Slice
A slice is a golf shot that curves sharply from left to right for a right-handed player, or right to left for a left-handed player. It is almost always unintentional and costs both distance and accuracy.
What is a slice in golf?
The slice is one of the most familiar shots in golf, and rarely a welcome one. The ball typically starts on or near the intended target line, then peels off to the side and finishes well away from where the golfer was aiming.
For a right-handed player, the curve runs left to right. For a left-handed player, the curve runs right to left. The shape and the cause are the same in both cases; only the direction is mirrored.
The slice has a well-known nickname: the banana ball. The curve of a sliced shot, especially a severe one, traces a path that resembles the outline of a banana from above. The term has been in use among amateur and professional golfers since at least 1961, when Sam Snead wrote about it in his book Sam Snead on Golf.
A slice is distinct from a fade. Both shots move in the same direction, but a fade is a controlled, gentle curve a player chooses to hit. A slice is an exaggerated, unwanted version of that same shape.
How a slice happens
A slice is the product of two things working against each other at the moment the club meets the ball: the angle of the clubface and the direction the club is swinging.
When the clubface points to the right of the swing path at impact (for a right-handed player), the ball spins on a tilted axis. That tilt makes the ball curve in the air through a phenomenon called the Magnus effect, where air pressure pushes the ball sideways as it spins.
According to instructor Adam Young, the clubface accounts for roughly 75 percent of where the ball starts, while the swing path accounts for only about 25 percent. Curve, meanwhile, comes from the relationship between the two. The wider the gap between an open face and the swing path, the more dramatic the curve.
A typical amateur slice carries between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM of clockwise sidespin, according to data summarised by SportSurge. That spin tilts the ball’s flight far off line, often by 20 yards or more on a driver shot.
The most common combination behind a slice is an open clubface paired with an out-to-in swing path, sometimes called “coming over the top.” Together, they produce the curve every slicer knows well.
Slice vs fade vs hook vs push
These four terms describe four different ball flights, and golfers often confuse them. The table below shows how they relate, using a right-handed player as the reference point.
| Shot | Direction | Curve amount | Intentional? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slice | Left to right | Severe (often 30+ yards) | Almost never |
| Fade | Left to right | Slight (5 to 15 yards) | Usually |
| Hook | Right to left | Severe | Almost never |
| Push | Straight right | None (no curve) | No |
Here is how they differ from each other:
- Fade vs slice: same shape, different severity. A fade is a deliberate shot that moves only a few yards in the air and keeps most of the player’s distance. A slice can cost up to 30 percent of carry, according to data cited by The Golf Ace.
- Hook vs slice: opposite curves. A hook is the mirror image of a slice, caused by a closed clubface rather than an open one.
- Push vs slice: a push goes in a straight line to the right of the target with no curve at all. A slice starts roughly on line and bends right during flight.
Types of slices
Not every slice looks the same. Golf instructors generally recognise three variations, named after the direction the ball starts before the curve takes over.
| Type | Starting direction | Ending position | Common cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull slice | Left of target | Often back near target line | Severe outside-to-in path with open face |
| Standard slice | On or near target line | Right of target | Open face plus outside-to-in path |
| Push slice | Right of target | Far right of target | Inside-to-out path with very open face |
The pull slice is often the least damaging of the three, because the ball can curve back toward the target line and finish in or near the fairway. The push slice is generally the most damaging because the ball starts off line and continues moving further away from the target throughout its flight.
Why slicing is so common
Few problems in amateur golf show up more often than the slice. Research by GOLFTEC, summarised in a report published by GOLF.com, found that roughly 60 percent of all golfers hit a slice. The same group of players averaged a score of 101 across 18 holes, and higher-handicap players missed to the right of their target more than half the time.
The pattern shows up across skill levels. Slicing tends to develop early in a golfer’s playing life and often persists for years without correction. Launch monitor data backs this up: amateur slicers commonly show spin axis tilts above +10 degrees, compared with the 2 to 6 yards of drift typical of a professional’s controlled fade, according to figures cited by SportSurge.
Related Golf Terms
- Skins — A betting game where each hole has a value, and the lowest score wins the skin.
- Signature hole — The most memorable or photographed hole on a golf course.
- Skull — A mishit where the leading edge strikes the middle of the ball, causing a low screaming shot.
- Single digit handicap — A golfer with a handicap index between 1 and 9.
- Sidespin — Lateral spin that causes the ball to curve left or right in flight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a slice ever a good shot?
Rarely. A true slice is unintentional and exaggerated, and most golfers lose distance and accuracy when they hit one. Skilled players sometimes use a small, controlled left-to-right curve called a fade, which is the playable version of the same shape.
What is the difference between a slice and a banana ball?
There is no real difference. “Banana ball” is a slang term for a slice, named after the curved shape the ball traces in the air. The phrase has been part of golf vocabulary since the 1960s.
Can a golfer slice with irons too?
Yes. A slice can happen with any club, including irons and fairway woods. The curve tends to be most obvious with a driver because the ball travels further and has more time in the air to bend off line.
Are a slice and a push the same thing?
No. A push travels in a straight line to the right of the target with no curve. A slice curves in the air. The two are caused by different combinations of clubface angle and swing path.
Why do beginners slice the ball so often?
Beginners often use a weak grip and an over-the-top swing, both of which leave the clubface open at impact. The combination is the most common recipe for a slice. With time and practice, most golfers reduce or eliminate the pattern.
Sources
- GOLF.com (in partnership with GOLFTEC). “This is the biggest cause of your slice (and how to start to fix it).” Accessed May 2026.
- Adam Young Golf. “The Ball Flight Laws.” Accessed May 2026.
- HackMotion. “Slice vs Hook: What’s The Difference, Main Causes & Fixes.” Accessed May 2026.
- LiveAbout. “What Is a Slice in Golf?” Accessed May 2026.
- SportSurge. “What Is a Slice in Golf? Causes & Fixes.” Accessed May 2026.
- The Golf Ace. “Fade vs. Slice: Understanding the Difference for Better Golf.” Accessed May 2026.
- Snead, Sam. Sam Snead on Golf. 1961.
