Why Do I Pull My Iron Shots in Golf?

Watching your iron shot start left of your target and fly dead straight on that line is one of golf’s most frustrating sights. It feels like you made a powerful, solid swing, but the ball simply refuses to cooperate, ending up in the bunker or rough you were consciously trying to avoid. If that story sounds familiar, you're not alone. This article will break down the commons causes of a pulled iron shot and provide you with clear, practical fixes to get your ball flying at the pin again.

First, Let's Understand the Pulled Shot

Before we can fix the problem, we need to speak the same language. Golfers often use terms like "hook" and "pull" interchangeably, but they describe very different ball flights. Understanding the difference is the first step in diagnosing your issue.

• A Pull: For a right-handed golfer, a pull is a shot that starts left of the target line and flies relatively straight on that starting line. It doesn't have much sideways curvature. The culprit here is a swing path that is "out-to-in" combined with a clubface that is square to that same path.
• A Hook: A hook starts to the right of the target, straight at the target, or slightly left of the target, and then curves aggressively to the left during its flight. A severe hook is caused by a clubface that is significantly closed (pointing left) relative to the swing path at impact.
• A Pull-Hook: This is the dreaded double-cross. The shot starts left of your target line (the pull) and then curves even further left in the air (the hook). It's a combination of an out-to-in swing path and a closed clubface.

This article will focus specifically on the straight pull, as it’s one of the most common misses for amateur golfers and is often caused by a handful of correctable swing faults.

Cause #1: Your Alignment is Lying to You

This is the most frequent and easiest-to-fix reason for a pulled shot. So many golfers who think they have a major swing flaw are simply not aimed where they think they are. More often than not, golfers unconsciously align their body - specifically their feet, hips, and shoulders - to the left of their intended target.

Why does this happen? Frequently, it’s a leftover compensation from trying to fix a slice. Golfers who slice (the ball curving to the right) learn to aim left to allow the ball to curve back toward the target. Over time, that "aim left" setup becomes their default. Then, one day they make a good swing where the club path and face are perfectly matched, but because they're aimed left, the ball flies straight left - a pull.

You can hit what feels like a perfect shot, but if your body's "railway tracks" are pointed into the left rough, that's where the ball is going to go.

The Fix: The trusty Alignment Stick Drill

This fix doesn't require any fancy swing thoughts, just a dose of honesty about where you're aiming.

1. Pick a clear target in the distance (a flag, a specific tree, etc.) on the driving range.
2. Place an alignment stick on the ground pointing directly at that target. This stick represents your target line.
3. Place a second alignment stick parallel to the first one, but just inside it (closer to you). This second stick represents your body line - where your feet should be aimed.
4. Set up to the ball, making sure your feet, hips, and shoulders are all parallel to that second alignment stick. The clubface should be the only thing square to the actual target line (the first stick).

When you first do this, it will likely feel very "weird." You might feel like you're aiming way out to the right. Trust the sticks, not your eyes. Hit some shots with this setup and pay attention to where the ball starts. You might find your "pull" magically disappears.

Cause #2: The "Over the Top" Swing Path

If your alignment is truly correct, the next and most probable culprit is an "over-the-top" swing path. This is perhaps the most common swing flaw in amateur golf and a primary cause of both slices and pulls.

Your golf swing should be a rounded action, where the club travels on an arc around your body. The ideal path is one where the club approaches the ball from slightly inside the target line, strikes the ball, and then moves back to the inside of the target line after impact. We call this an "in-to-out" or "in-to-square-to-in" path.

An "over the top" move is the opposite. The club is thrown outside the target line on the downswing and then cuts across the ball from out-to-in. Imagine a line extending from the ball to the target. An over-the-top swing means your club head is approaching the ball from the far side of that line. When this happens, even with a square clubface, the path itself dictates that the ball will start to the left.

What causes this move?

It's usually initiated by the upper body. Instead of starting the downswing with a gentle shift of the lower body toward the target, the golfer's shoulders, arms, and chest lunge aggressively at the ball. The right shoulder (for a righty) lurches forward, throwing the club onto that steep, outside path. It's an issue of sequence and an instinct to hit "at" the ball with the arms instead of letting the body's rotation power the swing.

The Fix: The Headcover Drill to Tame Your Path

This drill gives you instant feedback and helps train an inside attack on the ball.

1. Set up to a ball on the driving range.
2. Place a spare headcover (or a rolled-up towel) on the ground about a foot outside of your golf ball and slightly behind it. It should be positioned on that "outside" part of the target line you're trying to avoid.
3. Your goal is to swing and hit the golf ball without hitting the headcover.
4. To succeed, your brain will be forced to find a way to drop the club down on a path from the inside. If you make your usual over-the-top move, you'll clip the headcover on the way down. Start with slow, easy swings until you can consistently miss the headcover and just strike the ball. You will start to feel the difference between an arm-dominated lunge and a body-led rotation.

Cause #3: A Closed Clubface from a Faulty Grip

Your hands are your only connection to the golf club, and they are the steering wheel for your shots. Even with a perfect path, a clubface that is closed (aimed left) at impact will send the ball left. Often, the tendency for a closed face is built into your grip before you even start the swing.

A "strong" grip is the usual suspect. This terminology is confusing, but a strong grip simply means your hands are rotated too far to the right (for a right-handed golfer) on the handle.

• Left-Hand Check: If you look down at your grip at address, do you see three or even four knuckles on your left hand? This is a sign your hand is too far on top of the club.
• Right-Hand Check: Is your right hand positioned too far under the grip, with the palm facing up toward the sky? This also promotes closing the face through impact.

This type of grip makes it very easy and natural for your hands to 'roll over' through impact, shutting the clubface down and causing a pull or a hook.

The Fix: Find a Neutral Grip

A neutral grip sets you up for success and makes it easier to deliver a square clubface without manipulation.

1. Hold the club out in front of you. When you place your left hand on, you should comfortably see about two knuckles. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder or ear.
2. Now add your right hand. The palm should be facing the target, not the sky. A great checkpoint is to have the "V" of your right thumb and index finger pointing to a similar spot as your left hand's "V".
3. Finally, whether you interlock, overlap, or use a ten-finger grip is personal preference. The key is for both palms to be more or less facing each other, working as a single unit rather than fighting one another.

Like the alignment fix, changing your grip will feel extremely strange at first. You might even hit some shots to the right initially. Stick with it. You're removing a fundamental flaw and giving yourself a better chance to swing on a good path with a square face.

Final Thoughts

A pulled iron shot is almost always a chain reaction of a few core issues: misalignment, an over-the-top swing path, or a grip that encourages a closed clubface. By methodically checking your setup with alignment sticks and using simple drills to feel a proper body sequence and club path, you can eliminate the guesswork and start hitting shots that fly directly at your target.

Correcting swing faults requires honest feedback and understanding the true cause of your miss. With that in mind, we designed Caddie AI to be your personal 24/7 golf coach. If you're stuck on the course with a weird lie that you know might lead to a pull, you can snap a photo and get instant advice on how to play the shot. Or, if you're practicing and just can't shake a bad habit, you can ask for a new drill or a different way to think about the move, giving you the expert guidance you need, right when you need it.