Golf Glossary
Push and Pull
In short
Push and pull are straight misses with no curve. A push starts right of the target for a right-handed golfer, a pull starts left of it, and the ball keeps that line until it lands. The usual cause is a clubface that does not point at the target at impact while the club swings in that same direction.
Push and pull in golf: the meaning explained
When golfers talk about a push or a pull, they mean the starting direction of the ball. Everything here is written for right-handed golfers; left-handers simply mirror it.
A push is a shot that starts right of the target and stays on that line without much curve. It finishes on the right side even though the ball did not bend. A pull is the opposite: the ball starts left of the target and flies on straight to the left.
Both shots are often confusing for beginners because they feel very different from a slice or a hook. The strike is usually good and the flight looks clean, yet the ball ends up beside the fairway. The reason is simple: the quality of the contact is fine, but the direction is not.
The same words are used on the green. A pushed putt misses the hole on the right, a pulled putt on the left.
Reading ball flight: start direction and curve are separate
To understand push and pull, it helps to know today’s ball flight laws, which are based on radar measurements from devices such as TrackMan. According to these, the clubface mainly sets the start direction. As a rule of thumb, TrackMan puts its share at roughly 85 per cent with the driver and roughly 75 per cent with irons. The rest comes from the swing direction, the path along which the club head travels at impact.
The curve comes from the difference between face and path. If both point the same way, the ball flies straight. If both point right, you get a push. If both point left, you get a pull.
A simple rule of thumb:
- Start direction: mostly set by the clubface
- Curve: set by the difference between face and path
- Straight but off target: face and path match each other but point away from the target
This separation is the most useful insight for fixing the problem. A golfer who fights a pull by trying to turn the ball over often turns it into a hook.
Pull hook and push slice: when curve is added
When the straight miss starts to bend, two well-known combinations appear.
A pull hook starts left of the target and then curves further left. The face is closed relative to the path at impact and usually points left as well, which explains the start line. The ball often flies low and runs a long way. Many players find the pull hook the most dangerous shot because it is hard to control.
A push slice starts right of the target and curves further right. Here the face is open relative to the path and also points right. The ball often climbs high and lands far to the right, sometimes out of bounds.
There are also two combinations that return towards the middle. A pull slice starts left and comes back to the right. A push hook starts right and comes back to the left. They often finish in a decent place but are hard to repeat.
The ordinary slice and hook have their own entries in this glossary.
Practical example: push and pull in numbers
Imagine a hole where the target is 150 metres away and you play a 7-iron.
Case 1, the push: the face points 3 degrees right of the target and the club also swings 3 degrees to the right. There is no curve. The ball starts on a line 3 degrees right and flies straight. At 150 metres it finishes about 8 metres right of the target, enough to miss the green.
Case 2, the pull hook: with a driver the face points 4 degrees left and the swing direction is 1 degree left. The face is therefore 3 degrees more closed than the path. The ball starts about 3.5 degrees left and then curves further left. Over 220 metres the start line alone gives more than 13 metres of error, and the curve comes on top.
These figures are simplified examples. Their purpose is to show how quickly small angles turn into large misses. One degree of error is worth about 2.6 metres at 150 metres.
Causes: why shots are pushed or pulled
Push and pull usually have simple causes that can be found before the swing even starts.
Common causes of a push:
- The ball is too far back in the stance, close to the right foot. The club meets it while it is still travelling to the right.
- The body turns too late and the arms stay behind it.
- The alignment points right without the player noticing.
Common causes of a pull:
- The ball is too far forward. The club meets it when the swing is already heading left.
- The upper body spins too early in the downswing and the club comes from outside to inside.
- Feet, hips or shoulders point left.
Alignment is an underrated factor. Many players aim their body at one spot and the clubface at another. If the line of the feet is a few degrees off, the club swings in that direction almost automatically. Mistakes repeat themselves, so it pays to look at the pattern over several shots.
Common mistakes when trying to fix it
Players make a few typical mistakes when they try to cure a push or a pull.
The first is overcorrection. A golfer who always pushes aims left next time, which can swing into a pull. It is better to change only one thing per practice session.
The second is guesswork. Without data or video it is hard to tell whether the start direction comes from the face or the path. Both feel similar during the swing.
The third is watching where the ball lands rather than where it starts. Looking only at the end of the flight makes it hard to tell a push slice from a pull slice. Over the first few metres of the flight, check where the ball starts. That shows where the face was pointing.
The fourth concerns equipment. A club of the wrong length or lie angle can influence the start direction. A club that is too upright tends to start the ball left, one that is too flat tends to start it right. If the problem persists, a fitting is worth considering.
Drills: how to correct push and pull
A few simple aids are enough to work on both misses.
Drill 1, alignment: place two alignment sticks on the ground. The first runs parallel to the target line along your toes. The second points at the target. Before every shot check that feet, hips and shoulders are parallel to the target line.
Drill 2, ball position: mark the ball position for each club with a tee in the ground. With a wedge the ball sits around the middle of the stance, with the driver further forward. A coach can fix the exact position for you.
Drill 3, the gate: push two tees into the ground just wider than the club head, about 20 centimetres in front of the ball. Swing the club through this gate to feel a straight swing direction.
Drill 4, the target game: pick a target and watch only the start direction. Hit 10 balls and count how many start left, centre and right. That shows your tendency.
A coach can tell you from measured data whether the face or the path is the cause.
Try it at Golf Lounge
If you want to work on pushes and pulls, Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg has the right technology. On the covered range TrackMan measures every shot, including launch angle, ball speed, carry and dispersion. The monitor at your bay shows straight away how far your shots scatter to the left or right. The range has 32 tee bays on two levels and can be used all year round. To find the cause in your swing, book a private lesson with a PGA professional: TrackMan data goes into the swing analysis, supported by V1 Pro video analysis.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pull in golf?
A pull is a straight shot that starts left of the target and stays on that line without curving, seen from a right-hander’s side. Face and swing direction both point left at impact. The ball is often struck cleanly but ends up left of the fairway or the green. The opposite is the push to the right.
What is the difference between a pull and a pull hook?
A pull stays on a straight line to the left. A pull hook also starts left but then curves further left because the face is closed relative to the swing direction at impact. The pull hook usually flies lower and rolls further, so it is considered harder to control.
What is a push slice?
A push slice starts right of the target and then curves further right, as seen by a right-hander. The face points right and is also open relative to the swing direction. The ball often climbs high and lands far to the right, in the worst case out of bounds. It frequently comes from a body turn that is too late.
Why do I pull my shots left?
Common reasons are aiming left, a ball position too far forward, or an upper body that opens too early in the downswing, sending the club from outside to inside. Check alignment and ball position with alignment sticks first. If that does not help, a swing analysis with measured data shows the exact cause.
How do I avoid pushes and pulls?
Start with the basics: parallel alignment of feet, hips and shoulders, the right ball position and a clubface that points at the target. Then watch the start direction rather than the landing. Change only one thing per session. A coach can use radar data to show whether the face or the path is the cause.
As of: October 2026