Pull
A pull in golf is a shot that travels in a straight line but flies left of the intended target for a right-handed golfer (or right for a left-handed golfer). The ball does not curve in the air.
What is a pull in golf?
A pull is one of three common left misses in golf, along with the hook and the pull-hook. What makes it distinctive is the absence of curve. The ball starts left of the target line and continues on that same straight line until it lands.
For a left-handed golfer, the direction reverses. A lefty’s pull starts right of the target and stays right. The cause and feel are identical, but the mirror geometry of a left-handed setup sends the ball the opposite way.
Because the ball misses its target, a pull is classified as a shot error rather than a shaped shot. A draw or fade is a controlled curve a player can use on purpose. A pull, like a slice or a hook, is rarely intentional. The term applies to full swings with any club, and golfers also use it for putts that miss left of the hole.
How a pull happens
Every off-line shot in golf comes down to two variables at impact: the swing path and the face angle. A pull is the product of a specific combination of those two.
The swing path moves from outside the target line to inside it as the club approaches the ball, a move commonly called “over the top.” The clubface, meanwhile, is closed relative to the target but square relative to that out-to-in path. With the face square to the path, the ball leaves the clubface with no sidespin, which is why a pull flies dead straight instead of curving.
In Golf for Dummies, Gary McCord describes the pull as a shot caused when the club approaches the ball “from outside the target line on the downswing” and the player pulls across the body.
Common contributing factors include a body aimed left of the target at address, a ball positioned too far forward in the stance, an over-the-top transition into the downswing, and tension in the upper body that overpowers the rotation of the hips. A player can also produce a pull through good mechanics aimed in the wrong direction. A square swing that follows shoulders aligned 20 yards left of the target line will produce a pull every time.
Pull vs. hook vs. pull-hook
The three left misses get confused because they all finish left of the target. The difference lies in whether the ball curves and where it starts.
| Shot | Starting direction | Flight shape | End result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull | Left of target | Straight | Left of target |
| Hook | Straight or right of target | Curves sharply left | Left of target |
| Pull-hook | Left of target | Curves further left | Far left of target |
A pull is essentially a straight shot aimed in the wrong direction. A hook is a shot aimed correctly that curves off course. A pull-hook combines the two errors. The ball starts off-line and then curves further off-line, which is why it tends to travel farther into trouble than either error alone.
Recognising which miss is happening matters because each one has a different root cause. A pull points to a swing path problem. A hook usually comes from a clubface that closes too aggressively through impact. The pull-hook is the combined effect of both.
Pull vs. push
The push is the right-side mirror of the pull. A push starts right of the target and flies straight right, with no curve. The mechanic is the same in reverse: the clubface is open to the target but square to an inside-to-out swing path.
Together, the pull and the push describe shots where the ball flies straight but in the wrong direction. The slice and the hook describe shots that curve. The full vocabulary of ball flight comes from combinations of these basic patterns.
How to recognise a pull
A pull becomes clear from a few specific signs. The ball never curves; it leaves the clubface on a line and stays on that line. The divot, if there is one, points left of the target rather than straight at it. The miss is also consistent. A pull rarely happens once, and a player who pulls one shot has often been pulling them all session.
Golfers describe a pull with everyday language as well. Phrases like “I yanked it left” or “I tugged that one” usually refer to a pull rather than a hook. The verb in those expressions captures the feeling of the body and arms working across the ball instead of swinging through it.
Pulled putts
The term carries over to the putting green. A pulled putt is one that starts left of the chosen line and rolls straight on that line, missing the hole on the left side. Most golfers’ off-line putts fall into one of two categories, pulled or pushed, depending on whether the ball misses left or right of the read.
The mechanic on a putt is slightly different from a full swing. A pull tends to happen when the putter face closes through impact, often because the toe of the putter moves faster than the heel or because the lead hand rotates early. Tension in the hands at impact also contributes.
Pulled putts show up most often inside 10 feet, where small face-angle errors translate directly into missed putts.
Related Golf Terms
- Pre-shot routine — A consistent set of actions performed before each shot.
- Pro shop — A retail store at a golf course selling equipment, apparel, and accessories.
- Preferred lies — A local rule allowing players to move the ball to a better lie within a certain distance.
- Provisional ball — A second ball played when the original may be lost or out of bounds.
- Press — In betting, starting a new bet within a Nassau when behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a pull and a hook?
A pull flies in a straight line but in the wrong direction (left of the target for a right-hander). A hook curves left in the air, usually starting straight or right of the target before bending hard. A pull is a path error; a hook is a face error.
Is a pull worse than a hook?
No, not usually. A pull is a fixed miss because the ball flies straight without curving back. The hook is worse: the ball keeps curving, and the miss grows the longer it stays in the air. The pull-hook stacks both errors. That makes it the worst of the three.
Why does a pulled shot fly straight?
The clubface is square to the swing path at impact, which means the ball is hit with no sidespin. With no sidespin, the ball travels along the direction the clubface was pointing, which in this case was left of the target.
Can a left-handed golfer hit a pull?
Yes, but the direction reverses. For a left-handed golfer, a pull starts and stays right of the target. The mechanic, an out-to-in swing path with a clubface square to that path, is identical.
What does “pulling a putt” mean?
It means starting the ball left of the chosen line on a putt, so the ball misses the hole on the left side. Pulled putts usually come from a putter face that closes through impact.
Sources
- Ballengee, Ryan. “Golf terms: What does it mean to push or pull a ball in golf?” Golf News Net. September 2022.
- Golf Distillery. “Pull Shots, How to Stop Pulling Golf Balls Left.” golfdistillery.com.
- McCord, Gary. Golf for Dummies. As cited in LiveAbout, “The Pull or Pulled Shot in Golf.”
- Quinton, Chuck. “Pull.” RotarySwing Golf Glossary. rotaryswing.com.
- Swing Dictionary. “Pull.” swingdictionary.golf.
- Caddie HQ. “What Is a Pull in Golf?” caddiehq.com. November 2025.
- Golf Info Guide. “Top 4 Tips on Pulled Putts.” golf-info-guide.com.
