How to Stop Pulling the Ball
By Steve Silverman
Pulling the ball is usually a problem of overcompensation. Golfers who have developed a problem with pushing the ball down the right side of the fairway and into the rough often overcompensate by pulling the ball to the left. Much of the problem has to do with alignment and rushing the swing. Other issues can be grip strength and hand placement on the shaft of the club.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Square yourself to the target. Your left shoulder needs to face the green and your left foot should be directly underneath the shoulder. Many golfers experiment with their stance, and when they close it (left foot closer to the ball than the right), they tend to pull the ball.
Play the ball midway between your left and right foot, and make sure your swing is not rushed. In an effort to promote hip turn, golfers tend to rush their swing. Instead of getting the hips through the hitting zone smoothly, they rush the turn, and that will lead to pulling the ball.
Check the angle of the club face at impact. If the club is angled to the left, your ball will pull to the left. Turn the club head so it is centered on the ball and that the middle of the club face makes contact with the ball.
Check your grip. You should not grip the club too tightly or your shot will pull to the left. Grip your club at a "5" on a scale of 1 to 10. You don't want your club to wobble on impact with the ball, but you want full rotation of your hips and shoulders. You can't get that if you grip the club too tightly.
Concentrate on a smooth takeaway, a full hip turn and keeping your head down while you swing. If you don't complete any one of these requirements, a mishit such as a pull will result.
Tips & Warnings
Relax when you swing the club. Most golfers who pull the ball try to put everything they have into their swing, and they come across the ball and not through it in a consistent, repeatable manner.
About The Author
Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
