How to Slice a Golf Shot

Learning to hit a golf slice on purpose can change your game, turning what you might think of as a frustrating miss into a powerful, strategic weapon. A controlled slice, often called a fade, allows you to shape shots around obstacles, attack tucked pins, and navigate doglegs with confidence. This guide will break down the simple, repeatable adjustments you need to master this shot and add it to your arsenal.

First, Why Would You Want to Slice a Golf Ball?

For many golfers, the word "slice" brings up painful memories of balls curving uncontrollably into the right-side trouble (if you're a right-handed player). That's the unwanted slice, and it’s usually caused by some swing flaws we aren't trying to make. We're talking about something different: the controlled slice, or fade.

A fade is a ball that starts slightly left of your target line and curves gently back toward the target, landing softer than a dead-straight shot. Pros use it all the time. Here’s why it’s such a valuable tool:

• Navigating Doglegs: On a hole that bends sharply to the right, a fade is the perfect shot. Instead of aiming for the corner and hoping for the best, you can start the ball down the center and curve it perfectly back into the fairway.
• Getting Around Trouble: We’ve all been there: stuck behind a line of trees with no direct path to the green. Being able to slice the ball around that obstacle can turn a guaranteed bogey or worse into a par opportunity.
• Attacking Tucked Pins: When the pin is on the right side of the green, hitting a fade into it is often the smart play. Because the ball is curving right and has backspin, it will land softer and stop more quickly, "holding" the green instead of skipping straight through it. A right-to-left shot (a draw) into a right pin is more likely to bounce and run off the back.

The goal isn't to hit a wild, unpredictable banana ball. It's to produce a small, dependable curve that you can call upon when the course demands it. It’s about taking control of your ball flight, not being a victim of it.

The Simple Physics of a Slice

Before we jump into the "how-to," let's quickly understand what makes a a golf ball slice in the first place. Don't worry, this isn't a physics lesson, but understanding the core principle makes executing the shot much easier.

A slice is created by one simple relationship: the difference between your club path and your clubface angle at impact.

• Club Path: This is the direction the clubhead is traveling through the impact zone. Think of it as the hula-hoop or circle your swing makes around your body.
• Clubface Angle: This is the direction the clubface is pointing when it strikes the ball.

For a right-handed golfer, a slice occurs when your club path is moving to the left of where your clubface is pointing at impact. That difference imparts left-to-right sidespin on the ball, causing it to curve. The greater the difference between the path and the face, the more the ball will slice.

The amateur's dreaded slice often happens because they swing "over the top," creating a steep, out-to-in path with an open face. We’re going to achieve the same path-to-face relationship, but in a much more controlled and intentional way, mostly through our setup.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Hit a Controlled Slice

The best news is that you don't need to learn a whole new golf swing to hit a fade. The most reliable method involves simple adjustments to your setup. By pre-setting the slice at address, you can make your normal, repeatable swing and trust that the ball will do what you want it to.

1. The Setup: Aiming for a Draw to Produce a Fade

This sounds backward, but it's the most effective secret to hitting a controlled fade. You are going to set your body up as if you're hitting a draw (aiming left), but your clubface will be aimed at the final destination.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. Pick Your Target Line: First, identify exactly where you want the ball to land. This is your target. Let's say it's the flagstick in the middle of the green.
2. Pick Your Starting Line: Now, identify a point to the left of your target. How far left you aim will determine how much the ball curves. For a small, controlled fade, this might only be 10-15 yards left of the flagstick. For a bigger slice around a tree, it might be 30 yards left. For now, let's start with a spot just a little left of the target.
3. Align Your Body to the Starting Line: This is the most important part. Align your feet, your hips, and your shoulders parallel to this new starting line (the one pointing left of your final target). Your whole body should be aimed left.
4. Aim the Clubface at the FINAL Target: With your body aimed left, now take your grip and place the clubhead behind the ball. But here's the key: aim the clubface so it points directly at your final landing spot (the flagstick).

Take a look at your setup. Your body is aimed left, but your clubface is aimed at the target. You have now successfully created a relationship where your swing path (which will follow your body line) will be moving left of where the clubface is pointing. You’ve pre-loaded the slice without ever thinking about your swing.

2. The Swing: Just Swing Along Your Body Line

Now for the easy part. Once you're set up correctly, the only swing thought you need is: "Swing along the line of my feet and shoulders."

That's it. Don't try to manipulate the club. Don't try to hold the face open or consciously cut across the ball with your arms. Your setup has already done all the hard work. By swinging along your body's alignment, you are naturally creating that out-to-in club path. Since your clubface is pointed at the target, the ball will start on a line dictated by your path (to the left) and then curve back toward the target, where your face was aimed.

Commit to the swing. Any attempt to "help" the ball slice or steer it back toward the target a the last second will ruin the clean path you created at setup.

3. Adjusting the Dial: How to Control the Amount of Slice

Once you get the feel for hitting a gentle fade, you can start experimenting with the amount of curve. It’s like turning a dial, and it’s controlled by your setup.

• For a Gentle Fade: Aim your body just slightly left of the target (e.g., 5-10 yards). The small difference between your path and face will produce a minimal, soft curve. This is your stock "power fade" off the tee.
• For a Standard Slice: Aim your body further left (e.g., 15-20 yards). This creates a larger gap between your path and face, resulting in more sidespin and a bigger curve. This is great for getting around a slight dogleg.
• For a Big, Hollywod Slice: Aim your body well to the left (e.g., 25-30+ yards). This is your trouble-shot slice, perfect for getting around that big oak tree. With this much body alignment difference, you might also want to open the clubface just a fraction at address to ensure the ball doesn't start *too* far left.

Experiment on the driving range. Hit a few shots with just a small setup adjustment, then try aiming further left to see how it affects the ball's curve. You'll quickly get a feel for how much aim you need for the shot you want to hit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Slicing

As you practice, you might fall into a few common traps. Here’s what to look out for:

The Mistake: Artificially 'Cutting' Across the Ball

Many golfers think slicing is an arms-only move where they have to violently throw the club "over the top." While this does create an out-to-in path, it's an inconsistent and low-power way to do it.
The Fix: Trust your setup. Let your body's alignment dictate the path. Make your normal, smooth swing, the curve will happen naturally.

The Mistake: Aiming Everything Left

A classic error is to aim both your body and your clubface to the left of the target. This does create a slice, but because the face is also aimed left at impact, the ball will start left and then curve even further left (for a righty, this is a 'pull-slice' that ends up way right).
The Fix: Always remember the two-part alignment. Body aims where you want the ball to start. Clubface aims where you want it to land.

The Mistake: Ball Position Creeps Forward

When you open your stance by aiming your body left, it's common for golfers to let the ball position move too far forward. For a fade, it’s better to have the ball position in the center of your stance, or even a hair back of center. This promotes hitting the ball first from a slightly steeper angle of attack.
The Fix: Set up to the ball normally, with the ball in the middle of your stance. Then, without moving the ball, step your feet and body into your "left aim" alignment.

Final Thoughts

Hitting a controlled slice isn't some advanced, pros-only technique. It’s a highly practical skill based on a simple setup adjustment: aim your body left of the target, aim your clubface at the target, and make a confident swing along your body's line. Practicing this will give you far more options and a huge confidence boost when you're facing a tricky shot on the course.

Of course, knowing *how* to play a shot is one skill, knowing *when* to play it is another. For those tough on-course decisions - like whether a fade is really the best bet on a dogleg right - Caddie AI acts as your on-demand strategist. You can describe the hole or even take a photo of a tricky lie, and our app provides smart, simple advice on shot selection and execution, taking the guesswork out of the equation so you can play smarter and commit to every swing.