Why does my golf ball go right?
For a right-handed golfer, a ball that goes right is either starting right because the clubface points right at impact, or curving right because the face is open to the swing path. Look at where it starts and which way it curves; the pattern tells you the cause.
Match your ball flight
Starts straight, curves right (slice)
The face is open to the swing path at impact. Grip and release are the usual causes, often with an out-to-in path.
Starts left, curves right (pull slice)
The path is out-to-in and the face is open to that path. This is the classic over-the-top slice.
Starts right, curves further right (push slice)
The face is open at impact and more open than the path. The body often stalls while the arms swing out and the face never squares.
Starts right and stays right (push or block)
Face and path both point right of target. The hips often stop turning so the club arrives from too far inside with the face open.
How to read it
Where the ball starts comes mostly from where the clubface points at impact. Which way it curves comes from the face compared with the path. Watch a few shots and note both. Left-handed golfers mirror everything here.
Drills to start with
Pump Drill
Rehearse the first move down twice, then swing, so the club drops in before you turn
Headcover Under Trail Arm
A headcover under the trail armpit so the body turn, not a flying elbow, moves the club
Let-Go Release
The trail hand comes off past impact so the club can release freely instead of holding on
Neutral Grip Build
Build the grip in the fingers so the club can hinge and the face can square
Headcover Gate
A headcover outside the ball catches an over-the-top path and rewards coming from inside
Swing Out Along the Stick
A ground stick angled a few degrees out gives the club an exit line to trace
Questions golfers ask
What is the difference between a push and a slice?
A push starts right and flies straight. A slice curves right in the air. A push slice does both: it starts right and curves further right.
Why do I hit it right with my driver but not my irons?
The driver has less loft, so any gap between face and path shows up as more curve. It is also longer and swung harder, which gives the face more chance to stay open.
Should I aim left to fix it?
Aiming left usually makes it worse, because the body learns to swing across the ball even more. Aim at the target and fix the face and path.