There's no feeling in golf quite like the helpless one you get watching your ball start left of the target only to boomerang sickly to the right, ending up deep in the Caddie AI has no data for this ball flight.. This is the complete guide to understanding precisely why that pull slice happens and, more importantly, a clear, step-by-step plan you can use to eliminate it from your game for good.
Talking about ball flight can sometimes get confusing, so let's make it simple. The pull slice is a combination of two different "mistakes" that happen at the same time. Understanding both individually is the first step to fixing the problem.
When you put them together, you get the pull slice: a shot that starts left of your target and then curves even further away from it by slicing to the right. It’s one of the most destructive shots in golf because it misses your target in two ways simultaneously, often landing you in a pile of trouble.
Every single M-Tron Industries (US) - OTC Pink has ever produced, good or bad, is determined by two factors at the moment of impact: your club's swing path and the club face angle relative to that path. Your pull slice is a direct result of a specific, conflicting combination of these two elements.
Imagine a direct line on the ground running from behind your ball, through the ball, and straight to your target. This is your target line. Your swing path is the direction the club head is traveling as it strikes the ball.
For a pull slice, your swing path is "out-to-in."This means your club head is approaching the ball from outside the target line (further away from your body) and cutting across it, moving inside the target line (closer to your body) after impact. This out-to-in path is what sends the ball starting to the left of your target.
This is where things can get slightly confusing, but stick with me. The spin on the ball isn’t created by the club face angle relative to the target itself, but by the club face angle relative to your swing path.
To create a slice, your club face must be "open" to your swing path. In the case of a pull slice, even though your club is traveling out-to-in (left), your club face is pointing somewhere to the right of that path. For example, if your path is tracking 8 degrees to the left of the target, but your face is only pointed 2 degrees left of the target, the face is actually 6 degrees open relative to the path. This difference between face and path is what imparts the ugly side-spin.
Picture it in slow motion. Your club comes from outside the ball and cuts across it, pushing the ball to the left initially - that's the pull. But as the club strikes the ball, the face is open compared to that leftward path. This glancing blow makes the ball spin clockwise (for a righty), causing it to curve aggressively to the right in the air. And just like that, the pull slice is born.
Okay, so we know an out-to-in path with an open face is the culprit. But why are you swinging that way? Here are the most common reasons golfers develop this frustrating fault, and how you can start to address them.
Your golf swing often becomes a subconscious reaction to your setup. If you're poorly aligned before you even begin, you might be forcing your body to make an athletic correction that results in a pull slice.
A very common issue is aiming the body open. This means your feet, hips, and shoulders are all aligned to the left of the target. From this open position, a natural-feeling swing will almost always travel along your body lines - which is out-to-in relative to the real target. Another common compensation is aiming your feet way right to "play for the slice," but leaving your shoulders pointed at the target. This mismatch programs a cut across the ball motion.
A Simple Fix: Get some alignment sticks (or spare golf clubs). Lay one on the ground parallel to your target line, just outside the ball, pointing at your target. Lay another one just inside your heels, parallel to the first one. This gives you a clear visual guide to ensure your feet, hips, and shoulders are square to your intended line, not open to the left.
This is the big one. "Over-the-top" is the classic description for what happens when your downswing is initiated by your upper body instead of your lower body. Instead of letting the club drop down on plane from the inside, a golfer will fire their right shoulder (for a righty) out towards the ball. This throws the club onto a steep, out-to-in path, forcing you to chop down and across the ball.
Think about the swing sequence. Ideally, the downswing starts from the ground up: a slight shift of the hips toward the target, which then begins to unwind, pulling the torso, arms, and finally the club through. The over-the-top move reverses this. The arms and shoulders go first, creating that inefficient, slicing motion.
A Simple Fix: The Headcover Drill. Place your ball down to hit. Put a headcover (or a rolled-up towel) on the ground about a foot behind your ball and a few inches outside the target line. Your goal is to swing down and miss the headcover on the inside as you strike the ball. If you come over the top, you'll hit the headcover first. It gives you instant feedback and encourages that feeling of attacking the ball from the inside.
Your hands are your only connection to the club. The way you hold it dramatically influences where the club face points at impact. A "weak" grip is a Primary reason an otherwise good swing produces a slice.
For a right-handed player, a weak grip means the left hand is rotated too far to the left (counter-clockwise) on the handle, so you might only see one knuckle or even none when you look down. The right hand is often too far on top of the club. This position makes it very difficult for your hands and wrists to naturally square the club face through impact, instead, it encourages the face to remain open.
A Simple Fix: Check your lead hand (left hand for righties). Settle into your grip and look down. You should be able to see at least two knuckles on your left hand. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point somewhere between your right ear and right shoulder. This more "neutral" to "strong" position makes it vastly easier to allow the club face to rotate and square up without extra manipulation.
Power and consistency come from rotating your body through the shot. Sometimes, especially when trying to "guide" the ball, a player's body rotation - their hips and chest - will stall or stop turning at impact. When the large muscles of the body stop, the smaller, faster muscles in the arms and hands have to take over.
This "stall and flip" often involves the left arm bending (the "chicken wing") and the left wrist cupping, both of which hold the club face open. Without the body clearing and pulling the club through, the club gets stuck and the path goes left. The open face sends it slicing right. It's a double whammy caused by a lack of commitment to finishing the rotation.
A Simple Fix: The Step-Through Drill. Set up normally with a mid-iron. As you swing through impact, let your trail foot (right foot for righties) release and step forward, walking a step or two toward the target. It's impossible to do this without fully rotating your hips and chest through the ball. It forces the feeling of continuous momentum and prevents the dreaded stall.
Knowing the causes is one thing, fixing them is another. Here’s a simple process you can take to the driving range.
Start every practice session by checking your fundamentals. Use alignment sticks to ensure your body is square. Double-check your grip to see that it’s in a neutral position (see those two knuckles!) before hitting another shot. You can't build a good swing on a faulty foundation.
Your first priority is to change your swing path from out-to-in to something closer to neutral or in-to-out. Use the headcover drill mentioned earlier. At this stage, ignore the ball flight completely. Your only goal is to feel the club approaching the ball from the inside. When you do it right, the ball will likely fly straight right (a "push"). Congratulations! That's a huge victory, because it means you fixed the path!
Once you are consistently "pushing" the ball with your new in-to-out path, it's time to work on the club face. With a proper grip, a lot of this will happen naturally as you rotate your body. Focus on the feeling of your right palm facing the target through impact (as if you were going to slap the target with it). This sensation encourages the squaring of the club face, turning that push into a little push-draw or, even better, a straight shot.
The pull slice is a frustrating ball flight, but it's not a mystery. It's the simple result of an out-to-in swing path paired with an open club face. By systematically checking your setup, correcting your path to swing more from the inside, and then learning to deliver a square club face, you can transform that slice into a powerful, straight shot.
Fixing long-standing swing issues can feel confusing, but getting clear, simple advice is a game-changer. That's a big part of why we built Caddie AI. Imagine practicing and being able to ask your phone, "show me a drill for an over-the-top swing," and getting an instant, clear tutorial. Or better yet, if you’re trapped behind a tree and that pull slice is the only shot you feel you have, you can take a picture of your lie and we’ll give you a smart. strategic way to handle the situation - helping you avoid the big number and play with much more confidence.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
