There's nothing more frustrating than flushing a golf shot, feeling that pure compression, only to look up and see the ball flying straight as an arrow… straight into the left-side rough. That shot, the one that starts left and stays left without any curve, is the infamous dead pull. It feels powerful but leaves you in a terrible position. This article will show you exactly what causes the dead pull and give you the practical steps and drills needed to start hitting the ball directly at your target.
First, let's get our terms right. A dead pull is different from a pull-hook. A hook starts left (or straight) and then curves dramatically further left. The "dead pull" is a shot that starts left of the target line and flies on a relatively straight path, landing left of the target.
The confusing part for many golfers is that the ball flight is straight. A straight-flying ball often feels like a well-struck shot, and in many ways, it is! The problem isn't how you hit the ball, but the direction you swung the club. This distinction is the first step to fixing the problem for good.
Every golf shot's starting direction and curve is determined by two factors: the swing path and the club face angle_ at impact. To understand the pull, imagine your target line as Main Street running directly toward the flag.
Think of it like this: your swing path decides the initial direction, and the relationship between the path and face decides the curve. Because your face was square to your out-to-in path, the ball shot straight down that incorrect line. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get your swing path travelling down Main Street, or even slightly from the inside-out.
Now that we understand the technical reason - an out-to-in path - let's look at the common swing faults that produce it. Most golfers who pull the ball are struggling with one or more of these four things.
This is the most common and easily fixed cause of a dead pull. Many golfers do everything right in their swing but have simply aimed their body to the left of the target before they even start. If your feet, hips, and shoulders are aligned left, your body will naturally swing along that line, producing an out-to-in path relative to the actual target.
You might be aiming left and not even realize it. On the practice range, it's easy to get complacent and allow your body to drift open (for a right-handed golfer, open means aimed to the left). This mistake makes a pull almost unavoidable.
Committing to this process for every shot on the range will re-train your eyes and body to understand what 'square' truly feels like. After a while, it becomes automatic.
This is the monster under the bed for so many amateur golfers. The "over the top" move happens at the start of the downswing. Instead of letting the lower body initiate the swing and allowing the club to drop onto a shallow plane, the golfer's first move is an aggressive push or lunge with the right shoulder and arms.
This lunge throws the club head "over the top" of the correct swing plane and onto a steep, out-to-in path. From there, your only option is to cut across the ball. If you manage to square the face to that path at impact, you get a dead pull. If the face is open to the path, you get a weak slice. The over-the-top move is a recipe for inconsistency.
This fault is a close cousin of the over-the-top move. A steep downswing means the club is moving downward at too sharp an angle, more like you're chopping wood than swinging a golf club on an arc. This often happens when a player does not use their body to rotate through the shot. Instead, they lift and heave with their arms and chest.
The downswing is a chain reaction. It should start from the ground up: your weight shifts, your hips begin to open, your torso unwinds, and then the arms and club follow. A player who pulls the ball often stalls their hip rotation early and dominates the swing with their upper body. This creates that steep, outward-to-inward path.
Try the "Step-Through Drill". Set up normally to a ball, but bring your feet together. As you swing back, take a small step forward with your lead foot (your left foot for a righty), planting it back in its normal position. As you swing down, your momentum should naturally cause you to continue rotating and step through with your trail foot, almost like you're throwing a baseball. You can't perform this drill without rotating your hips. It forces your lower body to lead the way and teaches you what a dynamic, flowing finish feels like.
Finally, another simple but often overlooked cause is ball position. If the ball is placed too far forward in your stance for the club you are hitting, your club will have already reached the bottom of its arc and started traveling back up and to the inside. Hitting the ball at this point guarantees an out-to-in path relative to the target.
Many golfers make the mistake of playing every iron from the same "driver" position. Verifying your ball position with an alignment stick is one of the quickest ways to clean up contact and direction.
The dead pull can be a stubborn, frustrating shot, but it tells a very specific story about your swing path. By fixing the root causes - poor alignment, an over-the-top motion, a steep downswing, or flawed ball position - you can eliminate it from your game. Work through these fixes methodically, use alignment sticks, and trust the feedback from the drills.
Sometimes, seeing your own patterns clearly is the hardest part of improving. That's precisely why our team developed Caddie AI. On the course, you can take a picture of a difficult lie or ask for a simple strategy to avoid trouble after pulling a tee shot, getting smart, practical advice in seconds. It allows you to ask any question about your swing or strategy, helping you connect the feeling you have with the shot you just produced, all without judgment so you can play with greater confidence.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
