Why Does My Golf Drive Keep Going Right?

Watching your golf drive sail helplessly to the right is maddening, and it’s a problem that plagues countless golfers. That nagging slice not only steals distance but also turns fairways into forests and pars into double bogeys. This article will cut through the noise and show you the two primary reasons your drive keeps going right, providing simple, actionable steps and drills to straighten out your ball flight and get you hitting powerful, confident tee shots.

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The Two Culprits of a Right Miss: Face and Path

In golf, the ball does what it's told. To stop hitting it right, you have to understand the two pieces of information the club gives the ball at impact: the direction your clubface is pointing and the direction your club is swinging. For a right-handed golfer, a ball that starts right or curves right (a push, slice, or push-slice) is almost always caused by a combination of an open clubface at impact and an outside-to-in swing path.

Think of it like this: the clubface largely dictates where the ball starts, and the path influences how it curves. When the face is open (pointing right of your target) at impact, it imparts sidespin that makes the ball curve from left-to-right. Combine that with a swing that cuts across the ball from outside your target line to inside it, and you have the perfect recipe for a power-sapping slice.

Let's break down how to fix them both, starting with the biggest offender: the clubface.

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Solution #1: How to Fix an Open Clubface

If your clubface is open at impact, it’s like trying to drive a car with the steering wheel turned right - you’re destined to end up off course. Controlling the clubface is the single most important factor in hitting straighter shots. Here are the most common areas to check.

Check Your Grip: The Steering Wheel of Your Swing

Your hands are your only connection to the club, and how you hold it has an enormous influence on where the clubface points. A "weak" grip is by far the most common cause of an open clubface and a slice. This doesn't mean you're holding it too loosely, it refers to the rotational position of your hands on the club. A weak grip is one where your hands are rotated too far to the left (toward the target).

• The Left Hand (for righties): Look down at your grip at address. If you can only see one knuckle on your left hand (or none), your grip is likely too weak. This position makes it very difficult to square the clubface at impact, your natural motion will leave it open.
• The Fix: Strengthen Your Grip. To get into a more "neutral" position, rotate your left hand more to the right, on top of the grip, until you can clearly see at least two, or even three, knuckles. The ‘V’ formed between your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder.
• The Right Hand: Now look at your right hand. In a weak position, it often sits too much on top of the club. Instead, let the right hand sit more on the side of the grip. The lifeline of your right palm should cover your left thumb. The ‘V’ formed by your right thumb and index finger should also point toward your right shoulder, mirroring your left hand.

Heads Up: This will feel weird. Changing your grip is one of the most uncomfortable feelings in golf. You'll feel like you're going to hook the ball a mile left. Trust it. Hit small, easy shots on the range until this new position starts to feel more normal. It's the foundation for a straighter drive.

Check Your Wrists at The Top of The Swing

What happens at the top of your swing sets the stage for the rest of the show. Many slicers get to the top of their backswing with a "cupped" left wrist (it's bent backwards). When your wrist is cupped, guess what else is open? The clubface. From this position, it’s nearly impossible to close the face in the split second it takes to swing down.

The Fix: Flatten the Left Wrist. Work on getting to the top of your backswing with a flat left wrist, just like the pros you see on TV (like Dustin Johnson, who is famous for his "bowed" or flexed wrist). To feel this, take your normal setup. As you swing back to the top, focus on keeping that left wrist a straight line from your forearm to your hand. You can even practice this in front of a mirror without a club.

• Feel it: Get to the top of your backswing, stop, and look at your left wrist. Is it cupped? If so, consciously flatten it. Notice how that closes the clubface. Now, you’re in a powerful position to deliver a square face to the ball.

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Solution #2: How to Fix an Outside-to-In Swing Path

Even with a perfectly square clubface, an aggressive outside-to-in path can still produce that weak, glancing blow that sends the ball curving right. This move, often called coming "over the top," is an absolute distance killer. It's caused by starting the downswing with the arms and shoulders instead of letting the body lead.

Remember, the golf swing wants to be a rotational action that moves around the body in a circle. An over-the-top move is a more upright, chopping motion that completely disrupts that flow.

It Starts with Alignment

Before you fix the swing, make sure you aren't creating the problem before you even move the club. Many golfers who slice subconsciously aim left to compensate for their ball curving right. The problem? Aiming left encourages an even more severe outside-to-in swing path as you pull the club back across your body to try and hit it towards the "target".

The Fix: Check Your Aim.

1. Place two alignment sticks on the ground. Put one down pointing directly at your target.
2. Place the second stick parallel to the first, just inside where your feet will be.
3. Set up to the ball ensuring your feet, hips, and shoulders are all parallel to the second alignment stick (and therefore parallel to the target line). It might feel like you're aiming to the right of your target, but stick with it. This is correct alignment.

The Downswing Kickoff: Hips, Not Hands

The "over the top" move happens when the first thing you do from the top of the backswing is to throw your hands and right shoulder at the ball. The proper sequence is the complete opposite.

The Fix: Start Down with Your Lower Body. Your body is the engine, and the downswing should start from the ground up.

• Once you've made a full shoulder and hip turn in your backswing, the very first move you should feel to start the downswing is your lead hip (your left hip for a righty) turning toward the target.
• This subtle move drops the club onto the correct inside path automatically. It gives your arms and club space to swing down from the inside instead of lunging out toward the ball.
• The feeling: Imagine you have a wall just behind you. On the way down, you want to feel like you're keeping your back on that wall as your hips rotate open. If you come over the top, your right shoulder will launch forward and you'd pull away from that wall.

A Simple Drill to Groove the Right Path

Feelings can be deceiving, but drills give you instant feedback. Here’s a classic to help train an in-to-out swing path.

The Headcover Drill: Place an empty headcover (or a rolled-up towel) about a clubhead's width outside and just behind your golf ball on the ground.

• If you swing with your normal outside-to-in path, you will hit the headcover on the way down. Ouch.
• The goal is to swing down from the inside, missing the headcover entirely, and make contact with the ball.
• Start with slow, easy half-swings. Don't worry about where the ball goes. Just focus on missing the obstacle. As it gets easier, you can gradually increase your speed. This provides undeniable feedback and forces you to re-route your swing from the inside.

Final Thoughts

Taming a slice that sends your drive right isn't magic, it comes from understanding its true causes - an open clubface and an over-the-top swing path. By meticulously checking your grip, monitoring your wrist position, and practicing drills that promote a body-led, inside path, you create the conditions for a straighter, more powerful ball flight. Be patient, focus on one fix at a time, and the results will follow.

As you work on these changes, gaining access to on-demand, expert-level feedback can make all the difference. That's precisely why my team and I created Caddie AI. In your hands, Caddie provides on-course strategy and 24/7 coaching in your pocket - allowing you to ask questions about your swing or get a sanity check on a new grip feeling whenever you need it. By taking the guesswork out of improving, we help you focus on building good habits and playing with confidence.