Jackson Reid
In golf, a pull or pulled shot is when the ball starts to the left of the target and continues in that direction without any lateral spin. This is caused by a number of factors, including a strong grip, a closed clubface at impact, a ball positioned too far forward, or an outside-to-inside swing path. To fix a golf pull, you can focus on setting up correctly, fixing your wrist angles, and getting your swing path to match your clubface. You can also try drills like the Combined Top Drill, which helps build a square clubface at the top of your swing. Other tips include focusing on a spot an inch in front of the ball at impact, keeping your back to the target at the top of your swing, and pulling your hands back at the transition.
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What You'll Learn
Focus on your grip, ball position, alignment, and wrist angles
To fix a golf pull, you need to focus on your grip, ball position, alignment, and wrist angles. A pull happens when the clubface is closed to the target at impact. This occurs when the grip is too strong, shutting the clubface early in the swing. To fix this, adjust your grip to a neutral position, ensuring that the V's formed by your thumbs and index fingers point to your trail shoulder. This will help you return the face square at impact.
Additionally, the ball position can contribute to a pull. If the ball is positioned too far forward, it can cause the clubface to close before impact. To correct this, adjust your stance by moving the ball slightly back, especially when using irons, to neutralize the face angle at contact.
Alignment is also crucial in avoiding pulls. Use alignment sticks to ensure your feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the target line, avoiding any leftward orientation that can cause the ball to start left.
Finally, focus on your wrist angles. A common issue is flexing (bowing) the lead wrist too much, causing the face to shut and pull the ball. Aim for a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of your swing, matching that position through the transition and into impact. This ensures the correct wrist position in a full-speed swing, which is key for pull correction.
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Avoid an 'over the top' swing
An over-the-top swing is a common issue in golf, affecting players of all levels, from beginners to experienced golfers. It can cause a number of problems, including a steep swing plane, inconsistent contact, loss of power, and inaccurate shots.
To avoid an over-the-top swing, it is important to focus on the downswing. Instead of pushing the club outside of the target line, bring it down from inside the target line, rotating it around your body. This will help you achieve a square takeaway, where the clubface is at a right angle to the club path, which is essential for accurate shots.
One effective method to correct an over-the-top swing is to change the way you shift your weight. Start with your weight on the trail heel and shift it diagonally to your front toes. This will put the club in a shallow position, allowing your body to stay closed for longer, which helps to shallow the club. Practise swinging with your trail toe and lead heel off the ground to encourage a more diagonal weight transfer and improve your swing plane.
Additionally, pay attention to your wrist mechanics. Excess wrist extension at the top of the backswing can force you into a steep and across swing path. Focus on keeping your lead wrist in a neutral position and avoid extending it too early. This will help you square the clubface and shallow the club, improving the accuracy of your shots.
Finally, ensure that your arms and hips are working together correctly. A common mistake is pulling the arms too far back during the backswing, which leads to an over-the-top downswing. Keep your lead arm in front during the backswing to create a smoother downswing path. By mastering the coordination of your arm and hip movements, you can achieve a more consistent and powerful swing.
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Fix an outside-in swing by taking the club back square
Fixing an outside-in swing starts at the takeaway, where you will want to take your club back square instead of back outside. This is because taking the club back squarely puts it in the correct position for an inside-square-inside swing path.
To achieve this, you can perform a few drills where you take the club back inside to get the right feel for a square takeaway. One such drill is the Combined Top Drill, which helps to build a square clubface at the top while swinging at full speed. This helps sync your downswing path and face angle.
Another drill involves placing an alignment stick on the ground just outside the golf ball. As you take the club back, focus on keeping it inside the stick. When you get to impact, you will also want to come from the inside and not strike the alignment stick.
Additionally, it is important to initiate the downswing with your lower body. When your hips turn toward your target, the club has room to drop and take an inside-outside path relative to the target line. This will help you maintain a square clubface at impact, which is crucial for avoiding pulled shots.
By taking the club back square and focusing on your downswing and clubface angle, you can effectively fix an outside-in swing and improve the accuracy of your golf shots.
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Keep your back to the target at the top of the swing
Keeping your back to the target at the top of the swing is a technique that can help fix a golf pull. A golf pull is when the ball starts to the left of the target and continues in that direction without any lateral spin. This is caused by an outside-in swing, where the clubhead is brought outside of the target line, only crossing it when it impacts the ball.
To keep your back to the target, you must first accomplish a full shoulder turn, which will promote better weight transfer to your right side if you are right-handed. This technique also helps place the club in the correct position at the top of the backswing. To achieve this, LPGA Tour legend Annika Sorenstam advises golfers to bend forward from the hips, keep their back straight, and distribute their weight evenly over the middle of their feet, with loose arms and shoulders. PGA teaching pro Jim Suttie suggests taking a mildly closed stance and angling your feet outward slightly when setting up, to help you turn your shoulders during the backswing.
It is important to keep your back leg firmly in place as you shift your weight in that direction during the backswing. If your back leg moves, your hips won't turn properly, limiting your ability to turn your back to the target. You should also move your head slightly to the right, as keeping your head rigidly in place can lead to a shoulder tilt, according to swing coach Hank Haney.
When the club reaches the top of the swing, your back should be pointed at the target. At this point, you should feel that "your left shoulder is over your right foot while your lower body is stable," according to Sorenstam. Keeping your back to the target during the downswing will help open up the slot for your arms and the club to move in, giving you more power and control.
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Use alignment sticks to ensure your body is parallel to the target line
Alignment sticks are a great training aid that can help you improve your golf game. They can be used to ensure your body is parallel to the target line, which is essential for achieving consistent and accurate shots. Here's how you can use alignment sticks effectively for this purpose:
Setting Up the Alignment Sticks
Place one alignment stick on the ground, parallel to your target line. This stick represents the direction you want your shot to go. Then, take another stick and place it perpendicular to the first one, running between your legs. This second stick will help you check the ball's position in relation to your body.
Positioning Your Body
Position your feet, hips, and shoulders in line with the alignment stick on the ground. Your body should be parallel to the target line, with your clubface pointing directly at the first stick. This ensures that your club and body are properly aligned.
Adjustments and Drills
If you tend to hit pulls with specific clubs, you can aim slightly right of the target with those clubs. This can help you reach the target without changing your entire swing. Additionally, you can perform drills such as the Train Tracks drill, where you place one stick towards the target and another along your stance line, which is slightly left of the target line. This helps you get used to aiming your feet and stance slightly left, which can improve your overall alignment.
Visual Feedback and Wrist Mechanics
Alignment sticks provide instant visual feedback on your swing path. Combine them with tools like HackMotion to gain insights into your wrist angles, face control, and swing plane. This can help you understand the mechanics behind your swing and make adjustments to fix issues like a closed clubface at impact, which can cause pulled shots.
Practicing with Alignment Sticks
Use alignment sticks during practice to improve your swing technique. Grip an alignment stick like a golf club and swing through slowly, dragging the stick along the ground. This drill helps you feel the proper mechanics of the swing, including the necessary body shifts and wrist positions.
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Frequently asked questions
A golf pull, or pulled shot, is when the ball starts to the left of the target and continues in that direction without any lateral spin.
A golf pull can be caused by a number of factors, including a strong grip, a closed clubface at impact, the ball being too far forward, or an outside-to-in swing path.
To fix a golf pull, you need to work on your swing and the club path it produces. This involves improving your grip, ball position, alignment, and matching your wrist angles to your swing path. You can also try performing drills, such as the Combined Top Drill, to help you build a square clubface during your swing.
Yes, there are a few quick adjustments you can make to prevent a golf pull. First, focus on a spot about an inch in front of the ball at impact. Second, pull your hands back, not up, during your swing. Finally, keep your back to the target at the top of your swing.
