What Is a Butter Cut in Golf?

A butter cut is one of the most envied shots in golf - a thing of beauty that blends power with supreme control, floating softly from left to right before landing right by the pin. This article will show you exactly what a butter cut is, why it's different from that dreaded slice, and provide you with a step-by-step guide to adding this game-changing shot to your own repertoire.

What is a "Butter Cut"? (And why it’s not a slice)

You’ve heard the term on TV broadcasts or from the low-handicapper in your group. When someone says “butter cut,” they’re describing an intentional golf shot that moves gracefully from left to right (for a right-handed golfer) in the air. The "butter" part refers to how smooth and soft the shot feels and looks. It’s not a violent, sharp turn, it's a gentle, controlled fade that lands softly on the green, often with a good deal of spin.

This is the shot that the pros rely on for precision. Players like Jack Nicklaus built careers on a fade. Collin Morikawa's iron play is spectacular largely due to his mastery of this shot. It's a go-to weapon for attacking pins and navigating tricky holes because it offers something every golfer craves: a perfect blend of distance and predictability.

The number one misunderstanding, however, is confusing a butter cut with a slice. Let’s make the distinction perfectly clear: they are polar opposites in the world of golf shots.

• A slice is an accident. It's an out-of-control shot caused by a swing flaw - typically a wide-open clubface relative to a steep out-to-in path. Slices curve hard to the right, lose significant distance, have very P side spin, and rarely find the fairway, let alone the green.
• A butter cut is intentional. It's a sign of control and skill. This shot only curves a few yards, maintains its distance and trajectory, launches on a solid line, lands softly because of high backspin, and is deadly accurate in the hands of a skilled player.

Think of it this way: a slice is skidding your car on ice. A butter cut is executing a perfect, controlled drift around a corner. One is a mistake, the other is a mastery of technique.

The Pro's Secret Weapon: When to Use a Butter Cut

Why would you want to curve the ball on purpose? Once you have this shot in your bag, you'll find plenty of opportunities where it’s not just a good option - it’s the best option. Understanding these scenarios is what separates a good golfer from a smart one.

Attacking Tucked Pins

Imagine the flag is on the far right side of the green, with a deep bunker guarding the front right. A straight shot is risky, a little push puts you in the bunker, and a little pull leaves you with a very long putt. The butter cut is the perfect solution. You can start the ball at the center of the green and let it gently fade back toward the pin, using the green itself as a buffer. The ball lands softly and moves right, away from trouble on the left and stopping before it reaches the bunker.

Navigating Doglegs

For a hole that bends to the right (a dogleg right), a butter cut is a strategic dream. A well-executed cut with a driver or 3-wood allows you to follow the shape of the fairway instead of trying to hit a straight shot that might run through into the rough. It puts you in the perfect position for your approach shot.

Holding Firm Greens

Because a cut shot imparts more backspin on the ball than a straight shot or a draw, it has much more stopping power. On firm, fast greens where balls tend to roll out, a high, soft butter cut is your best friend. It will come down from a steeper angle and grab the putting surface much quicker, leaving you with shorter putts.

Fighting a Left-to-Right Wind

This may sound counterintuitive, but hitting a cut into a wind that's blowing from left to right can be very effective. A properly hit cut is “held up” by the wind, preventing it from turning too much. This creates a highly stable, predictable flight that flies straight instead of getting pushed far right like a draw would.

How to Hit the Butter Cut: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to try it yourself? The key to this shot isn't a radical swing change. It's about making small, specific adjustments at setup and trusting a smooth, athletic motion. It’s more feel than force.

Step 1: Get Your Grip Right

Your grip is the steering wheel. To hit a cut, you don't need a crazy change, but a neutral to slightly weak grip can be helpful. A "weak" grip simply means your hands are rotated slightly to the left on the club (for a right-handed player).

• For your left hand (top hand): Look down and see if you can see two knuckles on your left hand. This is a good neutral starting point. For a slightly weaker feel, rotate it so you might only see one or one-and-a-half knuckles. Don’t overdo it.
• For your right hand (bottom hand): Let it sit more on top of the club rather than underneath it. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point more towards your chin or left shoulder, rather than your right shoulder.

This grip position naturally encourages the clubface to stay a little "open" to your swing path at impact, which is essential for creating the left-to-right spin.

Step 2: Adjust Your Setup and Alignment

This is where the magic really begins. Your body alignment dictates your swing path, and your clubface alignment dictates where the ball starts.

The Core Concept: Path left, face at the target.

1. Aim Your Clubface FIRST: This is fundamental. Before you do anything with your body, aim the leading edge of your clubface directly at your final target where you want the ball to end up. For example, the flagstick.
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2. Aim Your Body Line Left: Next, set up your feet, hips, and shoulders so they are aiming slightly to the left of your final target. How far left? Don't go crazy. For a 10-yard cut, aiming your body about 10 yards left of the flag is a great starting point. Your feet should be parallel to this new body line. This open stance pre-sets the out-to-in swing path we need.

1. Ball Position: Keep the ball position the same as you would for a standard shot with that club. For mid-irons, this is the center of your stance. Moving it forward can sometimes promote too much of a slice, so start with a centered position.

To recap, your clubface is pointing at the flag, but your entire body (feet, hips, shoulders) is aligned to the sky-left of the flag. This setup is 90% of the work.

Step 3: The Swing – Staying Smooth and Committed

With the setup dialed in, the swing itself should feel surprisingly normal. The key is to trust your setup and not try to manipulate the club during the swing.

The Takeaway and Backswing

Take the club back as you normally would. There's no special move here. Just focus on a smooth, full rotation away from the ball. Don't feel like you need to take it outside or inside - your open stance has already set the table for the path.

The Downswing and Impact

This is the moment of truth. Your one and only swing thought should be: “Swing along your body line.”

Your body is aimed left, so your natural swing path will travel from outside your target line to inside your target line. RESIST THE URGE to steer or reroute the club to hit the ball straight at the pin. You must commit to swinging left. It will feel like you're pulling the shot, but remember your setup: the clubface is aiming at the target. This combination is what generates the cut spin:

• The out-to-in path (swinging along your body line) makes the ball start a little left of the target.

• The clubface being square to the target (but open to your path) imparts the clockwise spin that brings it back to the right.

It’s important to stay down through the shot and rotate your body through impact. Don't let your arms take over, use your body engine to power the club through.

The Finish

Because you are rotating your body through impact along an open line, your finish position might feel a little different. Your hands may finish slightly lower and more to the left than they would with a draw. You should feel fully balanced on your left foot (for a righty), with your chest and belt buckle facing your (left) swing-line target.

Putting It Into Practice: Drills for Feel

Go to the range and start with a short iron, like a pitching wedge or 9-iron. These are easier to control.Lay two alignment sticks on the ground. Place one stick on your target line, pointing exactly where you want the ball to land. Place the second stick parallel to it but a few feet to the left, representing your body line. Take your stance with your feet parallel to that second stick, and double-check your clubface is square to the first stick. Then, just hit smooth shots with the singular goal of swinging along the line of your feet. Don't worry about the results at first, just ingrain the feeling.

Start with small cuts and gradually work up to more pronounced curves as you gain confidence. In time, the butter cut will transform from a shot you attempt into a shot you own.

Final Thoughts

Mastering a gentle, reliable butter cut is one of the most satisfying skills a golfer can develop. It’s not about overhauling your entire swing, it’s about understanding the relationship between your clubface and swing path and making deliberate adjustments at set up to produce a controllable shot shape.

Understanding the "how" is one thing, but knowing "when" to apply that new skill on the course is what truly lowers scores. For this reason, my primary focus when creating our golf AI was to provide immediate, on-course strategy. With , you can describe your shot, and I can suggest whether a subtle Butter Cut is the smart play to attack a tucked pin, or if a straight shot to the middle of the green is the higher-percentage choice to avoid trouble.