Golf shots going consistently right are usually caused by one main thing: the clubface being open to the swing path at impact, or having an outside-in swing path. Many right miss golf shots result from these simple issues. This guide will help you fix that golf slice correction quickly. We will look at golf swing flaws causing slice and give you clear steps to stop why my golf ball curves right.
Deciphering the Slice: Fade vs. Slice
Many golfers wonder about the difference between a fade and a slice. A fade vs slice comes down to the degree of the curve and the cause. A fade is a controlled, slight left-to-right curve, often intentional. It happens when the clubface is slightly open to the swing path, but both path and face are moving toward the target line. A slice, however, is an uncontrolled, severe right curve. This happens when the clubface is significantly open to the path, and the path itself is traveling from out-to-in. For the amateur golfer slice, the curve is usually too big and loses distance.
The main goal for most right-handed golfers is to stop the severe right miss. This means mastering a path that moves from the inside or neutralizing that open clubface.
The Two Main Reasons for Shots Going Right
When your ball flies right, it almost always comes down to how the club meets the ball. There are two main suspects. You must check both to truly fix golf slice.
Clubface Angle at Impact
The angle of the clubface when it hits the ball sets the initial direction. If the clubface is pointing right of the target at impact, the ball will start right. If it is pointing left of the target but the path is even further left (out-to-in), the ball will still curve right. For most average golfers, an open clubface at impact is a huge factor.
Swing Path
This is the direction the clubhead is traveling through the impact zone. If the path moves from outside the target line to inside the target line, it pushes the ball right. This is called an out-to-in path. Fixing this often requires a golf swing path correction.
Fixing the Open Clubface: Essential Grip Adjustments
The easiest way to stop the clubface from being open is to fix your grip. Your grip connects you to the club. A weak grip often leads to an open face.
The Weak Grip Trap
A weak grip happens when your lead hand (left hand for righties) is turned too far to the right (clockwise) on the club handle at address. This makes it hard to square the face up during the swing.
Strengthening Your Grip
To close the face, you need a stronger grip.
- Check Your Knuckles: When you look down, you should see two or three knuckles on your lead hand. If you see zero or one, your grip is likely too weak.
- Rotate Your Lead Hand: Turn your left hand slightly more to the right (away from you) until you see those extra knuckles.
- Check Your Trail Hand: Your right hand should sit slightly under the shaft. The V shape formed by your right thumb and index finger should point toward your right shoulder, not your chin.
A stronger grip naturally encourages the wrists to rotate through impact, helping to square the face or even slightly close it.
Path Problems: Developing an Inside-Out Golf Swing
The most common golf swing flaws causing slice is the outside-in path. To fix this, we need to promote an inside out golf swing. This means the club approaches the ball from slightly inside the target line and moves toward the target line or slightly to the right of it (for a right-handed golfer).
Diagnosing Your Path
How do you know your path is outside-in?
- Ball Flight: If the ball starts on line or slightly left, but then curves severely right, the path is out-to-in.
- Divot Direction: If your divot points toward the right side of the target, your path is out-to-in.
Drills for Path Correction
These drills help retrain your body to swing from the inside.
The Gate Drill
This is excellent for visualizing the correct path.
- Place two headcovers or alignment sticks slightly in front of your ball.
- The inner stick should be just inside the ball’s target line.
- The outer stick should be slightly outside the ball, creating a narrow “gate.”
- The goal is to swing the club through the gate, striking the ball without hitting either stick. This forces an inside out golf swing.
The Towel Drill
This helps you feel how the trailing arm works.
- Place a small towel or headcover under your trail armpit (right armpit for righties) before you take your stance.
- Make half swings. If the towel falls out early, you are likely coming over the top (outside-in).
- Keep the towel tucked through impact. This encourages the arms to drop down and attack the ball from the inside.
Feeling the Weight Shift
A proper weight shift promotes an inside path. At the top of your backswing, most of your weight should be on your back foot. Starting the downswing requires shifting that weight forward, toward the target. If you sway back instead of shifting forward, your arms often “throw” the club from the outside. Feel your front foot firmly plant before you swing down fully.
Combining Face and Path: The Secret to Straight Shots
To stop the severe slice, you need both the face to be square (or slightly closed) and the path to be neutral or slightly in-to-out.
If you have an open face but an in-to-out path, you will hit a push-slice (starts right, curves more right). If you have a square face but an out-to-in path, you will hit a pull-slice (starts left, curves sharply right).
The ideal scenario to stop the curve is an in-to-out path with a slightly closed clubface relative to that path.
Table: Swing Fault Scenarios and Ball Flight
| Swing Path | Clubface Relative to Path | Resulting Shot Shape | Common Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-to-In | Open | Severe Right Curve | Slice |
| Out-to-In | Square | Pull (straight left) | Pull |
| In-to-Out | Open | Push (straight right) | Push |
| In-to-Out | Closed | Hook (curves left) | Hook |
| In-to-Out | Square | Draw (slight curve right-to-left) | Ideal Shot |
If you consistently see shots going right, you are likely in the top row of this table. Focus on fixing the path first, as it often fixes the face angle unintentionally.
Role of Posture and Setup in Causing a Slice
Your setup strongly influences your swing path. Poor posture can set you up for failure before you even move the club. This is critical for the amateur golfer slice.
Hinging and Posture Errors
- Standing Too Close/Far: If you stand too far from the ball, you will tend to reach, causing an out-to-in path as you correct. If you stand too close, you might feel cramped and swing too hard from the inside, potentially leading to other issues.
- Spine Tilt: Right-handed golfers need a slight tilt away from the target (called reverse spine tilt). If your spine is too straight up or tilted toward the target, you make it very hard to swing from the inside. Try feeling like your belt buckle is slightly aimed at the ground on your back foot side.
- Ball Position: For drivers, the ball should be inside your lead heel. For irons, it should be near the center. If the ball is too far forward with an iron, you might swing under it, promoting an open face.
Alignment Check
Often, golfers aim left to compensate for their slice. This means their feet, hips, and shoulders are pointed left of the target. The body then tries to swing back to the target line, often resulting in an even worse out-to-in path. Ensure your feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to your target line, like railroad tracks.
Tempo and Transition: The Speed Factor
Swing speed and transition speed play a huge role in why my golf ball curves right. Aggressive changes in speed often lead to major swing flaws.
Rushing the Transition
The transition is the moment between the end of the backswing and the start of the downswing. Many slicers rush this part. They try to fire the arms and shoulders too quickly before the lower body starts moving toward the target.
When the upper body fires first, the arms get pulled slightly “over the top,” leading directly to an outside-in path.
Finding Better Rhythm
Good rhythm allows the body sequence to work correctly: lower body starts, then torso rotates, and finally the arms drop naturally into the slot.
- Slow Down: Practice your takeaway (the first move back) very slowly. Don’t rush to the top.
- Hold the Top (Momentarily): Count “one Mississippi” at the top of your swing before starting down. This pause allows the lower body to initiate the move, which is key for an inside out golf swing.
Equipment Considerations and the Slice
While technique is 90% of the fix, equipment can sometimes exaggerate existing problems. This is a secondary check, but important for long-term fixes.
Shaft Flex and Weight
If you swing very fast but use a shaft that is too soft (flexible), the clubhead can twist excessively open on the downswing. This exaggerates the open clubface at impact.
- Too Flexible: A soft shaft can lead to erratic results, often adding loft and opening the face.
- Too Light: If the club is too light, you might struggle to control the head through impact, leading to instability.
Lie Angle
The lie angle dictates how the sole of the club sits on the ground at impact.
- Too Upright (Toes pointing up): This can cause the toe of the club to point inward relative to the swing path at impact, sometimes leading to an open face contact, especially for players with a flatter swing plane.
- Too Flat (Heel kicking in): This usually causes the toe to point too far down, often leading to a closed face, resulting in a hook, but sometimes causing severe mishits right.
Getting fitted ensures your clubs match your natural swing dynamics.
Advanced Correction: Shallowing the Club
A highly effective method for golf swing path correction is shallowing the club in transition. Shallowing means bringing the angle of attack slightly flatter, allowing the club to drop under the outside plane. This naturally promotes an inside out golf swing.
Feel for Shallowing
This takes practice and is often best learned through slow-motion drills.
- The L to L Drill: Practice short swings where your arms stay parallel to the ground on both sides of the ball (L-shape). Focus on keeping the clubhead behind your hands as you swing through.
- Wrist Hinge Maintenance: As you transition, feel as though your wrists maintain their angle longer. If you “cast” (throw the club immediately from the top), the club gets steep and outside. Maintaining the hinge allows the club to drop onto the inside track.
Shallowing the club helps reduce the steep angle of attack that causes the golf slice correction to fail. A shallower path naturally minimizes the out-to-in cutting motion.
Step-by-Step Plan to Eliminate the Slice
If you are a right-handed golfer whose ball curves right, follow this sequence for the best results. Address one item at a time.
Phase 1: Grip and Setup (Addressing the Face)
- Check Alignment: Use alignment sticks to ensure your feet and body are aimed directly at the target, not left of it.
- Strengthen Grip: Turn your lead hand until you see 2-3 knuckles. This is the fastest way to address an open clubface at impact.
- Posture Check: Ensure you have a slight forward tilt away from the target.
Phase 2: Transition and Path (Addressing the Swing)
- Slow the Takeaway: Start the swing slowly, ensuring the club stays “on plane” or slightly inside.
- Focus on Weight Shift: Feel your weight shift toward the target before your arms start the downswing.
- The Drop: Imagine the clubhead dropping down and slightly behind you just after you shift your weight. This promotes the inside out golf swing. Use the towel drill here.
Phase 3: Impact and Follow-Through
- Feel Rotation: Focus on your chest and hips rotating toward the target through impact, not spinning out or stopping short.
- Full Finish: Ensure your belt buckle is pointing left of the target at the end of your swing. A full follow-through helps ensure you committed to the correct path and didn’t stop short due to fear of slicing.
By methodically working on grip (face control) and transition (path control), you will see significant improvement in stopping why my golf ball curves right.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why does my driver slice so much more than my irons?
A: The driver has the longest shaft and the lowest loft. With lower loft, any degree of an open clubface at impact has a much larger magnifying effect on the resulting curve. Also, most golfers swing the driver faster, leading to greater transition errors that result in an out-to-in path.
Q: Should I aim left to counteract my slice?
A: No. While aiming left might keep the ball in play temporarily, it forces you into an even more aggressive outside-in path as your body tries to bring the club back to the target. This turns a slice into a worse slice. You must fix the swing path itself.
Q: What is the quickest way to stop a slice?
A: The quickest fix is often strengthening your grip. A stronger grip promotes better wrist rotation, which helps square or close the clubface relative to the swing path at impact. This immediately reduces the severity of the right miss golf shots.
Q: Can changing my ball position help with the slice?
A: Ball position is secondary to path and face, but yes. Moving the ball slightly back toward the center of your stance (for irons) can sometimes force a slightly better descending blow, which can reduce the severity of the out-to-in path associated with the slice.
Q: How do I know if I am coming “over the top”?
A: “Over the top” is another term for an out-to-in path. You can confirm this if you feel your shoulders fire open prematurely during the transition, or if your divots point significantly right of the target line. This is one of the most common golf swing flaws causing slice.