How to Fix a Slice in Golf: Best Drills and Training Aids to Straighten Your Shot
Are you tired of seeing your golf ball veer off to the right every time you swing? If you’re struggling with a slice, you’re not alone—it’s one of the most common issues golfers face. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, watching your shot curve off target can be frustrating. The good news? With the right drills and training aids, you can fix that slice and start hitting straighter, more consistent shots.
In this guide, we’ll break down what causes a slice, how to correct it, and share some of the best drills and training aids to help you cure your slice once and for all.
What Causes a Golf Slice?
A slice happens when your ball curves sharply from left to right (for right-handed golfers) due to a combination of an open clubface and an out-to-in swing path. Here are the main causes:
- Open clubface at impact: When your clubface is open, it creates sidespin, causing the ball to slice.
- Out-to-in swing path: Cutting across the ball from outside the target line creates unwanted spin.
- Weak grip or poor setup: Incorrect grip or body alignment often contributes to slicing.
To fix your slice, you’ll need to focus on correcting your swing mechanics and improving your grip. Let’s dive into some drills that can help.
Best Drills to Fix a Golf Slice
- The Alignment Stick Drill A common cause of slicing is swinging too much from outside the target line. The alignment stick drill helps you train an inside-out swing path, which is key for fixing a slice.
- How to do it: Lay an alignment stick or extra golf club on the ground, parallel to your target line. Practice swinging so that your clubhead follows this line and swings inside-out.
- Why it works: This drill corrects an out-to-in swing path, which is a leading cause of slices.
- Here’s full details with a video explaining the Alignment Stick Drill for fixing a slice.
- Grip Strengthening Drill Many slicers have a grip that’s too weak, leaving the clubface open at impact. Adjusting your grip can help square the clubface.
- How to do it: Rotate your top hand (left hand for right-handers) slightly to the right, so you see two or three knuckles on your top hand. This creates a stronger grip, helping you close the clubface.
- Why it works: A stronger grip naturally squares the clubface at impact, reducing sidespin that causes a slice.
- Here’s more details on how to strengthen your grip to help reduce a slice.
- The Towel Drill This classic drill helps keep your arms connected to your body during the swing, preventing an over-the-top motion that leads to slicing.
- How to do it: Place a towel under both arms and practice swinging while keeping the towel in place. This keeps your arms and body in sync.
- Why it works: Staying connected promotes a smoother, more on-plane swing, which reduces slicing.
- Here are more details on how to improve your slice with the towel drill.
- Two-Tee Drill The two-tee drill forces you to focus on your swing path and clubface control.
- How to do it: Set two tees in the ground—one in line with the ball and another just outside the target line. Swing between the tees to encourage an inside-out swing path and square clubface.
- Why it works: This drill helps you develop proper swing mechanics for straighter shots.
- Here are more details and a video on using the two tee drill to correct your slice.
Best Training Aids for Fixing a Slice
- Swing Path Trainer A swing path trainer helps correct your swing path by providing instant feedback when you swing incorrectly.
- Recommended: The EyeLine Golf Speed Trap is a great tool for training the inside-out swing path that eliminates slicing.
- General information about the EyeLineGolf Speed Trap 2.0 can be found here.
- Specific information on how to use the EyeLine Golf Speed Trap to fix a slice can be found here.
- Impact Snap This training aid helps golfers develop proper wrist action and release, ensuring a square clubface at impact.
- Why it helps: Impact Snap improves your ability to close the clubface during the downswing, reducing the chance of leaving it open and slicing the ball.
- More general information about the Impact Snap and how it works
- Information about how to use the Impact Snap to help correct a slice
- Orange Whip Trainer – The Orange Whip Trainer is a versatile swing aid that helps golfers improve their tempo, rhythm, and swing path. While it’s not designed specifically to fix a slice, it’s highly effective for developing a more consistent, on-plane swing that can significantly reduce slicing.How It Helps Fix a Slice: Improves Swing Path: Many golfers slice the ball because of an out-to-in (or “over the top”) swing path. The Orange Whip promotes a more natural, inside-out swing path, which helps prevent the slice-causing glancing blow.
Builds Lag and Proper Release: The trainer’s weighted design helps golfers build lag and delay their release, ensuring that the clubface remains square at impact
More general information about the Orange Whip Trainer and how it works
Information about how to use the Orange Whip Trainer to help correct a slice - Alignment Sticks Sometimes the simplest tools are the most effective. Alignment sticks help you visualize your target line and maintain proper alignment.
- Why it helps: Using alignment sticks during practice ensures that your body and clubface are aimed correctly, which plays a huge role in straightening out your shots.
- General information about using alignment sticks
- Information on how to use alignment sticks to help correct a slice
- Here’s a page with a detailed alignment stick drill for correcting a slice with video
Practice Routine to Cure Your Slice
To effectively fix your slice, practice consistently with the drills and training aids mentioned above. Here’s a sample routine to help you:
- Start by warming up with the Grip Strengthening Drill to ensure your hands are in the proper position.
- Spend 10-15 minutes doing the Alignment Stick Drill to reinforce the correct inside-out swing path.
- Use a training aid like the Impact Snap to work on your clubface control.
- End your practice with the Two-Tee Drill to reinforce proper swing path and face control.
Share Your Tips!
Fixing a slice takes time and consistent practice, but with the right approach, you’ll soon see your shots flying straighter and longer. Everyone’s swing is different, so we’d love to hear from you! What drills or training aids have helped you fix your slice? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below—your insights could help other golfers overcome their slice, too!
Conclusion
Correcting your slice is one of the most rewarding improvements you can make in your golf game. By focusing on grip, swing path, and clubface control, and utilizing effective training aids, you’ll be well on your way to hitting straighter, more powerful shots. Remember, consistency is key, and with practice, you can cure your slice for good.
Don’t forget to leave a comment with your favorite drills or training aids that have helped you eliminate slicing from your game!
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