Why Does My Golf Ball Slice to the Right?

That weak, curving shot that peels off to the right and lands in the trees is the single most frustrating miss in golf, and you are not alone in fighting it. The good news is that a slice is not some random, mysterious curse - it has a clear cause, and once you understand that cause, you have a clear path to fixing it. This article will break down exactly why your ball is slicing and give you practical, step-by-step advice and drills to transform that right-bound shot into a powerful draw.

Understanding the Slice: The Cause and Effect

Before we touch a club, let's get on the same page about what physically makes a golf ball slice. Forget all the complicated jargon for a moment. For a right-handed golfer, a slice is caused by one thing: an open clubface at impact relative to your swing path. That’s it. “Open” simply means your clubface is pointing to the right of the direction the club itself is swinging.

Imagine your club is swinging perfectly straight toward the target. If the clubface is pointing to the right of that target line when it hits the ball, the ball will start relatively straight and then curve right. This is scientifically called “slice spin,” and it steals your distance and kills your accuracy.

Now, let’s add the other piece of the puzzle: the swing path. The vast majority of golfers who slice also swing the club on an “out-to-in” path. This means the clubhead approaches the ball from outside the target line and then cuts across it, moving back to the inside after impact. When an out-to-in path is combined with an open clubface, you get the absolute "classic" banana ball - a shot that starts left of the target and then slices dramatically back into the right rough.

The solution, therefore, is two-fold:

• We need to get your clubface square (or even slightly closed) at impact.
• We need to correct your swing path so the club travels from "in-to-out."

Let's tackle the most common culprits, one at a time, starting with the one part of your body that actually connects to the club.

Culprit #1: Your Grip (The Steering Wheel)

Your grip is the steering wheel for the clubface. An improper grip makes it incredibly difficult to deliver a square clubface, no matter how good the rest of your swing is. The most common error for slicers is a “weak” grip, where the hands are rotated too far to the left (for a righty) on the club. This position naturally encourages the clubface to open during the swing. You might not even realize you're doing it.

Let’s fix this right now.

How to Build a Slice-Proof, Neutral Grip:

1. Set the Clubface: First, place the clubhead on the ground behind your ball. Make sure the leading edge, the very bottom line on the face, is perfectly perpendicular to your target line. It should be pointing straight ahead, not tilted one way or the other.
2. Position Your Left Hand (Lead Hand): Bring your left hand to the side of the grip. The key here is not to put the club in the palm of your hand, but more in the fingers, running from the base of your little finger to the middle of your index finger. Once you close your hand, you should be able to look down and see at least two knuckles of your left hand. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder or right ear. If you can only see one knuckle or none, your grip is too weak and you’re set up to slice.
3. Position Your Right Hand (Trail Hand): Now, bring your right hand to the club. The "V" formed by this hand’s thumb and index finger should also point toward your right shoulder. Fit it onto the club so your right palm essentially covers your left thumb. Whether you interlock your right pinky with your left index finger, overlap it, or use a ten-finger grip is all about comfort. The important part is that both hands are working together, in this neutral position, ready to deliver a square clubface.

This new grip will feel strange. Honestly, it might feel terrible at first if you’ve been slicing for a long time. Stick with it. Take practice swings in your living room with this new grip until it starts to feel less alien. It’s the foundation for everything that follows.

Culprit #2: Your Setup and Alignment

Many slicers, often without knowing it, set themselves up for failure before the swing even begins. Frustrated with watching the ball sail right, a common subconscious "fix" is to aim the entire body way to the left of the target. You feel like this will give the ball room to curve back, but it actually makes the problem much worse. When your body is aligned left of the target but the club is aimed at the target, you have pre-loaded an out-to-in swing path into your setup. You are almost guaranteed to cut across the ball.

Straighten Out Your Setup for a Straighter Shot:

A simple check can work wonders. Next time you're at the driving range, put two clubs or alignment sticks on the ground:

• The Target Line: Place the first stick on the ground so it points directly at your target. The golf ball should be on the inside edge of this stick.
• The Body Line: Place the second stick parallel to the first, just inside where your feet will be.

Now, take your stance. Your heels should be against the second stick. This ensures your feet, hips, and shoulders are all aligned parallel to your target line. Most slicers are shocked to see how their shoulders are wide open (aimed left) compared to their feet at address. Your goal is to feel what it's like to have your upper and lower body aiming parallel to the target, not at the target itself. This setup gives your body the green light to swing the club down correctly from the inside.

Also, check your ball position. For a mid-iron, the ball should be in the center of your stance. As clubs get longer, it moves slightly forward. If the ball gets too far forward in your stance for the club you're hitting, it can be tough to square the face in time, leading to a block or a slice.

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

This is it. This is the move every slicer recognizes. The "over-the-top" swing is when you initiate the downswing aggressively with your right shoulder and arms. This throws the clubhead outside the correct swing plane, forcing you to chop down and across the ball, from out-to-in. It feels powerful, but it’s a power leak that generates slice spin.

The source of this action is a misunderstanding of how power is generated. Power comes from the proper sequence of movements: the lower body starts the downswing, pulling the torso, which then brings the arms and club through. Slicers reverse this, the upper body leads, creating a disconnection and that signature move.

Here are some of the best drills to fix it.

Drill 1: The Headcover Blocker

This drill provides immediate, unmissable feedback. Place your headcover (or an empty sleeve of balls) on the ground about a foot outside and slightly in front of your golf ball. If your first move in the downswing is over the top, you will hit the headcover every single time. The goal is to swing down from the inside to hit the ball, completely missing the headcover. This forces your brain to re-route your swing path and drop the club into the “slot” on the way down.

Drill 2: The Feet-Together Drill

This one is simple but incredibly effective at retraining your body’s sequence. Set up to a golf ball with your feet touching. From this position, hit short iron shots at about 50-60% of your normal power. Because you have no wide base for stability, your body physically cannot lunge at the ball with your upper body - you’d just fall over. Instead, it forces you to rotate your torso calmly around a stable center to advance the ball. You’ll feel the swing become a balanced, rotational motion, not a violent lunge. This directly combats the over-the-top move.

Putting It All Together: From Slice to Straight

Transforming your slice isn't an overnight fix, but it's a very achievable goal. It requires a systematic approach. Don't try to change everything at once. Spend a few range sessions focusing exclusively on building your new, neutral grip. Once that feels more normal, incorporate the alignment stick drills into your setup routine. Finally, start practicing with the over-the-top drills, starting slowly and gradually building speed.

Be patient with yourself. You are overwriting years of muscle memory. There will be good shots and bad ones, but as long as you stick to the fundamentals - a neutral grip, a square setup, and an in-to-out swing path - you will see that hated right-ward curve start to straighten out. You'll not only find more fairways, but you'll also notice a satisfying jump in your distance as contact becomes more solid and spin becomes more efficient.

Final Thoughts

We've covered that a slice boils down to club path and face angle at impact. By systematically addressing the primary causes - a weak grip, open alignment, and an over-the-top swing motion - you can build a swing that sends the ball straight and with power.

Consistent practice is what builds a reliable swing, but having on-demand guidance can make a massive difference, especially when you feel lost on the course. With our app, Caddie AI, you can get tour-level strategy and coaching in seconds. If you're on a tee box where your slice always seems to appear, you can ask for the smart play to avoid trouble, helping you play with more confidence and commit to the shot. It's an expert second opinion right in your pocket, ready to take the guesswork out of the game so you can focus on making your best swing.