Miles Bennett
Pulling a shot in golf refers to when a ball starts to the left of the target and then curves further left. For left-handed golfers, the ball starts to the right and curves further right. This is often caused by an out-to-in swing path, with the arms swinging the club across the target line. A pull can also be caused by a strong grip, a closed clubface at impact, a ball positioned too far forward, or an outside-to-in swing path. To fix a pull, golfers can work on their grip, ball position, alignment, and matching their wrist angles to their swing path.
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What You'll Learn
A strong grip
When a golfer has a strong grip, their lead hand will show more knuckles, usually three or more, from their perspective. This grip style promotes a draw and helps reduce slices. It also creates a lower ball flight due to the de-lofting effect of the closed face. Additionally, the strong grip can enhance power by activating the hands and arms more, allowing players to swing with full power and increased speed.
However, one of the downsides of a strong grip is the increased risk of pulling or hooking the ball, especially if there is insufficient body rotation during the swing. A strong grip can cause the clubface to close early in the swing, leading to a pull. This is often due to excessive wrist flexion or early pronation of the forearm, which shuts the clubface.
To correct a pull caused by a strong grip, golfers should focus on improving their wrist mechanics and maintaining a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of the swing. They should also ensure that their swing path matches their clubface and that their body alignment is correct, with their feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line.
While a strong grip can be advantageous in certain situations, it is important for golfers to find a grip style that feels natural and consistent for them. Experimenting with different levels of grip pressure can help refine their grip position and improve their overall performance.
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Incorrect ball position
Impact on Clubface Angle and Shot Direction
The ball position relative to your stance directly affects the clubface angle at impact and, consequently, the direction in which the ball travels. If the ball is positioned too far forward in your stance, the clubface tends to close before impact, pointing left (for right-handers) and resulting in a pull. This forward ball position also adds loft to your club, often leading to high, spinning shots. Conversely, a ball positioned too far back can cause a low shot that hooks, which may also contribute to a pull.
Alignment with the Target
Wrist Mechanics and Swing Path
While not directly related to ball position, it's worth noting that poor wrist mechanics can contribute to a pull. Excessive flexion or early pronation of the lead wrist can shut the clubface, pulling the ball. Additionally, an outside-to-in swing path can also cause a pull. Correcting your wrist angles and improving the synchronization between your swing path and clubface can help mitigate these issues.
Adjustments for Different Clubs
It's important to understand that ball position adjustments are necessary depending on the club you're using. For instance, with a driver, the ball is typically positioned just forward of the center in your stance, while for mid-irons, it's generally in the center. Longer irons, such as 3- or 4-irons, may require the ball to be positioned slightly forward to achieve a higher launch. The key is to find a ball position that consistently produces the desired shot shape and trajectory for each club.
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Poor wrist mechanics
The most common wrist mistake in golf is probably too much extension in the lead wrist. Increased extension through impact leads to less control, power, and consistency in golf shots. A cupped wrist can cause slices or weak contact. Adding too much extension to the lead wrist during the backswing from the setup to the top opens the clubface, making it harder to return to square at impact.
To avoid the lead wrist extension problem, you should start moving towards flexion right from the top of the backswing. This will give you plenty of time to square the clubface before impact. You can try the motorcycle drill to avoid the early wrist hinge: place a tee in the grip end of your club and then swing up about 3/4 of the way to check that the tee is pointing in the right direction.
Another common issue is overactive wrists, which can cause a loss of power, minimal body rotation, and poor consistency. If you struggle with overactive wrists, consider incorporating the body and arms into your movements.
To prevent pulling the golf ball, you should focus on setting up correctly, fixing wrist angles (especially at the top), and getting your swing path to match your clubface. The goal is to maintain a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top, then match that position through transition and into impact.
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Incorrect body alignment
Maintain Proper Distance from the Ball: It's important to ensure that you're not standing too close to the ball. Being too close can cause you to pull the ball left. Adjust your stance by leaning slightly forward, placing more weight on your toes than your heels. This adjustment will give you the necessary space to execute a smooth downswing without pulling the ball.
Improve Your Grip: A strong grip, also known as a "white-knuckle grip," can cause the clubface to close early in the swing. Focus on achieving a neutral grip, which helps return the clubface to a square position at impact. Check that the V's formed by your thumbs and index fingers point toward your trail shoulder. This grip adjustment will promote a straighter swing path and reduce pulls.
Correct Ball Position: The ball's position in your stance is crucial. If the ball is positioned too far forward, it can cause the clubface to close prematurely before impact. Adjust the ball position slightly back, especially when using irons, to neutralise the face angle at contact. This correction will help you achieve a square impact position and reduce pulls.
Fix Your Wrist Mechanics: Incorrect wrist mechanics, such as excessive flexion or early pronation of the lead wrist, can shut the clubface and pull the ball. Aim for a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of your backswing, and maintain this position through the transition and into impact. The Combined Top Drill with HackMotion can help you train the correct wrist angles and sync your downswing path with the clubface angle.
Check Your Body Alignment: Use alignment sticks on the range to ensure your feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the target line, not pointing left or right of it. Incorrect body alignment can cause you to swing across the target line, resulting in pulls. Ensure your body is aligned correctly to promote a straight swing path.
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Incorrect swing path
To avoid an out-to-in swing path, focus on your downswing. Instead of pushing the club outside of the target line, bring the club down from inside the target line, rotating it around your body. This will help you avoid an over the top swing path, a common error where the clubhead is brought outside of the target line and only crosses it on the way to impact with the ball.
Another cause of an incorrect swing path is locking the left knee at impact, which changes the angle of the hips and promotes an outside-in swing path. To correct this, try to maintain the knee flex that was set at the address constant throughout the swing, up to and including impact with the ball.
Additionally, a strong grip can shut the clubface early in the swing, causing a pull. To fix this, use a neutral grip, ensuring the V's formed by your thumbs and index fingers point to your trail shoulder.
Poor wrist mechanics can also cause a pull. The goal is to maintain a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of the swing, matching that position through the transition and into impact. This can be improved through drills such as the Combined Top Drill, which helps sync the downswing path and face angle.
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