At some point or another, most golfers struggle with pulling their shot off of the tee or even shorter shots. Pulling your shots is typically caused by hitting the ball over the top or shutting your clubface early during your swing. If this is the case, you are no doubt frustrated by your shots landing in water, the bunkers, and other hazards.
Why do I pull my golf shots?
Another swing error you might be doing which could cause pulled shot has something to do with your left knee and how it is used at impact. Some golfers lock their left – forward – knee at impact and while it is not necessarily a problem in itself it can lead to balls that shoots straight left.
How to stop pulling a golf ball?
Start making practice swings into the impact zone without hitting the head cover. Golfers that pull golf shots regularly come over the top and drag the clubface across the line of the ball from top to bottom. As a result they pull the golf ball hard left.
Can you dribble the ball off the tee in golf?
Few shots in golf are more embarrassing than the topped tee ball. Unfortunately, there’s more than one way to dribble the ball off the tee. You can swing too steeply from the outside and skim across the ball, or even drop-kick it from the inside.
Why do I keep getting toe hits on my golf shots?
Causes and Cures: Golf Shots Off the Club’s Toe. A second cause of toe hits is the body raising up before impact; in other words, failing to maintain your spine angle. When the upper body moves upward, the club is pulled away from the ball, delivering the toe rather than the sweet spot at impact.
Why do I keep pulling my golf shots?
Most professionals pull the ball when they leave their weight too much on their back leg at impact. This makes their club turn over too quickly through impact, and the swing path moves across the ball.
How do I stop pulling the golf ball off the tee?
6:418:07How to Stop Pulling The Golf Ball | Cure Your Pulled Golf ShotsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst swinging to the top. Feeling that the arms are coming down underneath almost like the handlesMoreFirst swinging to the top. Feeling that the arms are coming down underneath almost like the handles dropping vertical. Down towards the ground. And then rotate through to hit the ball.
Why do I pull my irons off the tee?
0:505:42Why You Pull Your Irons + How to Stop It For Good! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's when the club. Comes over the target line cuts. Across the body like this. But rather thanMoreIt's when the club. Comes over the target line cuts. Across the body like this. But rather than actually having an open Club face as you would with a fade shot the club face stay Square to that path.
How do I stop pulling my iron shots in golf?
7:4615:37Stop Pulling Iron Shots! | Tuck & Turn Shoulder Drill - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe more forward the ball position is the more i'm likely to hit those pulls. The more back the ballMoreThe more forward the ball position is the more i'm likely to hit those pulls. The more back the ball. Position is the less likely i am to hit those pulls.
Why am I pulling my drives to the left?
If it's a pull, there are two likely reasons why the ball is starting left: 1) your body and clubface are aimed left of the target at address, which promotes an out-to-in path; or 2) you're aiming properly but the clubface is closed too much at the point of contact.
How do I stop pulling my driver?
3:224:23How To Stop Pulling Your Tee Shots - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe path to the left now you need rotation. But you need a little forward bump before that rotationMoreThe path to the left now you need rotation. But you need a little forward bump before that rotation begins if you want to control that path more out to the right.
How do I stop my iron from pulling hooks?
3:504:46Stop Pull Hooking the Golf Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDown don't try and start you know don't try and hit the ball further to the right you need to do theMoreDown don't try and start you know don't try and hit the ball further to the right you need to do the opposite to what you think it's a good grip. Good stance right foot square left foot turned.
What is a pulled golf shot?
A pulled golf shot is one that beelines off the tee to the left like a hard-hit line drive to left field. A regular pulled shot doesn’t curve in mid-air; that’s an even more serious problem with more mechanics involved. We’ll talk about cuts and hooks later, but for now, let’s talk about left-side misfires in general.
How to pull shot golf?
The only way you can even achieve a pull shot is by striking the ball on the outside face first. That is, the face of the ball that’s pointing away from your body. The ball can’t have any spin on it for it to stay on a straight flight path the way that it does. This means you’re hitting the ball at a squared off angle with the face of the club.
What happens when you land on a sidehill?
If you land on a sidehill, you run the risk of swinging down the hill and basically scooping the ball back towards you. Butch Harmon tells his golf students to lean towards the slope and swing up the slope.
How to keep your golf shot clean?
This results in a pulled golf shot. Keep your right shoulder in a bit as you start your downswing. Don’t let it flare out more in the direction of the ball. This will help you maintain your swing line to hit the ball cleanly.
What is crooked shot?
Crooked shots are the number one barrier inexperienced golfers face that holds them back from playing the game at the next level. Try as you might, there’s no way to “compensate” for badly pulled or sliced golf shots. At the end of the day, if you don’t get that shot straightened out, you’re never going to win a match.
What happens if you hit a golf ball too far ahead?
If your ball is too far ahead of you, you’ll double down on pulling because not only will you strike it with a closed club face, but you’ll be hitting it with the part of your swing that should really be part of the follow-through. I.e., you won’t make square contact with the ball.
What are the issues with golf swings?
A common fundamental issue some new golfers face is too much tension and motion in the lower body. While you definitely want to rotate and swing through all the way, the motion has to happen at the right time. One thing to watch out for – your knees. Keep them flexed throughout your follow-through.
What is a pull shot in golf?
In golf a pull – or a pulled shot – is one that sees the ball starting left of the target initially and continuing on straight that line, without lateral spin. It is in effect a straight shot that misses left of the target. Because it ultimately misses the target it constitutes a golf shot error and should be avoided.
Why do golf balls shoot left?
The reason they do is because the sidehill will promote a flatter swing that will leads to a more aggressive release of the hands. This will naturally close the clubface and send the ball to the left of the target.
Why is the ball aiming left of the target?
And because the ball shoots left of the target, it means the clubface was closed at impact and was also aiming left of the target. But it also means the swing path was outside-to-in, resulting in a clubface that is square to the club path and ultimately a pulled shot. Likely Reason #1:
How to avoid over the top swing path?
In order to avoid an over the top swing path you will need to focus on the downswing. Rather than pushing the club outside of the target line as you begin the downswing you will need to focus on bringing the club down from inside of the target line as it should, rotating around your body in the process.
What does it mean when the clubface is closed at impact?
Clubface Closed at Impact, But Square to the Club Path. For a shot to produce no side spin, the clubface must hit the ball with an angle that is square to the club path. In effect, the path the club takes must match the direction of the clubface. And because the ball shoots left of the target, it means the clubface was closed at impact ...
Why is my golf club not flat?
If the lies of your clubs – the angle between your shaft and ground at address – are too high then your club will not be flat as it will penetrate the ground. Instead, the toes will stay off the ground, which may ultimately contribute to sending the ball to the left.
Should you aim right of the target when setting up for a shot?
If you find it too difficult to alter your swing and club path – or if you’d rather keep it as is – then you can opt to simply aim right of the target when setting up for a shot.
How to stop pulling golf shots?
Simple drill to stop pulling golf shots. Place an alignment stick or a thin piece of wood in the ground a few metres in front of where you are set up. Set yourself up parallel to this target with your feet and shoulders. Practice hitting shorter shots aiming at the alignment stick, but importantly get the ball to start on a path to the right ...
How to cure a pulled shot in golf?
Try this out in your backyard! Grab a head cover or anything that can be used as a visual reference and place it about 10 inches behind the ball.
Why does my golf ball always go left?
Regardless of how good your path is coming into the golf ball, if the clubface is closed the ball will always go left. Most golfers that pull the golf ball do so because of an over the top golf swing.
Why does my golf club cut across the ball?
Most golfers tend to spin their hips and their shoulders open too early in the downswing which causes the club to cut across the golf ball and drag it left . Slices of the golf ball are notorious for this move. Instead, on the downswing try keeping your arms quieter and your back to the target a bit longer. This will force the clubhead ...
Why is it important to fix your pulled golf shots?
Fixing your pulled golf shots is just as important as fixing your golf slice as both cause lots of problems for golfers. The lag shot golf training aid helps straighten out your ball flight and hit your targets. You often make good contact with the golf ball and don’t understand why the golf ball keeps going left?
What happens when your arms and hands get too active?
When your arms and hands get too active they release the clubhead too early and close the face which leads to lots of pulled shots. Swing the golf club with the bigger muscles and let them lead the arms and hands through the downswing letting them catch up.
What is the role of the right shoulder in golf?
For a right handed golfer the right shoulder plays a major role in the downswing. As explained above when the shoulders spin too quickly it can lead to a steep downswing which results in the club path coming across the ball too much leading to a pull.
Ball position
The most common reason for a consistent pull is a poor ball position. An easy way to demonstrate how the club works on an arc through impact is laying down balls as pictured below.
Downswing drill
If your alignment and ball position are both good, the issue is likely with the swing itself. The first port of call would be to make sure you are not throwing the club outside the line at the start of the downswing.
Where should the ball go on a golf ball alignment stick?
You will want your ball to go to the right of the alignment stick, so that it curves to the left, but not so far that it pulls, while in flight. Gradually, you can work your way back and practice taking longer shots while aiming at that alignment marker.
How to work on your backswing?
After you make sure the object in question is slightly taller than your ball, you can work on your backswing. In this drill, make sure that your club doesn’t hit the object behind the ball . If it does, it means you’re coming over the top of the ball, which can cause you to pull it.
Where can you miss your impact in golf?
There are two general places you can miss with your impact – off the toe, and in off the heel. Since toe golf shots are more common than are heeled shots, it is useful to take a closer look at what causes toe hits in golf, and what can be done to correct the problem.
How to do a backswing with a golf club?
Stand upright and place a club across your shoulders, behind your neck, and hold it in place with the wrists or hands. Turn your shoulders to the right as you would when making a backswing; rotate back to the left in the same manner, all while remaining in an upright position. Repeat several times.
How to keep your spine angle on the backswing?
Rotate the shoulders slowly right, then left, as though hitting a golf ball. Keep your shoulder level consistent and level from setup to follow-through. Watch yourself perform this drill with a mirror to your right. This will show you if you’re maintaining the spine angle on the backswing.
How to swing a golf club in each direction?
The club should stay parallel to the ground as you turn in each direction. Now, move into your golf stance , bending at the hips (not the waist), with the club across the shoulders in the manner described above. Rotate the shoulders slowly right, then left , as though hitting a golf ball.
What happens when your body lifts up?
As your body lifts up, it moves the club slightly away from the ball, causing impact to occur off the toe instead of right on the sweet spot. It doesn’t take much movement from your body to throw off an otherwise good swing, so carefully review your video for even minor movements up and away from the ball.
Why is it not a strategy to get the club centered on the ball?
Leaving it up to hand-eye coordination at impact to get the club centered on the ball is not a strategy that is going to pay off because there simply isn’t enough time to manipulate the club effectively as it rips through the hitting zone.
How to check your shoulder alignment?
Check your shoulder alignment by addressing the ball and looking at the position of your arms. If your right arm is above the left, or closer to the target line, your shoulders are open. Turn the left shoulder inward until the arms are even. This is easy to check before every swing, and to correct if necessary.
How to stay down when playing golf?
To help you stay down, think about keeping your right knee flexed and your right heel on the ground for as long as possible. This encourages you to stay bent at the hips and prevents your legs from straightening and lifting the clubhead farther off the ground. FIX 2. KEEP THE RIGHT SHOULDER LOW.
What causes a ball to swing over the top of the ball?
FAULT 1. EARLY EXTENSION. As you approach impact, you lose your original address posture and spine inclination to the ground, which causes you to practically swing over the top of the ball. This is often caused by the urge to help the ball into the air. FAULT 2.
Can you dribble off the tee?
Few shots in golf are more embarrassing than the topped tee ball. Unfortunately, there’s more than one way to dribble the ball off the tee. You can swing too steeply from the outside and skim across the ball, or even drop-kick it from the inside.
