In golf, some shots are intentional, while others are less than desirable.
One of the most common unintentional shots many amateur golfers suffer from and hit often is a slice. However, there are times when hitting a shot with a little right turn could be a good thing for your game. This is called a cut shot.
It can be challenging to control, but can also be really helpful for your game. If you want to learn what a cut shot is and how to hit one, just keep reading.
What is a Cut Shot?
A cut shot is a controlled (intentional) golf shot in which the golf ball starts a little left of the target for the right-handed player and moves back to the right. Left-handed golfers start a cut shot a little right of the target, and the ball works its way back to the left. The way in which the ball moves is gentle; it’s not a rapid or severe turn.
What’s the Difference Between a Cut and a Slice?
The major difference between a cut and a slice is the fact that a cut is an intentional shot, and a slice is not. Another key difference is the way in which the ball curves.
Slices are more severe.
To hit a cut or a slice, your clubface needs to be open at impact. The amount of openness determines how far to the right the golf ball will travel.
Why Hit a Cut Shot?
If you can hit a golf ball straight, why wouldn’t you just want to keep it straight? What’s the point of hitting a ball that otherwise is considered to be a faulty shot?
There are times on the golf course when you might encounter a hazard. This can be a bunker or even a water hazard, and say it’s located on the left side of the green or fairway. Golfers who can hit a cut will aim their golf shot down the left side and then cut it back to the center of the green without having to worry about the trouble.
You’ll also find a cut shot helpful on dogleg holes where you can position the golf ball for your next shot.
When you get used to the cut shot and know how to hit it, you’ll likely find that it’s very easy to control and can be useful when you are under pressure on the course.
Struggling with a slice? Be sure to check out Performance Golf’s YouTube channel, where golf professional coach Hank Haney fixes an amateur golfer’s slice LIVE!
Step-by-Step Guide to Hitting a Cut Shot
Learning to hit a cut shot is something you should do on the driving range. You’ll have to practice it a bit until you feel more comfortable with a cut shot vs the slice. Due to the nature of the shot, it’s not something you want to implement on the fly in the middle of a round of golf.
Setup With an Open Stance
To start, open your stance slightly at setup. Aim your feet and shoulders left of the target just slightly. Do this, and you’ll have an easier time creating the swing path needed to hit an intentional, controlled cut shot.
Adjust the Grip
Your golf grip is one of the easiest adjustments you can make to hit a cut accurately. A weaker grip (rotating the hands to the left for a right-handed golfer) gives your hands slightly less ability to close the clubface through impact.
Holding that clubface open will help create the cut shot.
Swing Along Your Body Line
Now that your body is set and your hands are on the club properly, you can focus on your swing path. The path should be along your body line, which is a slightly out-to-in swing path. Try to remember that to hit a gentle cut—we want to make minimal adjustments.
If you start taking a severe out-to-in path with this weaker grip, you’ll hit a slice.
Control the Clubface
To get the results you want from your cut shot, the clubface needs to be slightly open at impact. The side spin created by this makes the ball turn to the right. For some golfers, the adjustments to the grip are enough to hold the clubface a little open through impact.
For others, you’ll have to think more consciously about holding the clubface slightly open through impact. You’ll still release the club and rotate your hands. Finishing with your hands high and your chest facing the target makes it easier for you to get that higher ball flight and soft landing.
Control the Clubface
When learning to hit a cut shot, start your shot with something like an 8-iron or 7-iron to help you gain confidence in this shot. Then, you’ll be able to move to longer irons and even the driver.
If you start struggling to hit your shots fat or thin, be sure to check the ball position. Sometimes, when opening your stance, you might unintentionally change the position of the golf ball.
If at any time you feel like the cut shot is turning into a slice, you have likely exaggerated the weakening of the grip or you are swinging too far out to in.
To become a great golfer, you need to have control over the golf ball. Learning to hit a cut will help you gain this control over your golf shots. Stop trying to make a straight shot work for every situation on the golf course; it’s best to have options and use them to manage the course. If you struggle with being able to control your shots or hit them with any type of consistency, consider talking to a professional instructor for some in-depth analysis.
