Nothing is more frustrating than a purely struck golf shot that sails dead straight, but 30 yards right of your target. A crisp, powerful strike sends a vibration of accomplishment up your arms. You look up, expecting to see your ball flying directly at the pin, but instead, it’s on a laser-straight path into the right rough or the greenside bunker. This particularly maddening shot is known as a push, and while it feels like you're only millimeters away from perfection, it’s a symptom of a significant flaw in your swing. This article will break down exactly why this shot happens and provide clear, actionable steps you can take to get your ball starting on the correct line.
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What's Actually Happening: The Push vs. The Slice
First things first, let’s be clear about what we’re trying to fix. Many amateur golfers lump all shots that go right into one category, but a push and a slice are two very different animals, with different causes and different fixes. It’s important to know the difference so you can work on the right solution.
A Push: This shot starts right of the target and flies in a relatively straight line. There is very little, if any, side-spin or curvature.
A Slice: This shot typically starts on-line or even left of the target before curving aggressively to the right. This is caused by a lot of side-spin.
If you're reading this, you’re likely dealing with the push. The good news is that a push often indicates a solid, square clubface at impact. Your problem isn't the face, it's the direction your club is traveling through the hitting zone. We’re going to get that path corrected.
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At its core, a push is caused by an 'in-to-out' swing path combined with a clubface that is square to that path. Imagine a set of train tracks leading to your target. This is your target line. For a perfectly straight shot, your club should travel down these tracks.
Your push is happening because the club is approaching the ball from inside the target line and continuing to move outside the target line after striking the ball. Think of it like this: your club is moving on a path angled out toward right field (for a right-handed golfer). Because your clubface is square to that path, the ball has no choice but to launch in the direction the club is traveling. It’s like hitting a pool ball. If you strike it straight-on, it goes straight. Your clubface is striking the ball straight-on, but the entire strike is happening on a path that’s already aimed right.
So, the big question is: Why is my swing path traveling so far inside-to-out? This usually boils down to a few common culprits in your setup and your swing mechanics.
Checking the Easy Stuff First: Setup and Alignment Faults
Before you start trying to overhaul your entire swing, let's look at the simple stuff. More often than not, a persistent push begins before you even start the club back. Your setup dictates a huge portion of your swing, and a small flaw here can lead to big problems at impact.
Fault #1: Aiming Your Body Too Far Right
This is probably the most common cause of a push. Many golfers, especially those who have battled a slice in the past, develop a habit of aiming their body far to the right of the target. They do this subconsciously, thinking they need to give themselves "room" for the ball to curve back. But with a straight shot, this only guarantees the ball will start right. Your swing path tends to follow the line of your shoulders and feet. If your body is aimed at the right rough, that’s where you’re telling your club to go.
The Fix: The Train Tracks Drill
Lay two alignment sticks (or golf clubs) down on the ground in a parallel "train track" formation.
Place the outer stick on your ball-to-target line. This is the track your ball should follow.
Place the inner stick parallel to the first, just inside the ball, where your feet will go.
Now, set up to the ball. Your goal is to have the line created by your feet, your hips, and your shoulders all running parallel to the sticks. It will probably feel like you’re aiming way too far left at first. Trust the sticks, not your old habits.
Fault #2: Ball Position is Too Far Back
Your golf swing moves in an arc. The bottom of that arc, where the club is traveling straightest towards the target, should generally happen a few inches in front of the center of your stance. If your ball position is too far back (closer to your right foot), your club will make contact with the ball before reaching the bottom of the swing arc. At this early point, the club is still naturally traveling from inside-to-out. You are literally catching the ball on the "in-to-out" portion of your swing.
The Fix: A Simple Ball Position Guide
As a rule of thumb for right-handed golfers:
Driver: Just inside your left heel. You need to hit up on the ball, so it’s at the forward-most point.
Fairway Woods &, Hybrids: Roughly a ball or two inside your left heel.
Mid-Irons (6-8): Directly in the center of your stance. Imagine a line running up from the ball to the buttons on your shirt.
Short Irons (9-PW): Just a touch behind the center of your stance.
Get into your setup and hold a club up from the center of your chest down to the ground. This will show you exactly where the middle of your stance is. Adjust your ball position from there according to the club you’re hitting.
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Diving Deeper: Key Swing Mechanics That Cause a Push
If your alignment and ball position are correct but the push won't quit, it’s time to look at what’s happening during the swing itself. The downswing is a chain reaction, and if one part of the sequence gets out of sync, it can throw your path way off.
Issue #1: Getting Stuck on the Downswing
"Getting stuck" is a term golfers use to describe when the lower body and hips spin open too quickly on the downswing, leaving the arms and club trailing behind them. In a desperate attempt to catch up and generate power, the golfer has to 'fling' their arms and the club away from their body and out to the right. This is a massive in-to-out move, and a classic cause of a push.
This often comes from an overzealous attempt to create power "from the ground up," but your body needs to work in sequence. If your hips are nearly facing the target before your arms have even dropped halfway down, you’re stuck.
The Fix: The Pump and Sequence Drill
Take your normal setup.
Make a full backswing to the top.
Start the downswing by shifting a little weight to your lead foot and bringing your arms down to about waist-high, then stop. Go back up to the top.
From the top, pump down a second time, this time feeling your chest rotate with your arms. Go back up.
On the third downswing, feel that connection between your arms and your chest as you swing all the way through at about 70% speed. You want to feel like your arms are staying in front of your chest throughout the downswing, not falling behind it.
Issue #2: Losing Your Posture (Early Extension)
Early extension is when your hips and pelvis thrust forward, toward the golf ball, during the downswing. Instead of rotating in your original posture, you stand up out of it. This forward thrust takes up the space your arms were supposed to swing through. To avoid hitting the ball with the hosel (a shank), your body instinctually reroutes your hands and arms further away from your body, pushing the swing path massively from in-to-out.
The Fix: Head Against The Wall Drill
Grab a mid-iron and take your setup with your glutes just touching a wall or your golf bag.
Make a slow, smooth backswing. Your right glute should either press into the wall or come just off it as you rotate.
On the downswing, the key is to have your left glute rotate back and make contact with the wall. To achieve this, you have to stay in your posture and rotate. If you early extend, your rear end will move away from the wall entirely.
Take several slow-motion practice swings focusing on keeping your backside on the wall. This gives you the feel of rotating your hips properly instead of thrusting them forward.
Take that feeling to the range. Feel your body rotating while maintaining your initial spine angle. Your swing path will have a much better chance of staying neutral, allowing your arms to swing down the correct line toward the target.
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Fixing that straight push ultimately comes down to neutralizing your swing path. The ball goes where your club path tells it to, so by correcting your alignment, checking your ball placement, and making sure your body rotates in the correct sequence, you can get that path pointed at the target instead of out to the right.
Even with the best drills, diagnosing the root cause of an issue on your own at the range can be a challenge. With Caddie AI, we wanted to put a personal golf coach in your pocket to solve exactly this problem. Instead of guessing if it’s your alignment or your downswing sequence, you can get instant guidance and strategic advice tailored to your game. You can ask directly about what’s causing your push, get a smart play for a tricky hole that's forcing a bad swing, and receive a clear, simple path forward, helping you play with more confidence and finally start your ball right at the flag.
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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