The Swing Path Redirector

To promote a more rightward (inside-to-out) path and eliminate the over-the-top move that causes slices, place one pathpal rod just inside the target line behind the ball and the second rod just outside the target line in front of the ball. This staggered gate nudges the club from inside to out — the opposite of the out-to-in path that produces a slice. Your body naturally adjusts to avoid the rods, building the correct path without having to consciously think about swing mechanics.

To encourage a more leftward (out-to-in) path and neutralize a swing that's too far from the inside, simply reverse the setup: place one rod outside the target line behind the ball and the second rod inside the target line in front of it. This configuration creates a corridor that guides the club from outside to in. As Chris Foley demonstrates, the same device solves both problems — you just flip which rod is in front and which is behind.

Swing path is notoriously difficult to self-correct because the brain's instinct is to aim where you want the ball to go — which often reinforces the exact path that's causing the problem. A slicer who aims left to compensate actually steepens their out-to-in path further. Physical barriers like the pathpal's staggered gate bypass that instinct entirely by making the correct path the only available option. The body responds to constraints more reliably than it responds to mental cues, especially under pressure.

Chris Foley uses two pathpal halves to create a full gate — one behind and one in front of the ball — which gives you feedback on both the entry and exit of the clubhead's path. With a single half, you can still create meaningful feedback by placing it either behind or in front of the ball to address one side of the path. However, the dual-unit staggered gate is more powerful because it defines a complete corridor, making both the direction and the consistency of your path measurable on every swing.

Path and face work together, but they're independent variables. Correcting your swing path is the essential first step — it determines the starting line and curvature direction of your shots. However, if your path improves but your clubface is still significantly open or closed relative to that path, you'll still see curve. The good news is that many golfers subconsciously open the face to compensate for a bad path, so when the path improves, the face often self-corrects as well. If not, face control becomes the next isolated variable to address.