How to Stop a Slice in Golf

Fighting a slice can feel like a never-ending battle, but fixing that unwanted left-to-right curve is far simpler than you think. It's not about making a hundred different changes, it's about understanding the real cause and making one or two targeted fixes. This guide breaks down exactly why you slice and provides a clear, step-by-step plan with practical drills to turn that slice into a powerful draw - or at the very least, a straight shot right down the middle.

First, Let's Understand the Slice

Before we can fix the slice, we need a simple understanding of why it happens. Forget confusing technical jargon. A slice is almost always the result of two things happening at once:

1. The clubface is open (pointing to the right of your target for a right-handed golfer) at the moment of impact.
2. The swing path is moving to the left of your target (an "out-to-in" or "over-the-top" swing).

When the club cuts across the ball with an open face, it puts a clockwise spin on it, causing that big, curving flight to the right that steals your distance and lands you in trouble. Our entire mission is to address these two root causes. The good news? Fixing the open clubface often helps correct the swing path automatically. Let's start with the most common culprit: your hands.

Step 1: Get a Grip (Literally)

Your grip is the steering wheel for the clubface. If it’s not right, you’ll spend the entire swing trying to compensate, usually without success. The most common slice-inducing grip is a “weak” grip, where the hands are rotated too far to the left (for a right-hander). This position makes it very difficult to square the clubface at impact, leaving it open.

Let's build a stronger, slice-proof grip from the ground up.

The Lead Hand (Your Left Hand for Right-Handers)

This is the most important part. Get this right, and you're halfway there.

• Place the Club in Your Fingers: Don’t hold the club in the palm of your hand like a baseball bat. Let the grip run diagonally across the fingers of your left hand, from the base of your little finger to the middle of your index finger.
• Close Your Hand: As you close your hand, your thumb should rest slightly to the right of the center of the grip.
• The Knuckle Check: Now, look down at your hand. From your perspective, you should be able to clearly see at least two knuckles - the knuckle on your index and middle fingers. Many slicers only see one or none. Seeing two or even three knuckles means you have a “stronger” grip that will help you close the clubface naturally through impact.
• Check the "V": The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point towards your right shoulder or even slightly outside of it. If it points at your chin, your grip is too weak.

The Trail Hand (Your Right Hand)

Your trail hand supports the club and adds power, but it needs to work with your lead hand, not against it.

• Find the Lifeline: The lifeline in your right palm should fit snugly over your left thumb. This unites your hands so they can work as a single unit.
• Grip with the Fingers: Again, the grip should be held in the fingers of your right hand, not deep in the palm.
• The "V" Check: Just like with the left hand, the "V" formed by your right thumb and forefinger should also point up toward your right shoulder.

This new grip will feel strange. It might even feel "wrong" or overly closed. Stick with it. Hit short, easy shots at the range until it starts to feel normal. Changing your grip is uncomfortable, but it's the single most effective thing you can do to stop a slice.

Step 2: Re-Align Your Setup

Many slicers develop a bad habit without even realizing it: they aim their body to the left of the target to account for the slice they expect to hit. While it seems logical, this action actually makes the slice worse. Aiming left encourages an even steeper, more aggressive "out-to-in" swing path. To fix this, we need to aim square - or even a little to the right - to promote the feeling of swinging the club from the inside.

How to Aim Correctly

1. Pick an Intermediate Target: Stand behind your ball and pick a spot on the ground a few feet in front of it that is directly on your target line (a leaf, an old divot, a discolored patch of grass).
2. Aim the Clubface First: Walk up to your ball and set the clubface down so it's pointing directly at your intermediate target. This is your most important task.
3. Set Your Feet: Once the clubface is aimed, set your feet so that your toes, knees, hips, and shoulders are all parallel to the line created by your clubface and the target. A good mental image is to think of a railroad track: the ball and clubface are on the right rail, heading directly to the target, and your feet are on the left rail.

Doing this might feel like you're aiming way out to the right. That’s a good sign! It means you're breaking the habit of aiming left. Trust the alignment and commit to swinging along the line your body has established.

Step 3: Shallow Your Swing Path

Now that our grip and setup are providing the right foundation, we can attack the swing path - that infamous "over-the-top" move. Coming over the top means your downswing starts by throwing the clubhead *outward* and away from your body, causing it to then cut across the ball from outside to in. We want to do the opposite: drop the club *inside* on the downswing so it can approach the ball from an "in-to-out" path.

This is where drills become your best friend. Conceptualizing this can be tricky, but feeling it is easy.

Drill #1: The Headcover Guard

This is a classic for a reason. It gives you instant feedback on your swing path.

• Take your setup as normal.
• Place an empty headcover (or a water bottle, or a rolled-up towel) on the ground about a foot outside and slightly behind your golf ball.
• Your goal is simple: hit the golf ball without hitting the headcover on your downswing.
• To avoid the headcover, you will be forced to drop the club down on a shallower, more inside path. If you come over the top, you'll hit the headcover every time. Start with slow, half-swings until you can consistently miss the obstacle.

Drill #2: The Feet-Together Drill

This drill quiets your lower body and forces your arms and torso to work in the proper sequence, preventing you from lunging with your upper body (a classic over-the-top move).

• Take your normal setup, but place your feet completely together, ankles touching.
• With a mid-iron, take smooth, 75% swings focusing on staying balanced from start to finish.
• Because your base is so narrow, you won't be able to generate power by violently throwing your arms and shoulders. Instead, you'll be forced to rotate your body more smoothly, which naturally keeps the club on a better plane.
• After hitting 5-10 shots with your feet together, take your normal stance. Try to recreate that same feeling of smooth, rotational rhythm.

Step 4: Release the Clubhead

Once you’ve corrected your grip and swing path, the final piece is learning to release the clubhead. An open face at impact is the ultimate cause of a slice, and many golfers who fix their path still hold the face open because they’re afraid of hooking the ball left.

A proper release feels like your right hand and forearm are rotating over your left hand through the impact zone. A great thought is to feel like you're shaking hands with the target with your right hand after you've hit the ball.

Drill #3: The Split-Hand Swing

• Take your iron and grip it normally with your left hand.
• Slide your right hand down the shaft about six inches, leaving a gap between your hands.
• Take some easy, three-quarter swings. With this grip, the only way to get the clubhead to the ball with any power is to actively use your right hand to "throw" the clubhead and allow it to pass your left hand through impact.
• You'll feel the clubhead turning over quite dramatically. This is the feeling of a proper release. After a few swings, go back to your normal grip and try to replicate that same sensation.

Start with these swings and notice the ball flight. If you've done everything correctly, you will start seeing the ball fly straight, or even start curving gently from right to left (a draw). Don't panic if you hit a few hooks - that's a great sign! It means you're successfully closing the face. You can always tone it down from there.

Final Thoughts

Fixing a slice comes down to a simple formula: get your hands in a stronger position on the grip, align your body for an inside path, and use drills to train that path until it becomes natural. Address these root causes, commit to the process, and you'll replace that weak slice with confident, powerful golf shots.

Sometimes, seeing isn't enough, and you need a bit of personalized guidance to figure out exactly which part of your swing is breaking down. We designed Caddie AI for these situations. You can describe your shot, analyze ball flight patterns, and even upload a video of your swing to get simple, actionable feedback in seconds. That kind of instant insight helps take the guesswork out of your practice, letting you focus on the one or two things that will actually make a difference on your next round.