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Fairway SupportDriver & Tee ShotsPull (starts and stays left)

Pull (starts and stays left)

The ball flies straight with no curve, but it starts left of target and stays on that line.

Why it happens

A pull happens when your swing path and clubface are matched to each other (so the ball flies straight, with no side spin) but both are aimed to the left of your intended target.

Possible causes in your swing, and how to fix each one

Tap any cause to see its fix. Work through them one at a time, usually one or two are the real culprit.

1Aim or alignment at address

Shoulders or body lined up left of target is the single most common cause of a pull.

Fix: Lay two alignment sticks on the ground at the range, one along your toe line, one pointing at the target, and check that your feet, hips, and shoulders all match the toe-line stick.
2Swinging over the top with a matched (square) face

An outside-in path with a face that's square to that path produces a straight ball, but the whole path, and shot, is left.

Fix: Feel like you're "dropping the club into a slot" on the way down rather than throwing it out and over, a sidearm-throw feel can help ingrain this.
3Ball position too far forward

Catching the ball after the swing's natural bottom has already started moving left pulls the shot in that direction.

Fix: Move the ball back slightly in your stance.
4Sliding the lower body instead of rotating

A lateral slide with no hip turn tends to drag the path left through impact.

Fix: Focus on rotating your hips toward the target through impact rather than sliding them, a chair or wall behind your right hip can give feedback if you're sliding too much.

When to stop self-diagnosing

If you've genuinely worked through two or three of these causes over several range sessions and the miss keeps showing up, that's not a failure since it usually means the real cause is something you can't feel or see in your own swing. A single 30-minute lesson with a certified instructor, who can watch you hit balls, will find it faster than any website. Bring this page along and tell them what you've already ruled out; it'll save you both time.