How to Stop Slicing the Golf Ball

That towering, weak slice that peels off into the right-hand woods isn't just frustrating, it feels like a fundamental betrayal by your golf swing. The good news is that a slice is one of the most common and fixable problems in golf. This guide will walk you through the real reasons you slice the ball and give you straightforward, actionable steps and drills to turn that banana-ball into a straight flight, or even a powerful draw.

What Actually Causes a Slice?

Before you can fix the problem, you have to understand it. At its core, a slice is caused by a simple (but infuriating) combination of two factors for a right-handed golfer: an open clubface at impact combined with an “out-to-in” swing path. Let’s break that down.

• The Open Clubface: This is the bigger villain. An open clubface means the face of your club is pointing to the right of your swing path when you hit the ball. This is what imparts the left-to-right sidespin that makes the ball curve.
• The "Out-to-In" Swing Path: This is the path your club takes on its way to the ball. For slicers, the club starts its downswing outside the target line (further away from your body), and cuts across the ball, moving inside the target line (closer to your body) after impact. This path starts the ball to the left of your target, and the open clubface gives it the spin to make it curve dramatically to the right.

When you combine these two things - a swing path that goes left and a clubface that’s pointing right - you get that high, weak, soul-crushing slice. Our goal is to fix both your path and your clubface, starting with the easiest fixes first.

Phase 1: Your Pre-Swing Slice Killers

Believe it or not, many slices are baked in before you even start your backswing. Your setup - how you stand, hold the club, and aim - has an enormous effect on your swing path and clubface. Let's make sure it’s helping you, not hurting you.

Your Grip: The Steering Wheel of the Clubface

Your grip is the single most important connection to the golf club. A "weak" grip is one of the most common causes of an open clubface. A "weak" grip doesn't mean you aren't holding it tight enough, it refers to the position of your hands on the club. Slicers tend to have both hands rotated too far to the left (toward the target).

Let's Get a Neutral-to-Strong Grip:

1. Left Hand (Top Hand): Place your left hand on the club so you can clearly see at least two, preferably two-and-a-half, knuckles on the back of your hand when you look down. The “V” formed by your thumb and index finger should point toward your right shoulder. This is a "stronger" position that makes it easier to close the clubface through impact.
2. Right Hand (Bottom Hand): Next, place your right hand on the club so the "V" formed by your right thumb and index finger also points toward your right shoulder. Your right palm should essentially "cover" your left thumb. Think of the palm of your right hand facing the target more, rather than being on top of the grip.

This will feel strange at first. You might even feel like you are going to hook the ball. That’s a good thing. Stick with it. A stronger grip pre-sets your hands to naturally square and release the club through the ball instead of holding the face open.

Your Alignment: Stop Aiming for Trouble

Here’s a classic Catch-22 for slicers. You know you slice it right, so you start "aiming" your body far to the left to compensate. But by aiming your body left, you actually encourage that out-to-in, over-the-top swing that causes the slice in the first place. You are reinforcing the very move you're trying to fix.

The Fix: Aim Square, Swing Square
Get two alignment sticks (or two golf clubs). Place one on the ground pointing directly at your target. Place the second one parallel to the first, just inside the ball, pointing where your feet should be aimed. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should all be parallel to the target line, not open to it. This neutral setup makes it much easier to swing the club down the correct path.

Phase 2: Fixing the "Over-the-Top" Swing Path

The "over-the-top" move is the slicer’s signature. It’s what happens at the transition from the backswing to the downswing. Instead of dropping the club onto the correct plane, most slicers initiate the downswing by spinning their shoulders and throwing their hands and the club "over" the ideal swing plane. It’s a move born from an impulse to create power, but it only creates a steep, cutting swing.

We need to retrain that first move to come from the "inside."

Feeling the "Inside" Path

The feeling we are shooting for is one where the club "drops" behind you as you start the downswing, feeling like it is swinging out to right field (for a right-handed golfer) before turning over toward the target. It’s the exact opposite of the out-to-in path. Here are two fantastic drills to groove this feeling.

Drill 1: The Headcover Gauntlet

1. Take your normal address to the ball.
2. Place your driver's headcover on the ground about a foot outside of your golf ball and six inches ahead of it.
3. Your goal is to swing and hit the golf ball without hitting the headcover.

A slicer's over-the-top move will come down steeply and hit the headcover nearly every time. To miss it, you are forced to drop the club to the inside on the downswing. This drill provides instant, undeniable feedback about your swing path.

Drill 2: The Pump Drill

This drill helps correct the sequence of the downswing - getting your lower body to lead the way instead of your shoulders.

1. Take a full backswing and pause at the top.
2. From the top, initiate a slight downswing motion by dropping your arms to about waist-high, feeling the club head drop behind your hands. This is the first "pump."
3. Go back to the top of your swing.
4. Repeat the drop move one more time. This is the second "pump."
5. On the third go, take your regular full backswing and then swing all the way through, trying to recreate that same feeling of the club dropping into the "slot" before turning through to impact.

This drill trains your body to start the downswing with the proper sequence, letting the arms and club follow instead of lead.

Phase 3: Releasing the Club to Kill the Slice

Even with a perfect grip and path, you can still slice it if you don’t let the clubface release through impact. "Releasing" simply means letting your right arm naturally cross over your left arm through the impact zone. Many slicers try to “guide” the ball toward the target by holding the clubface square for as long as possible, but this prevents rotation and leaves the face wide open.

Drill: Split-Hand Swings

This drill exaggerates the feeling of a proper release.

1. Take a 7-iron and grip it normally with your left hand at the top.
2. Slide your right hand down the shaft three to four inches, leaving a gap between your hands.
3. Make some easy, half-swings (from waist-high to waist-high).

You’ll immediately feel how your right arm has to cross over your left to swing the club properly. The split-hand position makes it nearly impossible to have an out-to-in path or to hold the face open. It’s an amazing drill for coordinating your arms and feeling how they should work together to square the face.

Final Thoughts

Stopping a slice involves correcting your pre-swing fundamentalsand retraining the core motion of your downswing from an "out-to-in" to an "in-to-out" path. By focusing on your grip, alignment, and practicing drills that promote an inside attack and a natural release, you can methodically eliminate the slice and start hitting straighter, more powerful shots.

While these concepts and drills are the building blocks, sometimes you just need in-the-moment advice. That's why we created Caddie AI. If you're on the range having trouble feeling the proper downswing move or stuck behind a tree on the course and unsure of the best recovery strategy, we provide即时、 expert golf coaching. You can ask us anything from "Why do I keep shanking my wedges?" to showing us a photo of your lie for a smart recommendation, helping you make confident decisions and stop old habits, like the slice, from ever creeping back in.