How to Stop Slicing the Driver in Golf

That rightward curve of the golf ball when you hit your driver is probably the most frustrating shot in golf. You set up with dreams of a long, straight drive, only to watch it boomerang into the trees or the next fairway over. This article will walk you through the common causes of a slice and give you simple, actionable steps to finally fix it and start hitting powerful draws.

Understanding Why You Slice the Driver

Before we can fix the slice, we have to understand what it is. A slice is not random, it's a direct result of physics. For a right-handed golfer, a slice is caused by a simple combination: an open clubface at impact in relation to your swing path. Think of it like this: if your club swings from "out-to-in" across the line of your target (the classic "over the top" move) while the clubface is pointing to the right of that path, you impart left-to-right sidespin on the ball. The more open the face is to the path, the more dramatic the slice.

The good news is that we can fix this. By addressing a few key areas - your grip, setup, and swing motion - you can transform your slice into a straight flight, or even the coveted draw.

Fix #1: Rebuild Your Grip, Your Steering Wheel

Your hands are your only connection to the club, and your grip is the steering wheel for the clubface. An overwhelming majority of slicers have what’s called a “weak” grip. This doesn't mean you're holding it loosely, it refers to the rotational position of your hands on the club.

A weak grip is when your hands are rotated too far to the left (for a right-handed player). When you look down, you might only see one knuckle on your left hand, or maybe even none. This position makes it very difficult to square the clubface at impact. Your body’s natural rotation will almost always leave the face open, producing a slice or a push-slice.

How to Build a Slice-Proof Grip:

• Step 1: Set Your Top Hand (Left Hand for Righties): Place your left hand on the club so you can clearly see at least two, and maybe even three, knuckles when you look down at address. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point toward your right shoulder or even just outside of it. This is a “stronger” grip position that makes it far easier to rotate and close the clubface through impact.
• Step 2: Set Your Bottom Hand (Right Hand for Righties): Now, bring your right hand to the club. The "V" formed by your right thumb and index finger should also point toward your right shoulder, mirroring your left hand. The palm of your right hand should cover your left thumb. Whether you interlock, overlap, or use a ten-finger style is personal preference, but ensuring the hands are rotated correctly is what matters most for fixing a slice.

Fair warning: A new, stronger grip will feel incredibly strange at first. You might even hit some hooks initially as you get used to it. Stick with it. This is the foundation for a better swing.

Fix #2: Perfect Your Setup and Alignment

Many slicers inadvertently set up for failure. They know they slice, so they aim far to the left of the target to compensate. While this seems logical, it often makes the slice worse. By aiming your body left, you encourage an even more pronounced out-to-in swing path, which is the engine of a slice.

How to Set Up for a Straight Shot:

Body and Feet Alignment

Your goal is to have your body aligned parallel to your target line. A great way to check this is to use two alignment sticks (or even golf clubs). Place one on the ground pointing at your target. Place the other parallel to it, just inside the ball, pointing at where your feet should be aligned. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should all be square to this second line. Commit to aiming straight - don't aim left for a slice you are actively trying to eliminate!

Ball Position

With a driver, the ball position must be forward in your stance. Playing it too far back makes it almost impossible to swing from the inside and square the face.

• Set your stance so the ball is aligned with the inside of your lead foot's heel (your left heel for a righty).
• Place your feet about shoulder-width apart to create a stable base for the powerful rotation needed to swing a driver.

Body Tilt

Finally, to promote an upward strike on the ball (which helps promote an in-to-out path), tilt your spine slightly away from the target at address. Your right shoulder should feel noticeably lower than your left. This creates a solid foundation to swing from the inside.

Fix #3: Change Your Swing Path from Out-to-In

This is the big one. The "over the top" move is the most common swing fault among amateur golfers. It happens when you initiate the downswing with your upper body - your shoulders and arms lurching toward the ball from outside the target line. This forces the club onto a steep, out-to-in path that cuts across the ball, producing that weak, slicing spin.

The solution is to learn to swing from the "inside." We want the club to approach the ball from inside the target line and travel out toward the target through impact.

Drill: The Headcover Gate Drill

This is a fantastic visual drill to retrain your swing path.

1. Tee up your ball as you normally would.
2. Take an empty headcover from your driver or fairway wood and place it on the ground about 6-8 inches outside of your golf ball and slightly in front of it.
3. Now, set up to your ball and make some swings. Your only goal is to miss the headcover on the downswing. To do this, you will be forced to drop the club into the "slot" on the downswing, making it travel from inside the target line. An over-the-top swing will hit the headcover every time.

Start with slow, half-swings to get the feel. You'll instantly understand the physical sensation of swinging from the inside.

Fix #4: Master the Downswing Sequence

The "over the top" move is a symptom of a poor downswing sequence. Slicers start down with their upper body. Great players start the downswing from the ground up.

Think of the swing as a chain reaction. After you complete your backswing, the very first move to start the downswing should be a slight shift of your weight and pressure into your lead foot, followed by the unwinding of your hips. This "lower-body led" sequence gives your arms and the club time to drop into that powerful inside position we just talked about. Once your hips clear, your torso, shoulders, and then finally your arms can deliver the club to the ball with immense speed and from the correct path.

Feel The Sequence:

At the top of your backswing, pause for a second. From that stopped position, consciously think about starting your downswing by rotating your front hip (your left hip) back and behind you. Feel your arms just "along for the ride" initially. This will feel much more rotational and less like you are "chopping" down at the ball from the top.

Fix #5: Learn to Release the Clubface

Even if you fix your path, you can still slice if you hold the clubface open through impact. You need to learn how to properly "release" the club, which means allowing the clubhead to pass your hands and the clubface to rotate from open to square, and even slightly closed, through the impact zone.

A stronger grip (Fix #1) makes this much easier, but you still need to train the feeling.

Drill: Half Swings for Release

• Use a short iron, like a 9-iron, to make this easier at first.
• Take gentle, hip-to-hip half-swings. This isn't about power.
• Your entire focus should be on the feeling of your right arm straightening and your right hand rotating over your left hand through the impact zone.
• When you finish your follow-through (at hip height), the toe of the club should be pointing to the sky or even slightly to the left. If it's pointing to the right, you held the face open.

Once you can consistently get the ball started straight or even slightly left with these half-swings, start making the swing longer and faster, and then transition this feeling to your driver.

Final Thoughts

Eliminating a slice is about systematically addressing the root causes: your grip, your setup, and your swing path. By strengthening your grip, aligning properly, and retraining your body to swing from the inside out, you will replace that frustrating slice with a confident, powerful strike.

Working on your swing can sometimes feel like guesswork. You might feel like you're starting your downswing with your hips, but are you really? Understanding your specific fault is where true improvement begins. For that, we built Caddie AI to act as your personal golf coach. You can describe your shot pattern - like a consistent slice with the driver - and get instant, personalized instruction on the most likely causes and the specific drills you need to fix it, taking the confusion out of the way so you can focus on getting better.