How to Stop Slicing the Golf Ball: Causes and Fixes

Updated October 12, 2026 · Written by the Your Golf Plan team · Written for right-handed golfers; if you play left-handed, flip left and right.

The slice is the most common miss in golf: the ball starts on line or left of it and curves hard to the right (for a right-handed golfer). It costs distance and puts you in trouble, and most of the advice online is a pile of unrelated tips.

This guide gives you an order to work in. Find out which kind of slice you have, then fix the causes from the simplest to the hardest.

What actually causes a slice

A slice is sidespin. It happens when the clubface points to the right of the direction the club is travelling at impact. Two things create that: a face that is open to the path, and very often a path that moves from outside the target line to inside (out-to-in).

Which slice do you have?

Starts left, curves right: out-to-in path with the face open to that path. This is the classic pull-slice and usually points to the over-the-top move.
Starts straight or right and curves right: the face is very open to the target. This is usually a grip or release problem.
Slices the driver but not the irons: that is loft at work. See our guide to slicing the driver but not the irons.

Fix it in this order

Grip: if you see fewer than two knuckles on your lead hand, the face tends to stay open. Strengthen it slightly. See our guide to the grip.
Aim and alignment: feet and shoulders pointing left of the target make the swing follow the body line.
Ball position and tee height: ball too far forward or teed too low encourages cutting across it.
Transition: stop the club moving outside the line at the start of the downswing. See our guide to the over-the-top swing.
Release: let the club and forearms rotate through impact rather than holding the face open.
Equipment: a driver with more loft can help while you work on the swing.

Drills that help

Swing to right field

Pick a target and imagine a second target to its right, about ten yards out.
Make half swings feeling the club travel out toward that second target after impact.
Hit shots with that feel and watch the start line move from left toward the target.

What you should feel: The club exits to the right of the target line instead of cutting back left.

Hold-off finish

Hit three-quarter shots and finish with your hands low and your chest facing the target.
Let the forearms roll over after impact. Do not hold the face open.
Compare the curve to a normal finish.

What you should feel: The toe of the club turns over and the face closes through the ball.

Not sure this is your problem?

Drills only work if you are fixing the right thing. Film your swing from down the line and face-on, and a PGA coach will tell you what is actually happening and give you one drill to work on.

Get a coach to look at your swing · $35

What a coach looks for on video

The numbers behind it: path and face angle at impact
Grip knuckles, the V of each hand, and pressure
Alignment of feet, hips, and shoulders to the target line
The start of the downswing and the club position halfway down
Whether the face is rotating through impact or being held open

That is the difference between guessing from a guide and knowing from your own swing. Two short videos are enough for a coach to check all of this.

Keep going

Common questions

What is the fastest fix for a slice?

Check the grip and alignment first. They take minutes and often remove a lot of the curve. Path changes take longer.

Will lessons really fix a slice?

Most slices come from one or two identifiable causes, so a coach looking at video can usually tell you which ones and give a clear plan.

Does swinging harder make a slice worse?

It can. Rushing the downswing pushes the club outside the line and makes the face harder to square.

Have a coach look at your swing

Send two short phone videos and tell us what you are working on. A PGA coach sends back a video review and a drill built around your swing, usually within 24 hours and always within 48.

Get your swing analysis · $35