That familiar, frustrating ball flight - starting to the right of your target and then weakly curving even further right - can leave any golfer feeling defeated. This shot, the push fade, signals a disconnect between your swing's path and the club's face angle at impact. This article will break down exactly what causes the push fade in clear, simple terms and provide practical, on-the-range drills to help you straighten out your shots for good.
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Understanding the Push Fade: What's Really Happening?
Before we can fix the problem, we have to understand the two parts that create this shot shape. Think of it as a two-part error: the "push" and the "fade." Modern ball flight technology tells us a lot about this combination, and it might be different from what you've heard before.
The "Push" Component (Start Direction): The initial starting direction of the golf ball is determined almost entirely by the direction your clubface is pointing at impact. If the ball starts to the right of your target, your clubface was open to that target line the moment you struck the ball. It's that simple. The direction the face points is where the ball starts.
The "Fade" Component (Curvature): The spin that makes the ball curve is created by the relationship between your clubface and your swing path. The ball curves away from the swing path. For a fade to happen, your swing path must be traveling to the left of where your clubface is aiming.
So, a push fade happens when:
Your clubface is open to the target line, making the ball start right.
Your swing path is to the left of that open clubface, making the ball curve right.
For example, if your face is pointed 5 degrees right of the target and your path is moving 2 degrees right of the target, the ball will start right and curve farther right. The goal is to get both the path and face pointing directly at your target at impact.
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More often than not, a persistent push fade begins before you even start the club back. Your setup dictates a huge portion of what will happen in your swing. A small error in how you address the ball can force you into a chain reaction of compensations that ultimately results in that rightward shot.
Common Alignment Flaws
Aiming the Body Right: This is a massive one. Many golfers unintentionally align their feet, hips, and shoulders well to the right of their actual target. From this aligned-right position, they feel like they have to "pull" the club back across their body to get it online at impact. This action often causes them to leave the clubface open, resulting in a classic push or push fade.
Aiming the Body Left (Over-Compensation): Conversely, a player who has been slicing the ball for a long time might start aiming their body far to the left to "play" for the slice. This can promote an over-the-top motion where the player feels like they have to cut across the ball, but if they get stuck underneath, the path can shoot out to the right with an open face in tow.
Ball Position Too Far Back: Playing the ball too far back in your stance, especially with longer clubs, is another common cause. When the ball is too far back, you make contact with it earlier in the swing's arc. At this point, the clubface has not had enough time to rotate shut and square itself to the target. An impact with the face still naturally "open" is almost guaranteed, sending the ball out to the right.
Cause #2: An "In-to-Out" Swing Path Gone Wrong
Countless golfers have been told they need a more "in-to-out" swing path to cure their slice. While well-intentioned, this advice can be over-applied and can actually create the push fade. When a golfer exaggerates this feeling, they often drop the club too far behind their body on the downswing.
Getting "Stuck"
This is a term you've probably heard tour pros and commentators mention. Getting "stuck" means your arms and the club have fallen too far behind the rotation of your body during the downswing. Your body turns, but your arms get trapped behind your right hip (for a right-handed player).
From this stuck position, you have very few options to get the club back to the ball:
You can stall your body rotation and violently flip your hands over to try and save the shot. This is inconsistent and often leads to a hook.
You can keep rotating your body while your arms are still trailing far behind. This forces an extremely in-to-out path and makes it nearly impossible for the clubface to square up in time. It hangs open, leading directly to a big push or a push fade.
The feeling is one of being crowded, having no room to swing, and rushing through impact. The technical cause is often a downswing where the hips slide too aggressively toward the target rather than rotating, leaving the arms and club lagging too far behind.
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Cause #3: Open Clubface - The Real Ignition Switch
Ultimately, a push fade cannot happen without an open clubface. Even with a well-intentioned path, if the clubface isn't square at the point of impact, you're not going to get the result you want. This is the final piece of the puzzle and often stems from one simple thing: your grip.
The "Weak" Grip Problem
Your grip is the steering wheel for the clubface. A "weak" grip is one where your hands are rotated too far to the left (toward the target) on the handle.
A quick check for your lead hand (left hand for righties): Look down at your grip at address. If you can only see one knuckle, or maybe not even one, your grip is likely too weak. This position makes it physically difficult to rotate the clubface closed through impact. Your anatomy will fight against you, and the face will have a strong tendency to remain open.
A neutral grip: You should comfortably see two, to perhaps two-and-a-half, knuckles on your lead hand. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point somewhere between your chin and your trail shoulder. This position empowers your forearms to rotate naturally and square the clubface without extra effort.
Rotational Errors in the Swing
Aside from the grip, other factors can leave the face open:
The Takeaway: Many golfers immediately fan the clubface open as the first move away from the ball. They roll their wrists instead of turning their chest, shoulders, and arms together in a one-piece motion.
Stalling Body Rotation: If your hips and torso stop turning through the impact zone, your arms have to take over completely. This often results in a "flippy," handsy release or, more commonly for a push fade, the arms just can't keep up and the face gets left wide open. The body needs to lead the way to give the arms and hands the time and space to release the club properly.
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Knowing the cause is one thing, fixing it is another. These drills are designed to give you the feels you need to straighten your ball flight.
Drill 1: The Alignment Station
This is a fundamental you should do at the start of every practice session.
Place an alignment stick (or golf club) on the ground just outside your golf ball, pointing directly at your target. This is your target line.
Place a second alignment stick parallel to the first one, but just inside your feet. This is your body line.
At address, make sure the lines of your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders are all parallel to the second stick. This removes any guesswork and ensures you're set up square to your target.
Drill 2: The Two-Tee Gate Drill
This drill is fantastic for coordinating your clubface and path.
Place a ball on the ground as you normally would.
Place one tee in the ground about a foot in front of the ball and just slightly outside the target line.
Place a second tee a foot in front of the ball and just slightly inside the target line. You've created a small "gate" that the ball needs to pass through.
Your goal is to hit the ball and have it start through the gate. This visually forces you to deliver a clubface and a path that are going toward the target, not out to the right.
Drill 3: Release Rotation Practice
If a weak grip and poor release are your issues, this drill builds the correct forearm rotation.
Take your normal setup without a ball.
Make a slow, half-speed backswing.
On the downswing, focus entirely on the feeling of your right forearm rotating over your left forearm through the "impact zone."
Watch the clubhead. You should see the clubface go from square (in front of you) to closed (pointing to the left) as your arms extend. It's the feeling of "letting the clubhead go."
Start with chip-sized swings and gradually work your way up to full speed. This isolates the feeling of releasing the club, which is what squares the face.
Final Thoughts
The push fade is a frustrating shot, but it is entirely fixable because it has very mechanical causes related to path, face, and setup. By first checking your alignment, monitoring your swing path, and ensuring your grip allows you to properly release the club, you can eliminate the root causes and begin hitting straighter, more powerful shots.
Understanding these swing dynamics on the course is hard, especially when you feel stuck or unsure of the right play. This is precisely why we developed a tool like Caddie AI. If you're struggling with a recurring shot shape like a push fade, you can analyze your shots to spot patterns. If you're on a challenging tee box, you can get instant strategic advice on the smartest way to play the hole, helping you avoid the big mistakes and play with more confidence and less guesswork.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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