Why Does My Golf Shot Slice?

That banana-shaped shot that starts left of your target and then curves dramatically to the right is the most common and confidence-draining problem in golf. If you’re fighting a slice, you’re not alone, but the good news is that it’s fixable. This article will walk you through the primary causes of a slice and give you clear, actionable steps to finally straighten out your ball flight and find more fairways.

Understanding the Basic Physics of a Slice

Before we try to fix anything, it's helpful to know what’s actually happening. A golf shot’s curve is determined by one simple relationship: the direction of your clubface at impact compared to the direction of your swing path.

For a right-handed golfer, a slice is almost always caused by an open clubface in relation to your swing path. More specifically, it’s most often the result of an “out-to-in” or “over-the-top” swing path combined with a clubface that is open to that path. Your swing path tells the ball where to start, and the clubface tells it how to curve. With that in mind, let’s diagnose the major culprits that lead to this messy combination.

Culprit #1: Your Grip (The Steering Wheel)

Your hands are the only connection you have to the golf club, and how you hold it has a massive influence on the angle of the clubface at impact. Many amateur golfers who slice have what is called a “weak” grip. This doesn't mean you aren't holding it tight enough, it refers to the rotational position of your hands on the club.

Is Your Grip Too Weak?

• In a weak grip, the left hand (for right-handers) is rotated too far to the left, underneath the club. When you look down, you might only see one knuckle, or maybe none at all.
• This position naturally encourages the clubface to open up through the backswing and makes it very difficult to square it up at impact without making some significant swing manipulations.

How to Build a Neutral-to-Strong Grip

A more "neutral" or "stronger" grip presets your hands in a position that makes it much easier to return the clubface to a square position. Here’s how to check and adjust yours:

1. Left Hand First: With the clubface square to your target, place your left hand on the grip. You should be holding it more in the fingers than in the palm. When you look down, you should comfortably be able to see at least two knuckles on your left hand. The "V" formed between your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder.
2. Add the Right Hand: Now bring your right hand to the club. The palm of your right hand should cover your left thumb. The "V" on your right hand should also point toward your right shoulder, mirroring your left hand. Whether you choose to interlock, overlap, or use a ten-finger style is up to personal comfort.

Heads Up: If you're used to a weak grip, this new position will feel extremely weird and "closed" at first. Trust it. Hit short, easy shots to get used to the feeling. This is often the single most effective change a player can make to fight a slice.

Culprit #2: Your Setup and Alignment (Setting the Stage for Failure)

Many golfers who slice don’t realize they are actually aiming their body to the left of the target. They do this subconsciously to “play for the slice,” but it only makes the problem worse. Aligning your shoulders to the left of the target from the start all but guarantees an "out-to-in" swing path.

The Alignment Trap

Imagine railroad tracks. You want your clubface pointed down one rail directly at the target, and your feet, hips, and shoulders aligned parallel to that, down the other rail.

• The Fault: Slicers often aim their feet at the target but pull their lead (left) shoulder open, pointing it left of the target. This pre-programs your swing to cut across the ball.
• The Fix: Pick an intermediate target a few feet in front of your golf ball that is on the correct line to your final target. First, aim your clubface at this intermediate target. Then, set your body - feet, hips, and shoulders - parallel to the line created between your ball and that spot. Feeling like your body is aimed slightly to the right of the target (for a righty) is often the correct sensation.

Your Posture Matters, Too

Poor posture - specifically standing too upright without enough tilt from your hips - restricts your body's ability to turn properly. When you can't rotate your torso, your arms are forced to lift the club on an upright, steep plane, leading directly to an "over-the-top" motion.

The Simple Posture Correction

Stand up straight, hold the club out in front of you, and then tilt forward from your hips, keeping your back relatively straight, until the club reaches the ground. Your arms should hang down naturally from your shoulders. This creates the space needed for your body to turn and for your arms to swing on a better path.

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

This is the big one. It’s the engine of a nasty slice. An “over-the-top” move is when, during the transition from the backswing to the downswing, you throw the club “over” the proper swing plane. Your downswing path becomes steep and moves from outside your target line to inside it, cutting across the ball and imparting left-to-right sidespin.

What Causes This?

It's almost always a sequence problem. Instead of starting the downswing with the lower body (a slight bump of the hips toward the target), the golfer starts down by aggressively unwinding their shoulders, chest, and arms. This is usually driven by an overpowering impulse to "hit" the ball from the top.

Drills to Fix an Over-the-Top Swing

Fixing this path requires re-grooving your swing sequence. You need to feel the club dropping "into the slot" from the inside, not throwing it out from the top.

1. The Headcover Drill

This is a classic for a reason. Place a headcover (or a rolled-up towel) on the ground about a foot outside and slightly behind your golf ball. If you swing over the top, you will hit the headcover on your downswing. Your goal is to swing down from the inside, missing the headcover completely. This provides instant, judgment-free feedback.

2. The Right-Elbow Feel

A great feeling for the downswing is to let your right elbow (for right-handers) drop down and connect with your aribcage. Many slicers let their right elbow fly away from their body, leading the charge "over the top." Feel like you are keeping your right elbow tucked close as you start down. This naturally shallows the club and gets it on an inside path.

3. Start Down With Your Hips

Practice the transition. At the top of your backswing, feel like the very first move you make is a gentle bump of your hips toward the target. Think "hips first, then torso, then arms." This creates the correct sequence, giving the club time to drop into that inside lane instead of being thrown over the plane.

Putting It All Together: Controlling the Clubface

Now you can see how all these pieces fit. A weak grip makes the face open. Bad alignment promotes an over-the-top path. And that out-to-in path combined with the open face is the perfect recipe for a slice.

By correcting your grip, improving your setup, and shallowing your swing path, you've done 90% of the work. The final step is trusting this new motion and allowing the club to release through impact. Instead of holding the face open to ‘steer’ the ball, let your right hand cross over your left hand naturally after impact. This is the feeling of squaring the face and what turns a push or a slice into a powerful, straight shot or a gentle draw.

Final Thoughts

Fighting a slice can be frustrating, but breaking it down into checkpoints makes it far more manageable. Focus on one piece at a time - start with your grip, then check your alignment, and finally work on your swing path. Be patient with yourself, as changing old motor patterns takes feel and repetition.

Tackling swing changes can feel overwhelming, but tools like our Caddie AI are making it simpler. Instead of guessing which part of your swing is the root cause of your slice, you can get instant, personalized feedback on your setup or swing path. You can ask for a simple drill to fix a specific problem or even snap a photo of a tricky lie that’s causing you issues on the course to get a a smart, confident play - giving you a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket to help you understand your game on a much deeper level.