Harper Lin
In golf, a pull or pulled shot refers to a shot that starts to the left of the target line and continues travelling left in a straight line, ending up to the left of the intended target. For left-handed golfers, the opposite is true, with a pull starting to the right of the target line and continuing in that direction. A pull is caused by the club approaching the ball from outside the target line on the downswing, resulting in an outside-in swing path and a closed clubface at impact. This can be due to various factors such as poor alignment, a strong grip, or an incorrect ball position. Understanding the concept of a pull in golf is essential for improving accuracy and avoiding unintended deviations from the target line.
Characteristics of a Pull in Golf:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Direction of the Ball | Left of the target line for a right-handed golfer; opposite for left-handed golfers |
| Ball Movement | Closer to the golfer |
| Clubface | Closed to the target at impact |
| Grip | Too strong or tight |
| Wrist Mechanics | Incorrect; lead wrist is often too flexed or forearm is pronated early |
| Swing Path | Outside-to-in |
| Ball Position | Too far forward |
| Alignment | Incorrect; feet and shoulders may not be parallel to the target line |
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What You'll Learn
A pull shot is when the ball starts left and stays left
A pull shot in golf is when the ball starts left of the target line and continues travelling left in a straight line, ending up to the left of the intended target. For a right-handed golfer, a pull shot starts left and stays left. For a left-handed golfer, it is the opposite—a pull starts to the right of the target line and continues flying straight in that direction, ending up to the right of the intended target.
Pull shots are often the result of poor alignment. A golfer might be setting up aimed to the left of the target, or their feet might be square, but their shoulders are pointing left. The ball could also be positioned too far forward in their stance, causing the clubface to close before impact. A strong grip can also shut the clubface early in the swing, so it is important to adopt a neutral grip to return the face square at impact.
To fix a pull shot, golfers should focus on setting up correctly, fixing their wrist angles, and getting their swing path to match their clubface. They should check their alignment and ensure they are not pointing left from the beginning. The Combined Top Drill with HackMotion can help build a square clubface at the top while swinging at full speed, syncing the downswing path and face angle.
To summarise, a pull shot is when the ball starts left and stays left for a right-handed golfer, and when it starts right and stays right for a left-handed golfer. It is caused by issues with alignment, ball position, grip, and wrist angles, and can be corrected through drills and adjustments to these fundamentals.
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A pull is caused when the club comes from outside the target line
A pull in golf refers to a shot that starts to the left of the target line (for a right-handed golfer) and continues travelling left in a straight line, ending up to the left of the intended target. The opposite is true for left-handed golfers, with a pull starting to the right of the target line and continuing right.
- Poor alignment: A golfer may be setting up aimed left of the target, or their feet might be square, but their shoulders are pointing left.
- Ball position: Having the ball too far forward in your stance can lead to a pull.
- Over-the-top swing: This can be caused by pushing your arms away from your body in the downswing or by gripping the club too tightly.
- Wrist mechanics: Flexing (bowing) the lead wrist too much or pronating the forearm early can trap the face shut and pull the ball.
To correct a pull, golfers should focus on improving their grip, ball position, alignment, and matching their wrist angles to their swing path.
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A pull can be caused by a strong grip
In golf, a pull is a shot that starts to the left of the target line and continues travelling left in a straight line, ending up to the left of the intended target. For left-handed golfers, the opposite is true: a pull starts to the right of the target line and continues flying straight in that direction, ending up to the right of the intended target.
A strong grip can also lead to excessive tension, hindering natural wrist movement. This can cause the lead wrist to be too flexed or rotated early into pronation, shutting the face of the club and pulling the ball.
To avoid a pull caused by a strong grip, golfers can try weakening their grip slightly or opening the clubface a little. They can also focus on improving their wrist mechanics by maintaining a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of their swing and matching that position through transition and into impact. Additionally, golfers can use alignment sticks on the range to ensure their feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the target line, not pointing left.
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A pull can be caused by poor alignment
A pull in golf refers to a shot that starts to the left of the target line and continues travelling left in a straight line, ending up to the left of the intended target for a right-handed golfer. For left-handed golfers, the direction is reversed, with the ball starting and ending up to the right of the target line.
Another cause of poor alignment is having the ball positioned too far forward, which can cause the clubface to close before impact. Golfers should start with their normal stance and then adjust the ball position slightly back to neutralise the face angle at contact.
Even with good swings, aim and alignment mistakes can create off-target shots. It is important to aim with your shot shape in mind, squaring the clubface at the address and aligning your body correctly. Looking down the starting line for four to five seconds will allow golfers to make adjustments to ensure proper aim and alignment.
Additionally, golfers should focus on setting up correctly, fixing wrist angles, and getting their swing path to match their clubface. The Combined Top Drill can help golfers visualise and feel the difference between a pull and a pure shot.
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A pulled shot often starts before the swing
A pulled shot in golf is when the ball starts left of the target and continues on a straight line, missing the target. The clubface is closed to the target at impact, which is caused by a variety of factors, many of which occur before the swing.
One of the most common amateur errors that lead to a pulled shot is taking the club back too far outside and getting the club off-plane. This can be addressed by focusing on the takeaway, ensuring the club is taken back square instead of back outside. Drills can help golfers get the right feel for a square takeaway.
Another cause of pulled shots is the ball being positioned too far forward, which can cause the clubface to close before impact. Golfers should start with their normal stance and then adjust the ball position slightly back to neutralise the face angle at contact.
Poor wrist mechanics can also lead to pulled shots. Golfers should aim for a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of the swing, matching that position through transition and into impact. This helps to blend the correct wrist position into a full-speed swing, which is key for pull correction.
Additionally, a pulled shot can be caused by poor alignment, with golfers setting up aimed left of the target or with their feet square but shoulders pointing left. Alignment sticks can be used to ensure feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the target line.
A strong grip can also contribute to pulled shots, as it can shut the clubface early in the swing. Golfers should aim for a neutral grip, checking that the V's formed by the thumbs and index fingers point to the trail shoulder.
By addressing these factors before the swing, golfers can reduce the likelihood of pulled shots and improve their accuracy.
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Frequently asked questions
A pull in golf refers to when a shot starts to the left of the target line and continues travelling left in a straight line, ending up to the left of the intended target. For left-handed golfers, the opposite is true.
Pull shots can be caused by a number of factors, including poor alignment, a strong grip, a closed clubface at impact, an outside-to-in swing path, and poor wrist mechanics.
To stop pulling the golf ball, you need to focus on improving your grip, ball position, and alignment, and ensuring your swing path matches your clubface. You should also pay attention to your wrist angles and ensure that your clubface and path match up correctly.
A hook shot also ends up to the left of the target, but unlike a pull shot, it curves to the left. A pull shot travels in a straight line to the left of the target.
