Driving · Drill
Stop Swinging Left to Fix a Slice
Part of our driving programs for slice. Build a program with it
When the ball goes right, it's natural to swing left. But that only adds more slice spin. Most slices come from the face and the path together. So work on both. Get the face square earlier. Let your arms swing out to the right. Treat it as a feel drill. Exaggerate a swing out toward the right side of the range. Watch whether the curve shrinks before you change anything else.
The drill
- Lay a stick at your target and stand parallel.
- Pick a start line about 10 yards right.
- Rehearse swinging your arms out to that spot.
- Let your forearms rotate through impact.
- Hit five drives and check the curve.
Why it works
A slice happens when the clubface points right of the swing path at impact. Swinging left to compensate makes the path more left, which opens the face relative to the path and adds more sidespin. Swinging out to the right and letting your forearms rotate brings the path closer to the target line and closes the face relative to the path, so the sidespin shrinks.
Common mistakes
- You aim your body right instead of staying parallel to the stick.Set your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to the stick at the target, and only change the direction your arms swing.
- You hold the face open and just push the club out to the right.Let your forearms rotate through impact so the toe turns over and the face gets square earlier.
- You judge the drill by the first swing and then go back to swinging left.Hit all five drives with the same feel and compare the curve across the set.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball starts farther right than before, then curves back by a smaller amount.
- The ball ends closer to the target line, with less sideways drift in the air.
- Contact feels more centered, and the divot or turf mark points less to the left of the target.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Hit shorter shots with a mid-iron at half speed until the arms-out-to-the-right feel is familiar.
Harder: Move to a full driver swing and try to start the ball on the chosen right line and bring it back to the target with only a small curve.
Common questions
Why does swinging left make my slice worse?
A leftward path with an open face adds sidespin, because the face points right of that path. The ball starts left or straight and curves hard to the right.
How do I stop slicing my driver?
Work on getting the face square at impact and swinging your arms more toward the right of your target for a right-hander. Check your grip and setup too, and judge progress by how much the ball curves.
