A pulled golf swing can feel confusing because it often feels strong.
Contact is not terrible. The ball bounces off the face. Sometimes it even flies at the right distance. It just starts to the left of the target and stays there.
For a right-handed golfer, a pull is a shot that starts left and usually flies relatively straight. For a left-handed golfer, it starts on the right. The key is to get the ball off the foul line immediately.
This makes the face of the club the first place to look.
What a retreat actually means
Ball flight gives you clues. Where the ball starts is largely controlled by the clubface. If your ball starts left, the face is likely to be pointing left at impact.
of swing path it also matters, especially if the ball bends, but a straight pull usually means that the face and path were both to the left of the target at impact.
This does not mean you need a full swing rebuild. Most withdrawals come from one of three simple issues.
Your scope is aimed to the left.
Your shoulders are open.
Your club is closing very soon.
Let’s fix them in turn.
Fix 1: Check your aim before you check your swing
This is the boring fix that no one wants to hear, but it works.
Many golfers who pull the ball drive without realizing it. Then they make a swing that actually matches their body lines. The ball goes where the organization told it to go.
Put one EXPANSION stick or stick on the ground, pointed at your target. Then place a second stick parallel to it for your legs, hips and shoulders.
Do not point your feet at the target. Your feet should be parallel to the left of the target line for a right-handed player, like railroad tracks.
Hit five balls this way. If the traction starts to disappear, your swing probably wasn’t the main problem.
Adjustment 2: Square your shoulders
Your legs can look good while your shoulders are still open. This is a great attractive model.
Open shoulders encourage the club to work across the ball. The face often follows. This combination sends the ball flying away quickly.
Here is an easy checkpoint. Once you decide, place a stick over your shoulders and see where it points. If it points to the left of your target line, you’ve found a possible cause.
To correct it, feel that your trail shoulder is a little lower and a little farther at address. Don’t overdo it. You are not trying to close yourself off. You are trying to be neutral.
Fix 3: Delay the face from closing
Some draws come from overactive hands. The player feels that the face is open somewhere on the downswing and then turns it closed through the stroke.
The result is a face that shows departure at the worst possible moment.
Try this workout. Take a half swing with a short iron and feel the logo on the grip point more towards the target through impact. The goal is not to keep your face open forever. It is to keep the club face from rotating too early.
Start with a waist-to-waist swing. When the ball starts to line up, gradually make the swing longer.
A quick range test
Use three balls.
Ball 1: Check your alignment.
Ball 2: Check your shoulders.
Ball 3: Take a smooth half swing and keep the face steady.
If the third ball starts straighter, you have your answer.
A pullback doesn’t always mean your swing is broken. More often than not, this means your frame, shoulders, or clubface are pointed left together.
Adjust the direction first. Then worry about the rest.
