Ava Romero
In golf, a push or push shot is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the intended target and continuing in a straight line, missing the target. This is due to a variety of factors, including the positioning of the golfer's body, the angle of the clubface, and the grip. Push shots are considered errors and should be avoided as they can cost golfers strokes. However, they are also one of the most fixable mistakes in golf, with various drills and techniques available to help golfers improve their accuracy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A "push" or "push shot" in golf is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the target and flying in a straight line, ultimately landing to the right of the target. |
| For Left-Handed Golfers | A push starts out to the left and ends up left of the target, without curving in flight. |
| Compared to a Slice | A push is different from a slice because a slice curves to the right, whereas a push travels on a straight path to the right. |
| Compared to a Pull | A push moves the ball away from the golfer's body, whereas a pull moves the ball back toward the golfer's body. |
| Cause | The clubface is open at impact, often due to poor wrist angles (too much extension). |
| Other Causes | The club path is excessively inside-out, and the face doesn’t close in time; the golfer's shoulders don’t rotate through impact, stalling face rotation; the ball position is too far back; the golfer's alignment is off; the golfer's grip is too weak; the golfer's right knee locks up at the top of the swing. |
| Fixes | Ensure you are not aiming to the right (or left for left-handed golfers); ensure the golf ball is not positioned too far back in your stance; use drills like the Alignment Stick Extension or Headcover Path Drill; focus on keeping the flex in your right knee throughout the swing; work on your golf swing and the club path it produces; take your club back square instead of taking it back inside; make sure to hit through the ball, focusing on completing the swing rather than just reaching impact. |
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What You'll Learn
A push shot is a type of mishit
For a right-handed golfer, a push shot occurs when the ball starts out to the right and finishes to the right of the target, without curving in flight. This is caused by an open clubface at impact, which means the clubface is aiming to the right of the target. It is also caused by an inside-out swing, which is often the result of a weak grip or locking the right knee at the top of the swing.
To fix a push shot, golfers can try strengthening their grip, aligning their shoulders properly, and checking their wrist flexion before impact to ensure they can square the clubface. They can also try drills like the Alignment Stick Extension or Headcover Path Drill. Additionally, golfers should check their setup and ball position to ensure they are not aiming too far to the right or positioning the ball too far back in their stance.
Push shots are common with certain clubs, such as high lofted wedges, and can be temporarily fixed by aiming left when using these clubs. Golfers can also focus on completing their swing and hitting through the ball, rather than viewing impact with the ball as the end goal of the swing.
Overall, a push shot is a type of mishit that results in the ball starting and finishing to the right of the target for a right-handed golfer. It is caused by various factors, including an open clubface at impact, an inside-out swing, and improper setup. Golfers can work on fixing their push shots by making adjustments to their grip, alignment, and swing, as well as by using drills and temporary fixes.
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The ball starts to the right of the target and continues in a straight line
In golf, a "push" or "push shot" is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the intended target (for a right-handed golfer) and continuing straight in that direction, ultimately finishing to the right of the target. In other words, the golfer hits the ball in a straight line, but it is off-target to the right.
For left-handed golfers, a push starts to the left of the target and finishes to the left without curving in flight. The push is the opposite of a "pull", where the ball starts to the left of the target and continues in a straight line to the left.
The push is also distinct from a "slice", where a right-handed golfer's ball curves to the right, and from a "hook", where the ball moves back towards the golfer.
There are several potential reasons for a push shot. One possible explanation involves the right knee and how it is used at the top of the swing. Some golfers tend to lock their right knee, which can lead to an inside-out swing and modify the angle of the hips, promoting an inside-out swing as the club is brought down towards impact with the ball. Another potential cause is sliding the hips instead of rotating them, which can result in a push shot.
To fix a push shot, golfers can try a few adjustments. Firstly, it is important to ensure that the setup is not the issue, by checking that you are not aiming too far to the right (or left for left-handed golfers) and that the golf ball is not positioned too far back in your stance. Secondly, you can work on your golf swing and the club path it produces. This involves taking the club back square instead of taking it back inside during the takeaway. Finally, you can modify the strength of your grip to fix an open clubface at impact, which often occurs with push shots.
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The clubface is open at impact
A "push" or "push shot" in golf is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the intended target (for a right-handed golfer) and continuing in a straight line, ultimately finishing to the right of the target. The ball does not curve to the right; instead, it travels in a straight line away from the target.
One of the most likely reasons for an open clubface at impact is a weak grip. A weak grip promotes a lazy release of the club, resulting in an open clubface at impact. To fix this, a golfer can strengthen their grip by making specific adjustments to their hand placement. For right-handed golfers, this may involve adjusting their right hand so that it grips the club even further under, or rotating their left hand counter-clockwise to increase grip strength.
Another potential cause of an open clubface at impact is an inside-out club path. This can be influenced by the positioning of the right knee at the top of the swing. Some golfers tend to lock their right knee, which can lead to an inside-out swing and an open clubface at impact. To address this, golfers can focus on maintaining a constant flex in their right knee throughout the swing and preventing it from locking up.
Additionally, golfers can work on their swing technique to improve their club path and reduce the likelihood of an open clubface at impact. One suggestion is to focus on completing the swing and hitting through the ball, rather than viewing impact with the ball as the end goal of the swing. By committing to a full swing, golfers can help ensure the clubface is not left open at impact.
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A weak grip can cause a push shot
A push shot in golf is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the intended target (for a right-handed golfer) and continuing in a straight line, ultimately missing the target. The ball does not curve to the right; instead, it travels straight in that direction.
A weak grip is often cited as a common cause of push shots. A weak grip causes a lazy release of the club, resulting in an open clubface at impact. This means that the clubface is aiming to the right of the target, leading to the ball starting its path in that direction.
To correct a weak grip, golfers can try adjusting their grip strength by turning their hands slightly to the right on the grip, making the position stronger. This simple adjustment can help square the clubface at impact, reducing the likelihood of a push shot.
Additionally, golfers can focus on their swing and club path to address push shots. An inside-out swing, where the clubhead travels inside the target line during the downswing, can contribute to an open clubface at impact. Golfers should aim for a square takeaway, bringing the club back outside rather than inside, to promote a closed clubface and reduce the chances of a push shot.
Other factors that can influence push shots include the pressure applied to the grip, the position of the ball in the stance, and the movement of the right knee during the swing. Golfers should ensure they are not holding the club too tightly, as this can restrict the release of the clubface. Checking that the ball is not positioned too far back in the stance and focusing on maintaining a flex in the right knee during the swing can also help mitigate push shots.
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Misalignment can cause a push shot
In golf, a push shot is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the target (for a right-handed golfer) and continuing in a straight line, ultimately missing the target to the right. This is in contrast to a slice, where the ball curves to the right.
Misalignment can indeed cause a push shot. If your feet or shoulders are aimed too far to the right, the ball might go exactly where you are aiming, i.e. to the right of the target. Amateur golfers often struggle with alignment because they don't look at the target when hitting shots. Alignment sticks or a club on the ground can help confirm that your feet, hips, and shoulders are all aligned parallel left of the target line (for right-handed players).
Another common cause of push shots is an inside-out club path, which means the clubface is open to the target at impact, causing the ball to shoot right. This can be caused by a weak grip, which promotes a lazy release of the club and an open clubface at impact. To fix this, you should strengthen your grip and work on your golf swing to ensure the club path is correct.
Other potential causes of push shots include locking your right knee at the top of the swing, which can modify the angle of your hips and promote an inside-out swing, and committing a swing error known as blocking shots, which involves not finishing the swing or staying committed to it, leaving the body and clubface open to the target at impact.
While not always a fundamental fix, it can be helpful to simply aim left when using clubs that tend to give you push issues, such as high lofted wedges.
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Frequently asked questions
A push in golf is a type of mishit that results in the golf ball starting to the right of the intended target and continuing in a straight line, missing the target.
There are several reasons for push shots, including an incorrect stance, poor wrist angles, an inside-out club path, and a weak grip.
To stop pushing the golf ball, you need to correct your stance, grip, and wrist angles. You should also focus on rotating your hips and shoulders to allow the club to stay on plane.
A push shot goes straight right of the target, while a draw curves in flight with an anti-clockwise spin due to a slightly closed clubface.
The opposite of a push shot is a pull shot. A push moves the ball away from the golfer's body, while a pull moves the ball back towards the body.
