They swing smoothly, athletically. This’ is an easy motion, try out how 'that' simple drill that brings feeling to learn, this’ is something' to go for next for you'. It just' takes practice". Just practicing it as little bit to build the better shot'

Final Thoughts

Fixing a golf slice is a process, but a very achievable one. It breaks down into a few key checkpoints: building a stronger grip, ensuring your body is aligned properly, and ingraining the feeing of swinging from the inside. Be patient with yourself, use the drills we’ve talked about, and focus on making slow, deliberate swings to help your brain and body learn this new, more powerful motion.

As you work on these changes, getting objective feedback can make a huge difference. That's why we built our app, Caddie AI. Instead of guessing, you can ask for a drill tailored specifically to your slice, get an instant course-management strategy to avoid the trouble a slice normally finds, or even snap a photo of a tricky lie to find out the smartest way to play it. We believe it's like having a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket to simplify the game, answer questions, and help you play with more confidence so you can just focus on hitting great shots.