If there’s one shot that frustrates golfers more than anything else, it’s the driver slice.
At the Golf 360 driving range in Mount Maunganui I see it all the time. The swing looks decent, the contact feels okay, but the ball starts left and then bends way off to the right.
For golfers who have battled that shot for years, the most important thing we want to see is a completely different ball flight. And that usually means not being too subtle with the fix.
Why the Slice Happens
A slice is created when two things combine. The club travels left across the ball, and the clubface is open relative to that path. That combination makes the ball spin from left to right.
Many golfers try to fix this with small tweaks, but when a slice has been around for a long time, those small adjustments often don’t change the ball flight enough.
Don’t Be Subtle When Fixing a Slice
When I’m helping golfers who slice the ball, I actually encourage them to make a bigger correction than they think they need. Aim well to the right, swing well to the right, and feel like the clubface is closing through impact.
For some golfers it may even feel like they are rolling their hands over through the strike. That’s completely fine.
If you’ve been slicing the ball for years, the last thing you want is to keep seeing that left-to-right ball flight. Instead, we want the ball moving in the opposite direction, even if that means you hit a few shots that over-draw at first. You can always fine-tune it later.
Start With Shorter Clubs First
One of the best ways to learn this feel is to start with shorter clubs before moving to the driver.
Begin with a 9 iron or pitching wedge. Aim your feet and shoulders to the right, feel like you swing out to the right, and allow the clubface to close relative to that path.
Once you start seeing the ball curve right to left, you know you’re beginning to change the pattern. From there you can gradually move into mid irons, hybrids, fairway woods, and finally the driver.
Shoulder Direction Is Critical
One thing many golfers overlook is shoulder alignment. If your shoulders aim left of the target, your swing path almost always follows that direction.
So if you’re trying to fix a slice, make sure your feet aim slightly right, your shoulders aim slightly right, and your swing follows that direction. Your shoulders play a massive role in dictating swing direction, so getting them aligned correctly makes a big difference.
What You Want to See
When this starts to work, you’ll notice a big change in ball flight. Instead of starting left and slicing right, you may see the ball start slightly right and curve gently back toward the target. That’s a huge step forward. Once the slice pattern disappears, you can always fine-tune your direction later.
Working on this at the range helps, because every bay at Golf 360 has GCQuad ball tracking built in, so you can see whether the curve is genuinely changing rather than guessing from where the ball finished.
Want Help Fixing Your Slice?
If you’ve been battling a slice for years, sometimes a quick session with a coach makes the process much easier. Our golf lessons and coaching are designed to help you play better golf, and a PGA professional can quickly identify the root cause and give you drills that work for your swing.
Equipment plays its part too. It will not cure a slice on its own, but the right head, loft and shaft can take a good deal of the severity out of it, which is what a club fitting is for. It’s worth looking through our range of drivers, understanding what loft driver you should be using, and having a read of the best drivers for a slice before you commit.
FAQs
Should I aim right if I slice the ball?
Yes, aiming right can help encourage a swing path that travels more from the inside rather than across the ball.
Is it okay if I start hitting hooks when fixing a slice?
Absolutely. In many cases it’s actually a good sign that the slice pattern is disappearing.
Why start with shorter clubs?
Shorter clubs are easier to control and help golfers learn the correct swing direction before moving to longer clubs like the driver.
Happy golfing,
Scott
