How to Stop Slicing the Golf Ball: Causes, Fixes and Drills

Why you slice and how to stop it: the grip, alignment, path and release fixes, driver-only slice checks, and drills with rep counts to straighten your shots.

By Flighting Editorial Team 2026-06-16

You slice because the clubface is open to your swing path at impact, which spins the ball left to right for a right-handed golfer. To stop it, strengthen your grip so two or three knuckles show on your lead hand, aim your body square, swing from the inside, and let the clubface rotate closed through impact.

What causes a slice in golf?

Ball flight comes down to two things at impact: where the clubface points and which direction the club is traveling. When the face points right of the path (for a right-handed player), the ball curves right. The bigger that gap, the bigger the curve.

The face mostly decides the curve. The path mostly decides the start direction. A classic slice combines both problems: the path cuts across the ball from outside to in, so the ball starts left, and the face is open to that path, so it curves hard right.

These are the common reasons the face arrives open:

• A weak grip. If your lead hand is turned too far toward the target, the face tends to return open.
• An out-to-in path. Starting the downswing with the shoulders throws the club outside, and the club swipes across the ball.
• No release. If your forearms don't rotate through impact, the face stays open.
• A stalled body. When the hips stop turning, the arms take over and the timing of the face breaks down.
• Aiming left to compensate. Slicers learn to aim left, which steepens the out-to-in path and makes the slice bigger.

Why do I slice my driver but not my irons?

The driver has the least loft in the bag. Loft reduces sidespin, so an open face on a wedge produces a small fade while the same open face on a driver produces a big curve. The driver is also the longest club, so the face has more time to rotate and more ways to arrive open.

If only your driver slices, try these before touching the swing:

• Ball position: play the ball off the inside of your lead heel. Too far back and you'll hit it on the downswing with an open face.
• Tee height: tee it so about half the ball sits above the top of the driver at address. A low tee encourages a steep, glancing blow.
• Spine tilt: tilt your upper body slightly away from the target so your trail shoulder sits lower than your lead shoulder. This helps you swing up and from the inside.
• Shaft flex: a shaft that's too stiff for your speed can leave the face open. Our guide to stiff vs. regular flex shafts explains how to tell.

How do I stop slicing the golf ball step by step?

Step 1: Strengthen your grip

Hold the club in your lead hand and look down at address. You want to see two or three knuckles. If you see one or none, rotate your lead hand away from the target until the V between your thumb and index finger points at your trail shoulder. Put your trail hand on so its V points the same way. For a full walkthrough, see how to grip a golf club correctly.

Hit 10 half-swing 7-irons with the new grip. Expect the ball to go left at first. That tells you the face is closing.

Step 2: Square your alignment

Lay one alignment stick along your target line and another parallel to it along your toes. Set your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to the stick at your toes. Square will feel like you're aimed right if you've been compensating for a slice. Trust the sticks for a full session.

Step 3: Train an in-to-out path

Place a headcover about six inches behind the ball and a few inches outside the target line. To miss it, the club has to approach from the inside. Hit 10 half swings, then 10 three-quarter swings, then 10 full swings. If you hit the headcover, slow down and go back a step.

Step 4: Release the clubface

Hit half swings with one thought: the toe of the club passes the heel just after impact. Your trail forearm should roll over your lead forearm through the hitting area. At waist height in the follow-through, the toe should point at the sky.

Step 5: Keep your body turning

Finish every swing with your belt buckle facing the target and hold the finish for three seconds. If you can't hold it, your body stopped turning and your hands took over.

What is the best drill to stop slicing the driver?

Work through these in order, about 20 balls each, then hit 10 normal drivers to test the change.

The split-grip drill works because the separated hands make the trail hand rotate the club over, which is exactly what a slicer isn't doing. The right-field drill works because you can't swing out-to-in and start the ball right at the same time.

What is the easiest way to stop slicing quickly?

If you need a fix today, change the grip and do nothing else. It's the only change that works without much practice. Strengthen your lead hand until you see three knuckles, then hit 20 balls with a 7-iron at 70% effort.

On the course, when the slice shows up mid-round, don't aim further left. That makes the path worse. Aim at the left side of the fairway instead of the left rough, turn your grip a touch stronger, and focus on finishing with your chest facing the target. Take one more club off the tee if you need to. A 3-wood or hybrid has more loft and curves less.

How long does it take to fix a slice?

The grip change is instant but feels strange for a while. Path and release changes take longer because you're changing a motor pattern, not a position. A realistic plan is two or three focused range sessions a week for three to six weeks.

Measure it. Hit 10 drivers at the start of each session and count how many finish more than 15 yards right of your target. Write the number down. When it falls from something like 7 or 8 out of 10 to 2 or 3, the slice is under control. For turning range work into better rounds, see our guide on taking a range session to the course.

Should I get fitted to stop slicing?

Yes, once you've fixed your grip and path and the slice is still there. Two equipment issues can create a slice that swing changes won't fully solve:

1. Shaft too stiff. If the shaft doesn't flex enough for your speed, the face can arrive open. A softer flex may help.
2. Face angle or weighting. Many drivers have adjustable hosels or movable weights. Setting the face slightly closed or moving weight toward the heel can reduce a mild slice.

A fitting with a launch monitor shows your face angle and path numbers, which removes the guesswork. Our article on choosing driver loft for your swing speed covers the loft side, since more loft also reduces sidespin.

If you want to see whether straighter tee shots are showing up in your scores, Flighting brings your posted rounds together so you can track the trend over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I slice the ball even with a good grip?

If your grip is neutral or strong and you still slice, the cause is usually an out-to-in path or no release. Use the headcover drill for path and the split-grip drill for release.

Can the wrong driver cause a slice?

Yes. A shaft that is too stiff, too little loft, or a face set open can all make a slice worse. Fix the swing basics first, then get fitted if the slice stays.

Should I aim left to stop a slice?

Not as a long-term fix. Aiming left encourages an out-to-in swing, which makes the slice bigger, so square your alignment and fix the face instead.

Why do I slice my irons too?

If every club slices, the problem is almost always the grip or an out-to-in path rather than equipment. Start with the grip check and the headcover drill with a 7-iron.

Is a slice or a hook worse?

Both cost strokes. A slice usually loses more distance because the open face adds loft and spin, while a hook tends to run further but can be harder to control when it gets big.

Join Flighting to track your rounds and unlock rewards.