How to Permanently Fix a Slice in Golf (2026 Guide)

You step up to the first tee. You’ve been thinking about this drive since the parking lot. You take a confident swing — and watch the ball start left, hang in the air for a painful second, and then banana into the trees. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. How to fix a slice is the most common miss in golf, and if you’re reading this, it’s probably costing you distance, fairways, and enjoyment every single round.

Here’s the good news: learning how to fix a slice in golf is not complicated. The slice is not some mysterious curse. It has two clear mechanical causes — and once you understand them, you can fix them with targeted practice. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly why your ball curves right and have a clear 3-step process to eliminate it. No vague tips. No conflicting advice. Just a straight path to straighter drives.

And if your slice is costing you more than fairways — if it’s making you dread the driver entirely — you’re also going to want to check out our guide on How to Fix a Slice for related drills you can stack on top of what we cover here.

What Is a Slice (and Why It Keeps Happening)

A slice is a shot that curves dramatically from left to right for a right-handed golfer (right to left for lefties). A slight fade is normal and even useful. A slice is the extreme, uncontrollable version — the ball starts somewhere left of your target line, then peels hard right, losing distance and accuracy.

Every slice is caused by the same two physics: an open clubface at impact relative to the swing path, and an out-to-in swing path. That’s it. There are a hundred ways those two things can happen — grip, stance, backswing, downswing, even your mental state — but every fix comes back to closing the face or fixing the path, or both.

Let’s break down the three most common root causes:

Most slicers have a combination of two or all three of these issues. The good news: fixing them in order — grip, path, face — creates a cascading effect where each fix makes the next one easier.

Step 1 — Fix Your Grip First

If you only make one change from this entire article, make it this one. A weak grip is the single most common cause of a slice, and it’s the easiest to fix. A “weak” grip in golf doesn’t mean you’re not holding the club tightly enough — it means your hands are rotated too far to the left on the club (for a right-handed golfer), which leaves the clubface open at impact.

What a Weak Grip Looks Like

Hold the club in front of you in your normal grip. Look down at your left hand. How many knuckles can you see?

• 0–1 knuckles visible: Weak grip — this is likely causing your slice
• 2–2.5 knuckles visible: Neutral grip — this is the target
• 3+ knuckles visible: Strong grip — you may be overcooking hooks

The “V” formed between your thumb and index finger on each hand is another checkpoint. In a neutral-to-strong grip, both V’s should point somewhere between your right ear and right shoulder. If they point at your chin or left of center, your grip is too weak.

How to Fix It

Rotate both hands slightly to the right on the club. Your left hand should show 2–2.5 knuckles when you look down. Your right hand should sit more on top of the club, not underneath it. It will feel uncomfortable at first — that’s normal. A correct grip always feels “strong” to someone who’s been slicing.

Drill: The Grip Check Drill

Before every practice session, go through this 30-second routine:

• Hold the club out in front of you with just your left hand.
• Count your knuckles. Adjust until you see 2–2.5.
• Add your right hand so the V points to your right shoulder.
• Hit 10 balls focused only on grip. Don’t worry about anything else.
• If the ball starts going straight or even left, your grip change is working.

Stick with this for at least two full range sessions before moving to Step 2. Grip changes take time to feel natural, and you need to let your hands adapt before layering on more fixes.

Step 2 — Fix Your Swing Path (Out-to-In Is the Enemy)

Once your grip is neutral, the next domino is your swing path. An out-to-in swing path means the club is cutting across the ball from outside the target line to inside — essentially swiping across the ball like a glancing blow instead of hitting through it. This puts sidespin on the ball that makes it curve right.

The feel you’re going for is the opposite: an inside-to-out path, where the club approaches the ball from slightly inside the target line and exits to the right of the target. This promotes a draw (a gentle right-to-left curve) or at minimum, a straight ball flight.

Why You’re Probably Swinging Out-to-In

The most common cause is starting the downswing with the shoulders instead of the hips. When your upper body fires first, the club gets thrown outside the target line, and you end up pulling across the ball. It feels powerful — it’s not. It’s where slices are born.

Drill: The Gate Drill

• Set up two tees about 3 inches apart, just outside the toe of your club at address.
• Place the ball between the tees as normal.
• Make your swing. If you’re swinging out-to-in, you’ll knock over the outside tee on the downswing.
• The goal: swing through the gate without disturbing either tee.
• Start with half-swings and a 7-iron. Speed up only after you can consistently clear the gate.

Drill: The Inside-Out Feel Drill

• Set up to a ball normally. Place a second ball about 6 inches behind your ball and 2 inches to the outside (farther from you).
• Make your swing. Your goal is to miss the back ball entirely — if you hit it, your path is too far outside.
• Focus on the feeling of your hands dropping “into the slot” before your shoulders rotate through.
• After 20 reps, remove the obstacle ball and try to recreate the same path feeling.

Step 3 — Square the Clubface at Impact

Here’s where many golfers get confused: the clubface angle at impact determines where the ball starts, and the difference between face angle and swing path determines how much it curves. If your face is 5 degrees open to your path, the ball will slice — even if your path is perfect.

After fixing your grip (Step 1) and your path (Step 2), most golfers find that the face is already much closer to square. But if you’re still seeing a fade or mild slice, these drills will finish the job.

Drill: The Towel Under Armpit Drill

• Tuck a small towel or glove under your right armpit (for right-handed golfers).
• Make full swings without letting the towel drop.
• This forces your arms to stay connected to your body rotation, which naturally squares the face through impact.
• If the towel drops before impact, your arms are separating from your body — a classic face-opener.

Drill: The Slow-Motion Finish Check

• Make a full swing at 50% speed. Hold your finish position.
• Check your forearms: your right forearm should have rolled over your left by the time you reach the finish.
• If your right forearm is still underneath your left at the finish, you’re holding off the release — the face is staying open.
• Exaggerate the forearm rotation for 20 reps, then gradually increase speed.

Once you’ve worked through all three steps, it’s time to build consistency. We highly recommend pairing these drills with a structured plan — see How to Build a Practice Routine for Real On-Course Scoring for a framework that locks in swing changes.

Quick Fixes That Work On the Course (Not Just the Range) To Fix a Slice

You can’t rebuild your swing on the first tee. But you can make small adjustments that reduce the damage while you’re working on the long-term fix. These won’t cure a slice, but they’ll keep it in play.

Ball position adjustment: Move the ball back about 1 inch in your stance. A ball that’s too far forward encourages the out-to-in path because your shoulders open before impact. Moving it back gives you a split-second more time to square the face.

Aim slightly right: This sounds counterintuitive, but aiming right (for a right-handed slicer) actually gives you room to swing inside-out. If you aim left to compensate for the slice, you’re reinforcing the out-to-in path that’s causing it.

Pre-shot mental cue — “Swing to right field”: Before every drive, picture yourself hitting a baseball to right field. This mental image naturally promotes an inside-out swing path without requiring any mechanical thought. It’s the simplest on-course trick that actually works.

Common Mistakes When Trying to Fix a Slice

Fixing a slice is straightforward in theory. In practice, golfers sabotage themselves with these common errors:

Over-correcting with a “compensation move.” You see the ball going right, so you aim further left and swing even harder across the ball. This makes the slice worse, not better. The out-to-in path becomes more extreme. If you’re aiming 30 yards left of target, that’s a red flag.

Trying to fix everything at once. Grip, path, face, stance, backswing, tempo — if you’re thinking about all of these simultaneously, you’ll freeze over the ball and hit it worse than before. Work on one fix at a time, in order (grip → path → face). Each step builds on the last.

Ignoring equipment. A shaft that’s too stiff for your swing speed makes it harder to square the face. A grip that’s too thin encourages an overactive hand release. These aren’t the primary cause of your slice, but they can make it harder to fix. Don’t let equipment fight your swing changes.

When to Consider Equipment Changes

Swing fixes come first. Always. But once you’ve put in the work on grip, path, and face, the right equipment can accelerate your progress and make the fix stick.

Draw-biased drivers: Most major manufacturers offer offset or draw-biased driver heads that naturally resist an open face at impact. These won’t fix a 40-yard slice, but if you’ve reduced your slice to a 10-15 yard fade, a draw driver can straighten it out the rest of the way. Check out our full breakdown: Best Golf Drivers for Slicers 2026 [COMING SOON — link when published].

Shaft flex: If your driver shaft is too stiff for your swing speed, you physically can’t square the face in time. A general rule: if your driver swing speed is under 95 mph, you should be in a regular flex shaft. Under 85 mph? Consider senior flex. Getting this wrong is like trying to run in shoes two sizes too small.

Get a fitting: A professional club fitting is the fastest way to eliminate equipment as a variable. A fitter will measure your swing speed, launch angle, spin rate, and face angle to recommend the right combination. It typically costs $50–$150 and can be the difference between fighting your clubs and working with them. Full details here: When It’s Worth Getting a Club Fitting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does it take to fix a slice?

A: With deliberate practice, most golfers see improvement in 2–4 range sessions. The grip fix alone can show results in the first bucket of balls. But building permanent muscle memory takes 4–6 weeks of consistent practice. Don’t expect overnight transformation, but do expect steady progress.

Q: Can a slice be fixed permanently?

A: Yes — but it requires changing muscle memory, not just thinking about it on the course. The golfers who permanently fix a slice are the ones who commit to drills for at least a month. Casual awareness doesn’t rewire a swing. Deliberate repetition does.

Q: Should I use a draw-biased driver to fix a slice?

A: It can mask the slice, but it won’t fix the root cause. Fix the swing first — grip, path, face — and then layer in equipment that supports your corrected swing. A draw driver on top of a fixed swing is a powerful combination. A draw driver on top of a broken swing is a band-aid.

Q: Does ball position affect a slice?

A: Yes — a ball too far forward in your stance encourages an out-to-in path because your shoulders open before the club reaches the ball. Moving it back 1 inch gives you more time to square the face. It’s a small adjustment that can have an immediate effect.

Q: What’s the fastest way to stop slicing the driver?

A: Strengthen your grip and focus on swinging out to the right (for right-handers). These two changes alone fix most slices. The grip change closes the face, and the “swing right” feel corrects the path. You can implement both on the range in a single session and see results that day.

The Bottom Line

The slice is the most common problem in golf — and it’s one of the most fixable. It’s not a talent issue. It’s not a strength issue. It’s a mechanics issue with clear, proven solutions. Start with your grip. If that alone doesn’t fix a slice, move to your swing path. Then dial in the clubface. That sequence works because each fix builds on the one before it.

The golfers who beat the slice are the ones who commit to one change at a time, practice it until it’s automatic, and resist the urge to pile on five tips from five different YouTube videos. Keep it simple. Trust the process. Your drives will thank you.

Ready to improve your full game beyond the driver? Check out our complete 30-Day Plan to Lower Your Handicap and start building a game that holds up from tee to green.