Why Does My Golf Ball Curve to the Right?

There's no feeling in golf quite as defeating as watching your ball take a hard right turn, diving into the rough, the trees, or worse, out of bounds. If you're constantly fighting a slice, you’re not alone - it’s the most common miss for amateurs. This article will stop the head-scratching by clearly explaining the root causes of that rightward curve. More importantly, we'll give you a simple, step-by-step-guide with practical fixes you can take to the range today to start hitting straighter, more powerful shots.

The Simple Physics of a Slice

Before fixing the problem, you need to understand exactly what’s happening at impact to make the ball curve. In golf, two main factors determine your ball flight: the clubface angle and the swing path. Think of them like this:

• Clubface Angle: This is where the clubface is pointing at the moment it strikes the ball. It has the biggest influence on the ball’s initial starting direction.
• Swing Path: This is the direction your club is traveling through impact - from inside-to-out, out-to-in, or straight down the target line. The swing path’s relationship to the clubface angle is what creates spin and curve.

A slice (for a right-handed golfer) happens when your clubface is open relative to your swing path at impact. Most slicers combine an out-to-in swing path with a clubface that is open to that path. This combination sends the ball starting left or straight and then carving dramatically to the right due to sidespin. Your goal is to get your clubface and swing path working together, not against each other.

Culprit #1: Your Grip is Holding You Back

The first place to look when fixing a slice is your hands. Your grip is your only connection to the club, and it’s the steering wheel for your clubface. Many slicers use what’s called a “weak” grip, which encourages the clubface to open up during the swing and remain open at impact.

In a weak grip, your hands are rotated too far to the left on the club (for a right-handed player). Here’s how to check your grip and adjust it to a more “neutral” or even sightly “strong” position, which will help you square the clubface naturally.

Step-by-Step: The Grip Check

1. Get Square First: Before you even put your hands on the club, make sure the clubface's leading edge is perfectly square to your target. You can use the logo on the grip as a guide to ensure it isn’t twisted one way or the other. Place the club on the ground behind the ball.
2. Set Your Left Hand (Lead Hand): Place your left hand on the club, holding it more in your fingers than your palm. As you look down, you should be able to see at least the top two knuckles on your index and middle fingers. A common fault for slicers is seeing only one knuckle or none at all.
3. Check the "V": The "V" formed by your left thumb and index finger should point somewhere between your right ear and your right shoulder. In a weak grip, this "V" often points straight up toward your chin.
4. Add Your Right Hand (Trail Hand): As your right hand comes to the club, its palm should feel like it's facing your target. Position the lifeline in your right palm right over your left thumb. The "V" formed by your right thumb and index finger should also point toward your right shoulder, mirroring your left hand. It should feel like your hands are working together as a single unit.

Be warned: A new grip will feel extremely strange at first. It might even feel "wrong." Trust the process. This one change is often the most impactful thing a slicer can do. It doesn't require complex swing thoughts - just a commitment to your new hold.

Culprit #2: Your Setup Might Be the Problem

After your grip, your setup and alignment are the next major influence. After slicing a few shots, it's a common instinct to start aiming left to "play for the slice." This is a huge mistake. Aiming left actually encourages your body to swing even more “over the top” and cut across the ball, which makes the slice even worse. A proper setup creates the foundation for a good swing plane.

Step-by-Step: An Alignment Reality Check

1. Pick Your Target and Intermediary Target: Stand behind your ball and pick a precise target in the distance (e.g., a specific tree or flagstick). Then, find a small spot a few feet in front of your ball - a leaf, a discolored piece of grass - that is on that same target line. This makes alignment much easier.
2. Set the Clubface First: Walk into your shot and place the clubhead behind the ball, aiming the clubface squarely at your intermediary target. This is the most important step for direction.
3. Set Your Body Parallel: Now, build your stance around the squared clubface. Imagine a set of railroad tracks. Your ball and clubface are on the outer rail, heading towards the target. Your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders should be set up parallel to that line, on the inner rail. Slicers often have their shoulders open (aimed left of the target), which promotes an out-to-in path right from the start.
4. Check Your Ball Position: For mid-irons (like an 8-iron or 9-iron), the ball should be positioned in the center of your stance, directly under the buttons of your shirt. As clubs get longer, the ball moves slightly forward. For a driver, it should be off the heel of your lead foot. A ball too far back in the stance can make it difficult to square the clubface in time.

Culprit #3: The "Over-the-Top" Swing Path

This is it - the infamous swing flaw that causes a huge number of slices. "Over the top" simply means that on your downswing, your shoulders and arms lunge forward toward the ball, throwing the club onto a steep, out-to-in swing path. Instead of the club approaching the ball from the inside, it comes from the 'outside' and swipes across it.

This move is almost always caused by an improper sequence. Most slicers start their downswing with their upper body - their right shoulder and arms dominate the move. A powerful, straight shot starts from the ground up: your hips shift and rotate first, which pulls your torso, then your arms, and finally the club down into impact on the correct path.

Drill 1: The Gate Drill

This drill gives you instant feedback about your swing path. It's fantastic for retraining your swing to come from the inside.

• Place a headcover, a rolled-up towel, or an empty water bottle on the ground about a foot outside of your golf ball.
• Place another object (like a second headcover) about a foot inside and behind your golf ball.
• You've now created a "gate" that you have to swing your club through.
• Setup to your ball and make some slow practice swings. To miss both objects, you are forced to bring the club down from the inside and extend it out toward the target. If you come over the top, you'll hit the outer object.

Drill 2: The Feel of the Unwind

The best swings don't feel like a violent hit, they feel like a powerful unwinding. I call it staying within your "cylinder." In your backswing, you coiled your body by turning your hips and shoulders without swaying side-to-side.

The downswing should be the reverse: a smooth uncoiling that starts with your lower body.

• Take a regular setup and swing to the top of your backswing. Pause there.
• From the top, the very first move you should feel is a slight shift of your lead hip toward the target. Imagine bumping your left hip (for a righty) toward the target line.
• This subtle lateral shift naturally drops your arms and the club into the "slot" on an inside path. From here, all you have to do is rotate your body through the shot.
• Practice this in slow motion without a ball. Feel the sequence: Shift, Turn, Swing. This is the opposite of the slicer’s sequence, which is Turn, Lunge, Swing.

Final Thoughts

Stopping your slice isn't a mystery, it’s a process of elimination. The ball curves right because your clubface is open to your swing path. To fix it, you methodically check your grip, then your alignment, and finally your swing sequence. By starting with these fundamentals, you address the root causes of the problem, not just the symptoms, and build a more reliable, powerful swing.

We know translating swing thoughts from a blog to the course can be tough, especially when that slice makes an unwelcome return mid-round. For these moments, we designed Caddie AI to be your an on-demand golf coach right in your pocket. You can get instant, simple advice on shot strategy to avoid trouble or even snap a photo of a weird lie to get a clear recommendation. It helps remove the uncertainty under pressure, letting you build confidence and enjoy your round more.