Why Do I Hit the Golf Ball to the Left?
- Club Face Contact. Regardless of the swing mechanics that may cause a poor golf swing, the ultimate cause of any bad golf shot lies in the way the club face ...
- Upper Body Rotation. One of the most common causes of hitting a golf ball left is an over-rotation of your upper body. ...
- Closed Club Face. ...
- Alignment. ...
- Ball Flight. ...
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.
Why do I keep hitting the golf ball left?
One of the most common causes of hitting a golf ball left is an over-rotation of your upper body. In order to make proper club contact, your upper and lower body should move as a unit through the golf ball.
Why does my shot always go left of the target?
There are a variety of reasons that your shot could end up going left of the target whether you drew the ball too much or did not fade it quite enough. The problem with the pulled shot is that the ball starts left of the target, in a direction that you did not think you were aiming.
Can a left-handed golfer hit a push?
Here is Roger Gunn's checklist for a left-handed golfer hitting a push: Grip: The grip is not normally a factor with a push. Set-up: Make sure you aren't aiming too far to the left of the target line, or that your shoulders are aligned too far to the left.
Why am I pulling my golf shots to the left?
Work On Keeping Your Swing Closed Longer | One common cause of pulling your ball is opening your shot too early and not keeping your back to your intended target long enough. By opening your swing too early, your arms move too much, and your swing gets out of whack, which can cause you to pull the ball.
How do I stop my irons from going to the left?
3:035:42Why You Pull Your Irons + How to Stop It For Good! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSet up and then trying to move the club. Inside hitting the ball and avoiding. That head cover. I'llMoreSet up and then trying to move the club. Inside hitting the ball and avoiding. That head cover. I'll take that. Now that's not too bad at all so I just move the club slightly. From the inside path.
How do I stop hitting my left in golf?
While it's easy to think you are coming over the top, sometimes you might just be aimed left of the target. Instead of pulling the golf ball you're actually hitting it dead straight. To check alignment, use two alignment rods or clubs to make sure you are setting up square to the target.
Why do I always hit my irons left?
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 my short irons left?
3:566:24Pulling Short Irons Left Hit Them Laser Straight - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat you make sure you get those hips and those shoulders rotating properly make sure you get theMoreThat you make sure you get those hips and those shoulders rotating properly make sure you get the full turn depending on obviously how far you've got to hit it but get the full rotation.
Why do my wedge shots go left?
0:011:06A Drill for Pulled Wedges | Fix Finder #52 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you're pulling your approach wedge shots into the green the likelihood is you're getting too muchMoreIf you're pulling your approach wedge shots into the green the likelihood is you're getting too much of a one-piece takeaway which closes the face.
Likely Reason #1:Are You Aligned Left of The Target?
Before digging further into the causes of your pulled shots you need to make sure they do not happen simply as a result of bad alignment prior to h...
Likely Reason #2:Outside-In Swing and Strong Grip?
If you are correctly aiming at the target and are using a square stance to the target yet are still producing pull shots then your club path is mos...
Related Golf Swing Errors
The reason your club path might be of the outside-in variety may have something to do with an infamous golf swing error. Indeed, it is quite possib...
Why do golfers pull their arms to the left?
If a golfer has good rotation to the left, but then activates his arms too early by trying to apply clubhead speed with the arms, the arms will often be thrown over the top of the swing plane causing the ball to be pulled to the left. It is critical for the arms to stay more passive in the early stages of the downswing so ...
Why do the arms of a golf club close prematurely?
But when the body stops its rotation, the arms will be flung past due to centrifugal force. This causes the arms to outrace the body and the club face to close prematurely.
How do arms stay in a golf swing?
The arms stay passive in a proper Rotary Swing. The proper golf swing, in a one plane swing, the proper motion of the arms is simply for them to stay passive and relaxed. They don't require any effort. This golf swing should feel very, very effortless when you use your body correctly.
What is the spine in a golf swing?
In the Rotary Golf Swing, the spine is acting like an axis for the body and arms to rotate around. Because they arms and club are furthest away from the axis, they, of course, move the fastest. This, in turn, makes them more difficult to control through impact.
What is the most common miss in golf?
One of the most common misses in golfers learning the one plane swing is pulls or misses to the left. This is a very, very common cause. I see it all the time, every day that I teach. It's a very, very simple thing to fix, but you just have to understand what's causing this. When you swing to the back of the one plane swing, ...
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 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.
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 ...
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.
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 avoid hooking the ball off the tee?
To avoid hooking the ball off the tee, all-time golf great Jack Nicklaus recommends playing a controlled fade, a shot which moves from left to right. To hit this shot take a smooth backswing “with very little wrist action,” Nicklaus says. At impact, be sure the palm of your right hand faces the target, and keep your right hand below ...
What is a hook shot in golf?
When a right-handed golfer’s tee shot curves to far to the left, the shot is described as a “hook.”. This shot typically occurs when the club head moves across the ball from left to right, imparting side-spin on the ball.
What does Rick Smith mean by "keep turning"?
Teaching pro Rick Smith says a slow body turn is often the culprit when a player hits a hook. He advises players to “keep turning” on the follow-through. Smith says the midpoint of your body -- he refers to the “shirt buttons and belt buckle” -- should be aimed to the left of your target when you’ve completed your follow-threw.
Can a golfer throw a curve ball to the left?
This is the same method by which a baseball pitcher throws a curve ball, but in the golfer’s case the excessive spin is unintentional. There are mechanical fixes that can help prevent a right-handed golfer from hooking the ball to the left, or a lefty from driving the ball too far to the right.
Why does my shot go left of the target?
There are a variety of reasons that your shot could end up going left of the target whether you drew the ball too much or did not fade it quite enough. The problem with the pulled shot is that the ball starts left of the target, in a direction that you did not think you were aiming. It is like everything else went right except for the direction ...
Why does my golf club face close?
If your stance is too closed, meaning your front foot is too far forward, it can also cause your club face to close at impact. A good stance allows for a controlled and athletic swing, but a poor stance forces you to reach or adjust your swing when the ball is too close or too far away.
What are the different types of pulled shots?
3 Types of Pulled Golf Shots. In each of the 3 types of pulled shots, the ball starts left. The pull/fade is the least bad of the shots, but you never want to pull the golf ball consistently. 1. Pull Fade/Slice. A pull fade/slice is when the ball starts left and then moves back toward athe right. You may be thinking that this is what you want your ...
What happens if your golf club shaft is too short?
If your shaft is too flexible or not flexible enough, you can pull the ball. Also, if your clubs are too short and make you reach or too long and force you to put the ball too far forward in your stance, you have the wrong clubs. I would suggest getting fitted for clubs and allow the golf pro to tell you which clubs fit best with your height, power, and swing.
What is the first move in golf?
Your first move when you start the swing, your takeaway, usually dictates how your downswing will go. Many golfers, when they are struggling with their golf game, immediately try to fix what is wrong at the top of their swing or during their downswing.
What does it mean when a golf club is pointed in the right direction?
Alignment sticks (or a golf club pointed in the right direction) can show you the natural direction the ball should be taking based on where you are aiming. If you are aiming left, you may not actually be pulling the ball, you may just be hitting a good shot aimed in the wrong direction.
How to get a better grip on a golf club?
If your grip is too strong for your swing, you may just have to move to a more neutral grip. Simply rotate your hands backward on the club until the “V” shape between your thumb and index finger are pointing straight down or slightly backward. A strong grip helps players who slice the ball or who desire to draw the ball, but it can also cause your club face to be closed at impact.
What causes a bad golf shot?
Club Face Contact. Regardless of the swing mechanics that may cause a poor golf swing, the ultimate cause of any bad golf shot lies in the way the club face hits the golf ball. Any correction you make to your golf swing should have proper club fact contact as its ultimate objective.
Why does my golf ball curve left?
Even if your body is in proper alignment at the point of impact, your ball may curve to the left after you hit it. Known as a hook, this is due to a closed club face. A closed club face is one in which the toe of the golf club, or the point furthest away from you, reaches the ball before the inner half of your club. This will impart a right-to-left spin to the ball, causing it to curve towards the left as it heads away from you.
What direction should your feet point when hitting a golf ball?
When you line up to hit your golf ball, your feet should point in a perpendicular line to where you want the ball to go. If your alignment at address is to the left, a correct golf swing will send the golf ball to the left as well.
What does it mean when your golf ball flies in a straight line to the left?
If your ball flies in a straight line to the left, then your club face is striking the ball squarely.
What is the objective of golf?
By: John Csiszar. Published: 08 July, 2011. The objective of golf is generally to hit the ball in a straight line in an effort to achieve a low score. Hitting the ball right or left of the intended target is one of the fundamental causes of bad golf scores.
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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
