How to Fix a Golf Slice: Diagnose It, Fix It, and Follow a 4-Week Plan
Piece: Tee shots | Level: Break 100 to Break 90 | Series hub
A slice isn’t one problem. It’s a face-to-path problem that shows up in two very different ways, and the fix for one can make the other worse. This series breaks the fix into four 5-minute articles, each with a drill and a 7-day plan, and this page ties them into a four-week program with benchmarks. Everything here is written for right-handed golfers; lefties, mirror it.
The 60-second version
- The ball starts roughly where the clubface points, and it curves based on how far the face is open to your swing path.
- A pull slice (starts left, curves right) is mostly a path problem. A push slice (starts right, curves farther right) is mostly a face problem.
- Aiming left to “allow for the slice” trains an out-to-in swing and makes the slice bigger. Fix your aim first.
- Work in this order: diagnose, setup, grip and face, then path.
The four parts
- Part 1: Pull slice or push slice? Use the 10-ball test to find out which slice you hit.
- Part 2: Fix your slice at setup. Break the aim-left trap with better aim, alignment, and ball position.
- Part 3: Strengthen your grip and close the clubface. The fix for push slices and weak fades.
- Part 4: Fix an out-to-in swing. Two drills for pull slices.
| Pattern | What you see | Fix first |
|---|---|---|
| Pull slice | Starts left of target, curves right | Path (Part 4) |
| Push slice | Starts right of target, curves farther right | Grip and face (Part 3) |
| Weak fade | Starts at or just left of target, curves gently right | Setup (Part 2) |
The 4-week plan
Three sessions a week, about 40 minutes each. Log every session: date, club, balls hit, start line, curve. Your benchmark is the Fairway Test: pick a target corridor about 30 yards wide, hit 14 drivers, and count how many finish inside it. Run it in Week 1 and again in Week 4.
- Week 1: baseline and setup. Run the 10-ball test and the Fairway Test, then work through Part 1 and Part 2.
- Week 2: grip and face. Work through Part 3. Benchmark: 6 of 10 balls start at or left of the target line.
- Week 3: path. Work through Part 4. Benchmark: no more than 3 of 10 balls start left and curve right.
- Week 4: integrate and pressure test. Play a 9-hole range game: for each “hole,” choose a club and a target corridor and hit one ball. A ball inside the corridor is a par; outside is a bogey. Then retest. A realistic goal is adding 3-4 fairways out of 14 versus Week 1. That’s a target, not a guarantee.
On-course strategy while you’re still fixing it
- Tee up on the side of the trouble. If the trouble is right, tee on the right side of the box so your aim line moves away from it and your curve has room to work.
- Take less club off the tee when the driver isn’t trusted. A fairway wood or hybrid in play beats a driver in the trees.
- Know your number. Your 10-ball tests tell you your typical curve. Aim for it only when the left side is safe.
- Take your medicine from rough. On wet Mid-Atlantic spring and fall turf, thick rough punishes a forced shot. Pitch out and keep the score alive.
When equipment is part of the problem
Equipment rarely causes a slice by itself, but it can magnify one. A shaft that’s too stiff or too long, a lie angle that doesn’t fit you, or a driver with too little loft for your swing speed can all add sidespin. Once your tests show a repeatable pattern, a fitting can confirm whether your gear is working against you.
Common questions
Why do I slice my driver but not my irons?
Less loft turns the same face-to-path gap into more sidespin, and a longer shaft makes the face harder to control. The swing that produces a gentle fade with a 7-iron can produce a big slice with a driver.
How long does it take to fix a slice?
Many golfers see the start line improve within a week or two of fixing setup and grip. Making a new path hold up under pressure usually takes several weeks of deliberate practice, which is why the plan runs four weeks with a retest.
Is a slice always a swing problem?
Usually, yes. Setup and grip are part of the swing, and they account for a large share of slices. Check those before rebuilding anything else.
Want eyes on your swing?
If your start line isn’t improving after four weeks, or you can’t feel the changes, a lesson is the fastest way to find what’s missing. See my PGA.com coach profile for my current course, lesson options, and availability. See the full Path 2 Par blueprint for your next piece.
