Nothing sours a round of golf faster than seeing your ball start left of the target and then snap even further left. That destructive, low-diving shot is the dreaded pull hook, and it can turn a promising birdie chance into a fight for bogey or worse. This article will break down exactly why the pull hook happens and provide you with a clear, step-by-step plan - including our favorite drills - to banish it from your game for good.
First, let’s get on the same page about what this shot really is. A pull hook is a ball flight that starts to the left of your intended target line and then curves even more to the left (for a right-handed golfer). It’s often a low, powerful shot, but all that power is going in the wrong direction, usually OB, into the woods, or a water hazard.
To understand the fix, you need to understand the cause, which comes down to two interacting factors at impact: a golfer's swing path, and their clubface angle.
Simply put: an out-to-in path plus a closed clubface equals a pull hook. To fix it, we need to address both of these issues by working our way back from setup to the downswing itself.
Most swing flaws don't just happen out of nowhere. A pull hook is usually the result of a chain reaction that starts before you even move the club. Let's look at the most common culprits so you can identify where things might be going wrong in your own swing.
The foundation of every good golf shot is a solid setup. If you're pre-set for a pull hook, you’re making it much harder on yourself before the swing even begins. Two areas are especially important: your alignment and your grip.
Ironically, many golfers who pull hook are not actually aimed left. Often, they are aimed too far to the right. Their body line (feet, hips, shoulders) points right of the target. Then, to get the ball back to the target, they are forced to swing "over the top" with their arms and shoulders on an out-to-in path. Sound familiar? Their swing instinctively reroutes the club to hit the ball toward the target, creating the pull motion. Another common alignment fault is having the shoulders open (aimed left of the target line) while the feet are square. This pre-sets an out-to-in path right from the start.
The Fix: Use alignment sticks. Place one stick on the ground pointing at your target. Place a second stick parallel to the first, just outside your golf ball, to represent your swing path starting line. Now, set your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to these sticks. It may feel odd at first, but this gives you a neutral canvas to work from.
Your grip is your steering wheel, directly controlling the clubface. A lot of pull hooks come from a "strong" grip. This doesn't mean you're squeezing too hard, it’s about hand position. A strong grip is one where your hands are rotated too far to the right on the club (for a right-handed player).
This kind of grip naturally encourages the clubface to shut or close aggressively through impact, turning a straight shot into a hook and a pull into a pull hook.
The Fix: We want a "neutral" grip. Place your left hand on the club so you can see only two knuckles when you look down. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point towards your right shoulder. For the right hand, a great position to place the grip is so the middle of your right palm sits on the side of your left thumb. The "V" on your right hand should mirror the left, also pointing roughly at your right shoulder. It might feel strange, but this position gives you much better control over a square clubface.
If your setup is solid, the next place to look is the transition - that millisecond moment where the backswing stops and the downswing starts. This is where most pull hooks are born.
The cardinal sin that causes an out-to-in path is the infamous "over the top" move. It happens when your first move down from the top of the swing is dominated by your upper body - your shoulders and arms lurch out towards the ball. This throws the club onto that steep, out-to-in plane immediately.
What causes this? It's often a sequencing issue. The ideal downswing starts from the ground up: the hips initiate the turn, followed by the torso, then the arms, and finally the club. An over-the-top player reverses this. They start with the hands and arms, leaving the lower body behind. This can happen from a desire to hit the ball hard, but it kills both power and accuracy.
The Fix: The core feeling you want is for the club to "shallow" or "drop" into a position behind you as you start the downswing. A great mental image is letting your right elbow (for right-handers) tuck into your side as you start your turn. Another great feel is to imagine you are starting the downswing by letting the butt of the club drop straight down toward the ground before you start uncoiling your body. This holds the club back just long enough for your lower body to lead the way, setting you on an in-to-out path.
Understanding the theory is one thing, but you need to take it to the range to ingrain new feelings. Here are three simple-to-set-up drills that directly address the causes of a pull hook.
This is a classic drill for fixing an out-to-in path because it provides instant, undeniable feedback.
If you come over the top (out-to-in), your club will likely strike the outside ball first. If you swing too far from the inside, you will hit the inside-back ball. This drill forces you to find that neutral, inside approach to the ball. Start with slow, half swings until you can consistently miss the "gate" balls, then gradually build up your speed.
This drill is all about getting the feel for a proper downswing sequence instead of the upper-body-first lunge that causes a pull hook.
This drill helps reprogram your muscle memory, teaching your body how to initiate the downswing correctly without you having to consciously think about ten things at once.
A frantic, armsy swing is often an off-balance one. This drill restores tempo and encourages your body to rotate as a single, connected unit.
This drill forces you to slow down and use your body's core rotation for power rather than a wild lunge. It smooths out your transition and naturally helps your club approach the ball from the inside, as it's nearly impossible to come over the top from this position without falling over.
Fixing a pull hook comes down to correcting two things: a swing path that comes from out-to-in and a clubface that is closed to that path. By checking your setup, focusing on a body-led downswing sequence, and using targeted drills, you can transform that shot into a gentle draw or a straight flight.
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