Watching your golf shot sail helplessly to the right is one of the most frustrating experiences in the game. That single miss ruins scorecards and shatters confidence, but fixing it is more straightforward than you think. This guide will walk you through why your shots are going right and provide a clear, step-by-step plan to get your ball flying straight at the target.
Before we can fix the problem, we need to properly diagnose it. For right-handed golfers, a ball going right is typically one of two shot patterns: the Push or the Slice.
These two different ball flights are caused by a combination of two variables in the swing: your clubface angle at impact and your swing path.
1. The Open Clubface: This is the main culprit for any shots that go right. At the moment of impact, if your clubface is pointing to the right of your target, the ball will start its journey in that direction. The more open the face, the more pronounced the effect will be. A slightly open path causes a push, while a very open face combined with a specific swing path produces a slice.
2. The "Over-the-Top" Swing Path: This is the classic slicer's move. An ideal swing path travels from inside the target line to the ball and back to the inside. An "over-the-top" path, however, is an out-to-in motion. Your club starts the downswing by moving outward (away from your body) and then cuts across the ball from right to left (for a right-handed player). When this out-to-in path is combined with an open face at impact, it imparts the nasty left-to-right sidespin that creates a slice.
So, to stop your shots from going right, we need to do two things: square the clubface at impact and train a more inside-to-out swing path. Let’s start with the part you have the most direct control over: your hands.
Your grip is the steering wheel of the golf club. It has an enormous influence on where the clubface is pointing during the swing and, most importantly, at impact. Many golfers who fight a slice have what is called a "weak" grip, which promotes an open clubface.
A weak grip is not about pressure, it’s about positioning. It’s when your hands are rotated too far to the left (toward the target) on the handle. From here, it's very difficult to get the clubface back to square without some wild compensations. Let’s build a better, more "neutral" or "stronger" grip that helps you deliver a square face automatically.
Before you even place your hands, set the clubhead on the ground behind the ball. Make sure the leading edge, the very bottom line on the club's face, is perpendicular to your target line. If your grip has a logo on it, ensure it's pointing directly to the sky. You cannot build a proper grip on a crooked foundation.
Bring your left hand to the side of the club so your palm is facing more inward. You want to hold the club primarily in the fingers, not the palm. Think about the club running diagonally from the base of your little finger to the middle knuckle of your index finger. Once the fingers are on, wrap the hand over the top.
The Checkpoints:
Bring your right hand to the club. The lifeline in your right palm should fit snugly over your left thumb. Just as with the left hand, you are holding the club in your fingers.
The Checkpoints:
An Important Note: This new grip will feel bizarre. If you’ve spent years with a weak grip, making this change will feel unnatural and awkward. Trust the process. This feeling is a sign you are making a meaningful change. Go through the steps and hit short, easy shots at the range until this new position begins to feel more familiar.
Your grip is fixed, but you can undo all that good work with a poor setup. Many slicers subconsciously aim their bodies far to the left of the target, hoping to "play" for their slice. Paradoxically, this alignment makes the slice even worse by encouraging an even more severe "over-the-top" swing path.
The correct way to aim is a two-step process: First, aim the clubface, and second, aim your body.
Good rotation starts with a good posture. A powerful golf swing needs space for your arms to swing around your body. To achieve this posture:
This athletic setup enables the rotational action that is fundamental to a good golf swing. Without it, your body won't be able to turn properly, and you'll rely on your arms and hands, leading to that inconsistent, over-the-top slice.
With a solid grip and setup, we can now address the real power-killer: the out-to-in swing path. To fix this, we need to change how you start your downswing - what we call the "transition."
Slicers almost always start the downswing by firing their right shoulder and arms toward the ball. This throws the club "over the top" and outside the proper swing plane. The feeling you want is the exact opposite. The downswing should start from the ground up, initiated by the lower body.
This is a fantastic drill to get immediate feedback on your swing path.
To stop slicing and pushing the ball to the right, you need to focus on squaring your clubface and training an in-to-out swing path. This starts with correcting a "weak" grip, being meticulous with your alignment and posture, and learning to start your downswing with your lower body, not your arms and shoulders.
At times, working on swing changes can feel challenging without a second pair of eyes. For moments when you need instant, on-demand clarification or feedback on the course or range, we developed Caddie AI. You can use it to get a quick analysis of your swing from a video, get guidance on a specific drill, or even snap a picture of a difficult lie to get a smart recommendation right away. We designed it to be your 24/7 golf coach, taking the guesswork out of your game so you can play with more confidence and enjoyment.
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