Best Training Aids to Fix Your Slice — 3 That Actually Work

A slice is caused by an open clubface relative to swing path at impact. Most training aids address the symptom (ball going right) rather than the cause (over-the-top swing path + open face). Weighted donuts, head covers on your trail arm, and most swing plane trainers give you something to feel during the drill but the feeling does not transfer to real swings with real clubs. The aids that work are the ones that make it physically impossible to swing over-the-top or leave the face open.

The Lag Shot ($119) is a 7-iron with a hyper-flexible shaft. You cannot swing it over-the-top — the whippy shaft punishes any early casting or outside-in move with an ugly, obvious mis-hit. But when you swing with proper sequence (hips, then hands, then clubhead), it feels smooth and loads naturally. After 4 weeks of hitting 30 balls per day with the Lag Shot, my slice reduced from a 30-yard curve to a 10-yard fade with my real clubs. The feeling of proper lag transfers because you are hitting actual balls, not just making air swings.

The Speed Trap ($40) is a base plate with two foam rods that create a physical gate your club must pass through. Swing over-the-top and you hit the rods. Swing on path and the club passes cleanly through the gate. It is simple, requires zero technology, and gives you instant feedback on every single swing. I use this at the range warm-up to groove my path before playing.

Two alignment sticks for $12 are the most versatile training aid in golf. For slice work specifically: lay one stick on the ground parallel to your target line, and place the second stick 2 inches outside the ball aimed 10-15 degrees right (for a righty). This visual forces you to swing out-to-in rather than over-the-top. Every Tour pro uses alignment sticks. If you buy nothing else on this page, buy these.

After testing, I would not recommend: (1) Weighted swing donut ($15) — adds weight but does not change path or face angle. (2) Headcover-under-trail-arm drill aid ($25) — teaches connection but does not fix the root cause of a slice. (3) Laser pointer shaft attachment ($30) — cool concept but too finicky to set up consistently. (4) Impact bag ($30) — good for learning impact position but does not address swing path or face angle. None of these are bad products — they just do not fix a slice as effectively as the three recommended above.

Week 1: Speed Trap only, 30 swings per day with a 7-iron. Focus on passing through the gate cleanly. Do not worry about where the ball goes. Week 2: Lag Shot only, 30 swings per day. Feel the proper loading sequence. Week 3: Alternate — 15 Speed Trap swings then 15 Lag Shot swings per day. The path correction from the Speed Trap combines with the timing correction from the Lag Shot. Week 4: 10 Speed Trap swings as warm-up, then hit 30 balls with your real 7-iron. Measure your slice with a launch monitor or shot tracer app. Expected result: 60-70% reduction in slice curve.