A pull in golf happens when a shot starts to the left of your target line and continues to fly straight along that initial path, never curving back. This guide will walk you through exactly what causes a pull, how to distinguish it from other left misses, and provide a clear, step-by-step plan with actionable drills to get your ball flying straight at the flag again.
There's nothing more frustrating than seeing your ball sail left of the target, but "left" can mean different things. Before you can fix the problem, you need to be a good detective and correctly identify your specific ball flight. A pull is just one of three common left misses for a right-handed golfer (the directions are opposite for lefties).
Understanding the difference is so important because each one has a slightly different cause and, therefore, a different fix.
To identify your shot, pick a very specific aiming point on the range - a flag, a yardage sign, a single tree - and pay close attention to where your ball starts in relation to that target. If it consistently starts left and stays straight, congratulations, you've diagnosed a pull. And the good news? A pull is often easier to correct than a hook.
So, why does a pull happen? It comes down to a simple mismatch between your swing direction (your swing path) and your target line.
In a perfect, straight shot, two things are in harmony: your clubface is square to the target at impact, and your club is traveling directly down the target line through the ball. In golf terms, this is a "square" clubface and a "square" swing path.
A pulled shot, however, involves two key elements:
Think of it like this: your entire swing is perfectly aligned, but it's aligned to a target that is 10, 20, or 30 yards left of where you actually want the ball to go. The cause is your swing path, so let's look at the most common reasons golfers develop an "out-to-in" swing.
Now that we know an out-to-in path is the offender, we can investigate the root causes in your setup and swing. More often than not, one of these four issues is the source of a pulled shot.
This is the most common cause of a pull and, thankfully, the easiest to fix. Many golfers meticulously aim their clubface at the target but then unconsciously set their body - feet, hips, and shoulders - to aim left. Your body is a clever machine, it tends to swing the club along the line it's aligned to.
If your shoulders are aimed 20 yards left of the fairway, your natural swing path will follow that shoulder line, sending the ball on a direct flight... 20 yards left of the fairway.
This is where alignment sticks become your best friends at the driving range. If you don't have them, you can use any other golf club.
If you've confirmed your alignment is good, the next likely culprit is a classic swing flaw known as coming "over the top." This happens during the transition from the backswing to the downswing.
An over-the-top move occurs when the first movement down from the top is initiated by your shoulders and arms, rather than your lower body. Your right shoulder (for a right-handed golfer) lurches forward toward the ball, throwing the club onto a steep, outside path that cuts across the ball from out-to-in. This is the definition of the path that causes a pull.
The feeling you want is for the club to "drop" into the slot on the way down, allowing it to approach the ball from the inside, not from the outside. Here's a great drill to force that feeling:
Your golf swing moves on an arc. The club begins on an inside path, moves to square at the bottom of the arc, and then returns to an inside path after impact. Where your ball is positioned along this arc is really important.
If your ball position is too far forward in your stance for the club you're hitting, you're making contact when the clubhead has already passed the low point of the swing and is beginning to travel back to the inside (to the left). Even if your swing plane is perfect, this late impact forces an out-to-in contact relative to the ball, resulting in a pull.
A consistent ball position is a pillar of a consistent golf swing. While there are slight personal preferences, here is a fantastic starting point for every club in your bag:
Power and path control in the golf swing come from proper sequencing, where the body leads and the arms follow. A "stalled rotation" happens when your hips and torso stop turning through the shot too early. When this big turn stops, your arms and hands are left with nowhere to go. To finish the swing, they are forced to take over and pull the club aggressively across your body and to the left.
The feeling is one of getting "stuck." Instead of the whole body rotating through impact like a unit, it feels like only your arms are completing the swing. This almost always leads to a steep, out-to-in path.
The goal is to feel like your belt buckle is facing the target at the finish position. This ensures your lower body kept turning and gave your arms the space to swing down the line.
A pulled shot can feel stubborn, but it almost always comes from one of four simple causes: poor body alignment, an over-the-top motion, incorrect ball position, or stalling your body rotation. By methodically checking each one and using the drills described above, you can confidently diagnose your issue and replace that frustrating pull with a powerful, straight shot.
Of course, knowing what might be wrong in theory and feeling it in your an own swing are two different things. This is where getting objective feedback can make a huge difference. For instance, with our Caddie AI app, you have an expert golf coach in your pocket 24/7. When you’re on the range hitting pulls and don't know why, you can describe your shot and get instant instruction on potential causes and fixes. You can even take a photo of a problematic lie on the course to get immediate advice, removing the guesswork so you can swing with confidence.
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