There's nothing more frustrating than lining up the perfect shot, making what feels like a powerful swing, and then watching your golf ball boomerang far to the right of your target. While some might jokingly call it a right-hook, in the golf world, this unwanted, curving shot is known as a slice. It's the most common miss for recreational golfers, but it doesn't have to be a permanent part of your game. This guide will break down precisely why it happens and, more importantly, provide you with the concrete steps and easy-to-follow drills to finally straighten it out for good.
Before we can fix the slice, we need to understand what causes it. Every golf shot’s curve is determined by two simple factors at the moment of impact: the club path and the clubface angle.
A slice is born from a specific combination: an out-to-in club path combined with a clubface that is open to that path. The out-to-in path starts the ball to the left of your final target, but the open face imparts a clockwise spin on the ball. This side-spin acts like a wing on an airplane, causing the ball to curve dramatically from left to right, often landing deep in the trees or the next fairway over.
So, the question isn’t just "Why does my ball go right?" It’s "What am I doing to create an out-to-in path with an open clubface?" Let’s look at the leading causes.
If the out-to-in path is the main ingredient of a slice, the "over-the-top" move is the faulty recipe most golfers follow to get there. It’s an almost instinctual action, especially for newer players trying to generate power.
An over-the-top swing starts at the transition from the backswing to the downswing. Instead of letting the lower body initiate the downswing and allowing the club to drop onto a shallow plane, the slicer's first move is with their right shoulder, chest, and arms. This forces the club outside, or "over," the correct swing plane. From this position, the only way to hit the ball is to sling the club back across your body, creating that dreaded out-to-in path.
The golf swing is meant to be a "rotational action of the golf club that moves around the body in a circle-like manner." Your power should come from the turn of your torso - your hips and shoulders rotating. The over-the-top move, in contrast, feels like an "up and down action" or chopping wood. You feel like you're putting a lot of muscular effort into the swing - mostly with your arms and shoulders - but the result is weak, spinning shots.
The root of this problem is often the desire to hit the ball hard. But hitting the ball far and straight comes from efficient rotation and sequencing, not from brute force. Once you can recognize this feeling, you can start to train the proper sequence.
Your hands are your only connection to the golf club. They act as the steering wheel, and how you hold the club has an enormous influence on where the clubface points at impact. For many slicers, the problem begins before the swing even starts, with a "weak" grip.
A weak grip for a right-handed player means your hands are rotated too far to the left on the club.
When you hold the club this way, it's very difficult for your hands and wrists to naturally square the clubface through the swing. The face has a strong tendency to arrive at impact wide open, regardless of your swing path, creating that massive curve to the right.
Heads Up: A new grip will feel strange. Honestly, it might feel completely wrong at first. This is normal. The hold for a golf club is unlike almost any other tool we use. Trust the checkpoints and give it time. As the provided text mentions, the hold "feels bizarre" and "is unlike anything else we hold in the world," but sticking with the change is necessary if your old grip is causing directional faults.
Your setup provides the blueprint for your swing. If you set up with flaws, your swing will have to make compensations to get the club back to the ball, and these compensations are where bad shots are born. For slicers, the biggest setup mistake is often poor alignment.
Your body has three main lines: your feet, your hips, and your shoulders. For a straight shot, all three of these lines should be aimed parallel to your target line, like railroad tracks. The slicer's common flaw is to aim their feet at the target but open their shoulders, pointing them left of the target. This does two things:
The best way to fix this is with alignment sticks (or spare golf clubs). Lay one stick on the ground pointing at your target (your ball-to-target line). Lay the second stick down parallel to the first, just inside your feet. At address, both your feet should be square to this second stick. Now, check your hips and shoulders in a mirror or by having a friend look - they should also be parallel to those sticks. By squaring up your entire body, you give yourself the a Tchance to make a rotational swing from the inside.
Understanding the problem is one thing, feeling the solution is another. These drills are designed to retrain your body and get rid of the slice-producing "over-the-top" motion.
This is the classic drill for fixing an out-to-in path.
This is a an incredibly simple setup adjustment that promotes a proper swing path.
This drill helps correct the swing path right at impact.
A slice isn’t some random, mystical problem, it’s a direct response to an out-to-in Cswing path combined with an open cubface at impact. By focusing on your core fundamentals - building a neutral grip, aligning your body correctly, and training a more rotational swing path - you can systematically eliminate the slice from your game and replace it with a powerful, straight ball flight.
We know that diagnosing the true cause of a ball flight issue can be a real headache on your own, and feeling confident about the solution is even harder. We built Caddie AI for moments just like that. If you're stuck on the range trying to figure out your swing or facing a tough recovery shot on the course after a slice, you can get instant, personalized analysis and strategy right in your pocket. Our goal is to take the guesswork out of golf so you can feel more confident and play smarter.
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.
