Push-Slice
Also known as: push slice, right-right miss
A push-slice starts to the right of target and curves even further right, the result of an in-to-out club path combined with a clubface that is open to that path.
A push-slice is a two-part miss: the ball starts right of the target line (the "push" component, caused by an in-to-out club path) and then curves even further right in the air (the "slice" component, caused by a clubface that is open relative to that path). Because both the starting direction and the curve work against the golfer in the same direction, a push-slice is often the widest, most severe miss a golfer can produce — worse than a straight push or a straight pull-slice alone.
The root cause is almost always face control, not path. Many golfers who push-slice have actually made progress fixing an over-the-top, out-to-in pattern by learning to swing more from the inside — but they have not addressed a chronically open clubface. The path arrives from inside the line, which starts the ball right, but the face is still open relative to that new inside path, so the ball curves further right instead of drawing back toward target. This is a common "next problem" for golfers coming out of a slice fix.
Diagnosing a push-slice requires separating path and face rather than reacting to the overall curve. A launch monitor or video analysis showing club path and face angle separately reveals whether the fix is grip-related (too weak a grip limits the golfer's ability to close the face), release-related (the hands stop rotating through impact), or a hold-off pattern where the golfer consciously keeps the face open to avoid a hook.
Example
A player who recently fixed their over-the-top slice starts hitting drives that launch 15 yards right of target and curve another 20 yards further right — the path has improved, but the face is still open to it.
Why it matters
A push-slice tells you the path fix worked but the face didn't follow — treating it as "still a slice" and swinging further left only makes the path more extreme without closing the gap between face and path. SwingVantage separates path and face angle in its analysis so the actual remaining issue is visible instead of masked by the overall curve.
How it shows up on video
From a face-on angle, the clubface will appear open (pointing right of the path direction) through impact, often with minimal forearm rotation in the release. From down-the-line, the path itself will look reasonably in-to-out or neutral — the fault is isolated to the face, not the swing direction.
Common mistakes
- Assuming any rightward-curving shot means "swing more left" — if the path is already neutral or in-to-out, swinging further left just recreates an over-the-top pattern and trades one miss for another.
- Blaming the grip without checking it — a weak lead-hand grip (hand rotated toward the target) is a common structural cause and is often the fastest fix, but golfers frequently look at swing path first.
- Trying to "save" the shot by holding the face open through impact out of fear of a hook — this locks in the push-slice pattern rather than solving it.
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
SwingVantage estimates club path and face angle at impact separately from video where camera angle and quality support it, which is what makes a push-slice identifiable as a face problem riding on an improved path rather than a pure path problem — a distinction that is hard to make by eye alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is a push-slice worse than a regular slice?
Often yes in terms of total dispersion, because the ball starts right of target (unlike a standard slice, which typically starts closer to or left of target) and then curves further right — both the start line and the curve work against the golfer, widening the miss compared to a slice that at least starts near the target line.
Why did my slice turn into a push-slice after lessons?
This usually means a path fix worked (the club is no longer coming from way outside the line) but the clubface is still open relative to the new, more neutral or inside path. The next step is closing the face — often through grip, release, or forearm rotation work — not further path changes.
Related terms
- Club PathClub 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- PushA push is a shot that starts and flies straight to the right (for a right-hander) with no significant curve — caused by an in-to-out path with a face matching the path direction.
- Blocked PushA blocked push is a straight shot that starts and stays right of target with almost no curve, caused by a clubface that matches an in-to-out path but the whole delivery is aimed too far right.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Golf report first