Club Path
Also known as: swing direction
Club path is the horizontal direction the clubhead is moving through impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. Positive is in-to-out (a draw bias); negative is out-to-in (a fade or slice bias).
Club path is the primary driver of how much the ball curves, working together with face angle. A path of +4° means the club is moving four degrees to the right of target at impact (for a right-hander). On its own, path sets the curvature bias; combined with face angle it produces the actual shape via face-to-path. Adjusting path is how players move from a slice pattern toward a draw.
Example — On a launch monitor
A −6° club path with a face pointing at the target produces a pull-slice that starts left and curves right.
Related terms
- Face AngleFace angle is where the clubface points at impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. It determines roughly 75–85% of the ball’s starting direction.
- Face-to-PathFace-to-path is the difference between face angle and club path at impact. It is the single number that determines how much, and which way, the ball curves.
- Swing PlaneSwing plane is the tilted circle the club travels on around your body during the swing. A consistent plane makes it easier to return the club squarely and on path at impact.
- SliceA slice is a shot that curves sharply away from the target — to the right for a right-handed golfer. It happens when the clubface is open relative to the swing path at impact.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.