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Fixing a Driver Slice

ByMichael Reeves

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Common Faults & Fixes


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Quick Answer

  • Square up that clubface at address and keep it from opening through impact.
  • Swing the clubhead from the inside, working it out towards your target.
  • Check your grip; a weak one is a slice’s best friend.

Who This Driver Slice Fix Guide Is For

  • You, if your driver shots are sailing right more often than you’d like.
  • Anyone looking for solid, no-nonsense advice to straighten out that big stick.

What to Check First for Driver Slice Issues

Before you start swinging like a madman, let’s get a few things dialed in. These are the usual suspects.

  • Clubface at impact: Is it wide open, or is it closing down like it should? This is huge.
  • Swing path: Are you coming over the top, cutting across the ball? Or are you swinging out to right field?
  • Your grip: Take a peek. Are your hands turned too far left (for righties)? That’s a weak grip, and it’s a problem.
  • Ball position: Is that ball sitting too far back in your stance? It changes everything.

Step-by-Step Plan: Fixing a Driver Slice

Alright, let’s get down to business. We’re going to break this down, step by step. No magic wands, just solid golf fundamentals.

  • Address Alignment
  • Action: Set your clubface square to your intended target, or even slightly left of it if you’re right-handed. Your body, however, should be aimed directly down your target line. This sounds weird, but trust me on this.
  • What to look for: Your clubface is pointing where you want the ball to go, but your feet, hips, and shoulders are lined up straight at the target. It might feel a little like you’re aiming off the ball, but this is key for setting up an in-to-out path.
  • Mistake to avoid: Aiming the clubface directly at the target while your body is aimed way left. This setup almost forces you into an out-to-in swing path, which is the main culprit for a slice. You’re essentially trying to steer the ball back to the target with your swing, and that never works.
  • Grip Adjustment
  • Action: For right-handed golfers, rotate both hands slightly clockwise (to the right) on the grip. You want to see at least two to three knuckles on your lead hand (your left hand) when you look down. Your thumbs should be more centered on top of the shaft.
  • What to look for: A grip that feels secure and connected. Your palms should feel like they’re facing each other more. It shouldn’t feel like you’re holding on for dear life, but rather like you have control. This is often referred to as a neutral or slightly strong grip.
  • Mistake to avoid: Holding onto the club with a “weak” grip. This is where your hands are rotated too far counter-clockwise (to the left for righties), making it very difficult to close the clubface through impact. A weak grip is a slice’s best friend.
  • Ball Position Verification
  • Action: Place the ball forward in your stance, positioned off the inside of your lead heel. For most players, this means it should be aligned with the inside of your lead shoulder. This position is crucial for allowing you to hit up on the ball with your driver.
  • What to look for: The ball is well forward, giving you a clear strike zone where you can make contact on the upswing. You should feel like you can swing through the ball without hitting down on it.
  • Mistake to avoid: Having the ball too far back in your stance. This forces you to make contact with the ball on your downswing, or at best, at the bottom of your swing arc. This often leads to a steeper angle of attack and an open clubface at impact.
  • Focus on an In-to-Out Swing Path
  • Action: During your swing, feel like the clubhead is approaching the ball from slightly inside the target line and is swinging out towards the right of your target (for right-handers). Imagine you’re trying to push the clubhead out and away from your body through the hitting zone.
  • What to look for: A sensation of the clubhead staying in front of your hands for a bit longer through impact. You should feel like you’re swinging “through” the ball, not “at” it. Many drills focus on this, like trying to brush the grass on the inside of the ball.
  • Mistake to avoid: Swinging “across” the ball, which is the classic out-to-in path. This is the primary reason for a slice. It’s like you’re cutting across a tennis ball; it’s going to curve. Resist the urge to swing left across your body.
  • Clubface Control Through Impact
  • Action: Focus on keeping the clubface square or slightly closed relative to your swing path through the impact zone. This means actively trying to rotate your forearms naturally to release the club.
  • What to look for: A feeling of the clubhead releasing and turning over slightly after impact. You’re not forcing it, but allowing the natural mechanics of the swing to happen. The clubface should be pointing at or slightly left of your target line at the moment of truth.
  • Mistake to avoid: Holding the face open through impact. This is often a result of a weak grip or trying to guide the club. The clubface stays open to the path, and the ball will slice.

Fixing Your Driver Slice: Key Considerations

Getting rid of that dreaded slice with your driver isn’t just about one thing. It’s a combination of setup and swing mechanics working together. Let’s dive a bit deeper into some critical elements that often get overlooked.

Understanding the In-to-Out Swing Path

This is arguably the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to curing a slice. A slice is fundamentally caused by an out-to-in swing path combined with an open clubface at impact [1]. To hit a draw or even just a straight shot, you need to swing the clubhead from the inside of the target line to the outside of the target line through impact.

  • How to achieve it:
  • Setup: As we discussed, aim your clubface slightly left of the target and your body at the target. This helps create the proper alignment to swing out.
  • Backswing: Focus on bringing the club back on a slightly shallower plane. Avoid taking the club too far inside or too far outside on the takeaway.
  • Downswing: This is where the magic happens. Feel like you’re dropping the club into the “slot” on the downswing. Imagine swinging out towards first base (for a right-handed golfer). Think about pushing the clubhead away from your body.
  • Drills: A great drill is to place a headcover or a practice divot just inside your target line, about a foot ahead of the ball. Practice swinging without hitting it. If you’re slicing, you’ll likely be coming over the top and hitting that object.

The Role of the Grip in Fixing a Slice

Your grip is your only connection to the club, so it has a massive impact on how the clubface behaves through impact [2]. A weak grip is a primary contributor to an open clubface, which leads to a slice.

  • What a weak grip looks like: For a right-handed golfer, this means your left hand is rotated too far counter-clockwise on the grip, and your right hand is rotated too far clockwise. When you look down, you’ll see very few knuckles on your left hand and likely a “V” formed by your thumb and index finger pointing towards your right shoulder.
  • What a neutral to strong grip looks like: A neutral grip means the “V”s formed by your thumbs and index fingers on both hands point roughly towards your right shoulder. A strong grip means those “V”s point more towards your chin or even your left shoulder. For slice correction, aiming for a neutral to slightly strong grip is often beneficial.
  • How to adjust:

1. Take your normal grip.

2. For right-handers, rotate your left hand clockwise on the grip until you see 2-3 knuckles.

3. Then, rotate your right hand clockwise on the grip until the “V” formed by your thumb and index finger points towards your right shoulder.

4. Ensure your palms are facing each other.

Ball Position and Its Impact on Driver Slices

The position of the ball in your stance dictates your angle of attack and how you’re likely to strike the ball with your driver [3]. For drivers, we want to hit the ball on the upswing to maximize launch angle and distance.

  • Why ball position matters: If the ball is too far back, you’re almost guaranteed to hit down on it. This steepens your attack angle and often leads to an open clubface because you’re trying to get the clubhead through the ball quickly.
  • The ideal driver ball position: Off the inside of your lead heel. This is typically about an inch or two inside your lead heel. This allows you to catch the ball on the rise of your swing arc.
  • Checking your setup: Stand naturally, feet shoulder-width apart. Place the ball off your lead heel. Then, align your clubface to the ball, and your body will naturally take a slight open stance relative to the clubface, which is exactly what we want.

Common Mistakes in Fixing a Driver Slice

You’re trying to fix that slice, but sometimes you can dig yourself into a deeper hole. Watch out for these common pitfalls.

  • Aiming the clubface directly at the target — Why it matters: This is a huge mistake. If your clubface is aimed at the target but your body is aimed left (which is often necessary to swing in-to-out), you’ll instinctively swing out-to-in to bring the face back to the ball. — Fix: Aim the clubface slightly left of the target, and aim your body straight at the target. This sets you up for an in-to-out swing.
  • Maintaining a weak grip — Why it matters: A weak grip makes it incredibly difficult to close the clubface through impact. The face will naturally stay open, resulting in a slice. — Fix: Strengthen your grip by rotating your hands slightly to the right (clockwise for right-handers) so you see more knuckles on your lead hand.
  • Swinging “across” the ball (out-to-in path) — Why it matters: This is the fundamental motion that creates a slice. You’re cutting across the ball instead of swinging through it. — Fix: Focus intently on an in-to-out swing path. Feel like you’re swinging out towards the right of your target. Drills like the headcover drill mentioned earlier are great here.
  • Trying to “steer” or “manipulate” the ball — Why it matters: Overthinking and trying to guide the ball with your hands leads to tension, a jerky swing, and often makes the slice worse. You lose the natural flow. — Fix: Trust your setup. Focus on making a smooth, athletic swing. Let the club do the work.
  • Ignoring the clubface angle at impact — Why it matters: You can have a great in-to-out path, but if the clubface is still open, you’ll still slice. The clubface needs to be square or slightly closed to your path. — Fix: Work on releasing the club naturally through impact. Practice hitting shots where you feel the clubface closing.
  • Not checking ball position — Why it matters: As discussed, ball position is critical for your angle of attack. If it’s too far back, you’ll struggle to hit up on the ball and will likely open the face. — Fix: Ensure the ball is positioned forward, off the inside of your lead heel.

FAQ

  • What is the most common cause of a driver slice?

The most common cause is an open clubface at impact combined with an out-to-in swing path [1]. These two factors work together to send the ball sailing right.

  • How does grip affect a slice?

A weak grip (where your hands are rotated too far counter-clockwise for a right-hander) makes it very difficult to square up the clubface through impact. This naturally leads to an open face and a slice [2].

  • Can ball position cause a slice?

Absolutely. If the ball is too far back in your stance, you’ll tend to hit down on it, which often results in an open clubface and a slice [3]. Proper ball position allows you to hit up on the ball.

  • Should I aim left of the target with my driver if I slice?

Yes, when setting up, aim your clubface at or slightly left of the target, and then aim your body straight at the target. This setup helps encourage an in-to-out swing path, which is crucial for fixing a slice [4].

  • How can I practice fixing my driver slice?

Focus on drills that promote an in-to-out swing path and a square clubface. A good one is placing a headcover just inside your target line and practicing swinging without hitting it. Another is focusing on a smooth release of the club through impact.

  • What’s the difference between a slice and a hook?

A slice curves from right to left (for a right-handed golfer), caused by an out-to-in swing path and an open clubface. A hook curves from left to right (for a right-handed golfer), caused by an in-to-out swing path and a closed clubface.

  • How long does it take to fix a driver slice?

It varies for everyone. Some golfers see improvement quickly with a few key adjustments, while others might take weeks or months of consistent practice to retrain their swing. Be patient and persistent.

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