How to Stop Pulling the Golf Ball

Watching your golf ball start left of your target and stay there is an incredibly frustrating feeling that plagues new and experienced players alike. One minute you think you’ve made a good swing, the next your ball is in the left rough, or worse. This article will break down exactly what a pulled shot is, what causes it biomechanically, and most importantly, provide you with concrete, actionable drills to eliminate it from your game for good.

What Exactly is a Pulled Golf Shot?

First, let’s be clear about the terminology, because it matters. A pulled shot is a golf ball that starts left of the target line (for a right-handed golfer) and flies on a relatively straight path. It doesn't have significant curve. This is different from a hook, which is a ball that starts at or even right of the target before curving aggressively to the left during its flight.

This distinction is vital because the fixes are very different. A hook is primarily a clubface issue (the face is too "closed" or pointing too far left at impact relative to your swing path). A pull, however, is almost entirely a swing path issue. Your clubface is actually square to the direction you're swinging, but the direction you're swinging is wrong.

The core cause of a pull is an “out-to-in” swing path. Imagine two lines running parallel towards your target, like railroad tracks. Your golf ball is on the inner track. An ideal swing comes from the inside of that track, strikes the ball, and moves back towards the inside. An out-to-in path means your clubhead approaches the ball from outside that track and cuts across it, moving towards the inside after impact. Because your clubface is square to this leftward path, the ball shoots off straight, but left.

Diagnosing the Cause: Setup Flaws

Before you even begin your swing, your setup can be programming you to pull the ball. An out-to-in motion is often a compensation for a flaw you’ve unknowingly built into your address position. Here are the most common culprits.

Poor Alignment

This is the number one cause I see in amateur golfers. Many players who pull the ball are actually aimed correctly with their feet but have their shoulders aligned well left of the target. Your body will instinctively follow the direction your shoulders are pointing. Take your regular setup and place a club or alignment stick across your chest pointing forwards. Where does it point? If it’s aiming at your target, you're good. More likely, you'll find it's aimed at the left rough.

Another common mistake is having your body (feet, hips, and shoulders) aimed to the right of the target. Your brain knows where the target is, so to get the ball back online, you instinctively reroute the club over the top and cut across the ball, producing a pull. The perfect setup feels like standing on railroad tracks: your feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the target line, while the clubface is aimed directly at the target.

• The Fix: Lay two alignment sticks on the ground. Place one just outside your ball, pointing directly at your target. Place the other one parallel to the first, just inside your feet. Now, when you set up, make sure your toes, knees, hips, and shoulders are all parallel to that second stick. This ensures your entire body is square to the target line.

Ball Position Problems

Your ball position has a massive influence on the club's path. As a general rule for irons, the ball should be positioned in the center of your stance for shorter irons (like a 9-iron or wedge), and gradually move forward as the clubs get longer. The longest iron, like a 5-iron, should be a ball or two forward of center.

If your ball position is too far back in your stance, especially with mid-to-short irons, your downswing doesn’t have enough time to “shallow out” and approach from the inside. Your body is still turning as you reach the ball, and the club comes down steeply and from the outside, resulting in a pull. Conversely, a position that's too far forward can also cause issues but typically leads to thins or slices more than pulls.

• The Fix: When practicing, place an alignment stick on the ground perpendicular to your target line, directly in the middle of your stance. Start with a wedge and ensure the ball is right on this line. As you move to an 8-iron, move the ball just an inch in front of the line. For a 6-iron, another inch. This simple visual cue helps you stay consistent.

Diagnosing the Cause: Swing & Sequence Faults

If your setup is sound, the problem lies within your motion. The pivot to the top and, more importantly, the transition back down are where the “over-the-top” move is born.

The "Lunge" from the Top

This is the classic over-the-top move and feels like an aggressive lunge toward the ball with your upper body. After you complete your backswing, the very first thing that moves is your right shoulder (for a righty), your arms, and your hands. They throw the club out away from your body, putting it "over the plane" and outside the target line. From there, the only path to the ball is a steep, cutting-across motion.

A good golf swing is sequenced from the ground up. The downswing should start with a feeling of your lead hip turning out of the way or a slight shift of pressure to your lead foot. This allows the arms and club to "drop" down on plane behind you before you rotate through impact. Starting with the upper body kills this sequence instantly.

A Lack of Backswing Depth

Many golfers make a backswing that is all "lift" and no "turn." They pick the club straight up with their arms but fail to rotate their torso and hips. Think about "depth" as how far behind you your hands get at the top of the swing. If you only lift the club up, your hands will be high above your head, and the only path down is steeply over the top.

A good backswing combines rotation with some arm lift. As your shoulders and torso turn away from the target, your hands should feel like they are moving both up and in, behind your right shoulder. This creates space and puts the club in a powerful position to attack the ball from the inside.

Actionable Drills to Stop Pulling the Golf Ball

Reading about the concept is one thing, feeling the correct motion is another. These drills are designed to give you instant feedback and retrain your muscle memory to swing from the inside.

Drill #1: The Headcover Blocker

This is the most effective drill for providing immediate, undeniable feedback on your swing path.

1. Set up to a golf ball as normal.
2. Take an empty headcover or a water bottle and place it on the ground about 12-18 inches outside of your target line and about 12 inches behind your golf ball.
3. The goal is simple: make a swing and hit the golf ball without hitting the headcover.

If you make your typical over-the-top swing, you will clobber the headcover on your downswing. To avoid it, your body will be forced to drop the club into the "slot" and approach the ball from the inside. At first, you may hit some pushes or even slices - that’s a great sign! It means you've successfully changed your path. Now you just need to work on releasing the clubface naturally.

Drill #2: The Feet-Together Sequence Drill

This drill is exceptional for fixing the "lunge" from the top and engraining the proper downswing sequence.

1. Address the ball with your feet completely together, ball in the center.
2. Take your normal backswing. Your rotation will feel a bit restricted, that's okay.
3. To start the downswing, step your left foot out towards the target, planting it back into its normal address position.
4. Only after your left foot is planted should you feel the rest of your body unwind and swing through to impact.

By forcing you to take a step with your lower body to initiate the downswing, you literally cannot start with an upper-body lunge. It neurologically re-wires your sequence, creating a powerful feeling of the lower body leading and the upper body following.

Drill #3: The Gate Drill

This drill changes your visual intention, which can have a powerful effect on your swing path.

1. Take two tall tees or two headcovers.
2. Place one about a foot in front of the ball and slightly to the inside of your target line.
3. Place the other one a foot in front of the ball and slightly to the outside of your target line. Create a "gate" that is a few inches wide.
4. Angle the gate so it points slightly to the right of your ultimate target (maybe at a tree on the right side of the fairway).
5. Your only goal is to hit the ball so that it travels through the gate.

By giving yourself an intermediate target that is right of your final target, you will subconsciously reroute your swing path to be more "in-to-out." This is a fantastic way to train the feeling of swinging out towards first base (for a righty) instead of pulling across toward third.

Final Thoughts

To stop pulling the golf ball, you must correct your out-to-in swing path. Begin by checking your setup alignment and ball position meticulously, and then use targeted drills to retrain your swing sequence so your lower body leads and the club attacks the ball from the inside.

Mastering a new feel in your swing can feel awkward at first, and having instant, reliable advice is a game-changer. It's tough to self-diagnose on the course or range, and questions will always pop up. When you feel lost between trying to fix a pull and managing the shot in front of you, a clear second opinion helps you commit. With on-demand access to a tool like Caddie AI, you can immediately get shot-specific strategy or ask deeper questions about ball flight laws right in the moment, helping you understand not just *what* to do, but *why* you are doing it.