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Dead Pulls

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Lost Golfer

Working on trying to improve
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I played yesterday and have got a problem that keeps reoccurring. On my iron shots and approach shots all of them are pulled dead left sometimes as much as 50 yards offline. I hit my driver so good yesterday and then pulled these shots which just ruined my score. I assume my clubface is closed and that is the reason. Anyone have this problem and any suggestions for a cure? I also assume I might be coming over the top. The baffling part is it’s only happening with my irons and not my driver or 3 wood. ?????
 
Maybe ball position has crept to far forward? I go big left when I set up with the ball to far forward.
 
garethw said:
Maybe ball position has crept to far forward? I go big left when I set up with the ball to far forward.
Click to expand...

Definitely a possibility. I’ll check it out. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
2 things that lead to a pull for me:

- Ball is far forward in my stance, generally moving it back to the middle helps no matter what else is going on

- Hands ahead of hips, I initiate my downswing with my arms or shoulders instead of my hips and hit the ball to far into my swing. Focusing on staring my downswing with my hips and finishing my swing helps here.

The good news on pulls for me is that the fixes are fairly easy and when fixed the ball goes long and strait.
 
It would be best to get video posted of your swing in the swing tips forum for proper diagnosis.

For me, it happens when i turn my shoulders too flat and end up slightly over the top with a square face. The fix for me is to turn my lead shoulder more downward during the start of my backswing.
 
-CRW- said:
It would be best to get video posted of your swing in the swing tips forum for proper diagnosis.

For me, it happens when i turn my shoulders too flat and end up slightly over the top with a square face. The fix for me is to turn my lead shoulder more downward during the start of my backswing.
Click to expand...
This is it for me, verbatim.

And I loathe it.

But CRW is right, could be many causes so it's hard to pinpoint without video.
 
Club down one and use a 3/4 to 4/5 swing - the lefties should stop.
 
Happened to me last couple rounds. I have hit shots that would have otherwise been perfect if not for pulling it hard left.


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Lost Golfer said:
I played yesterday and have got a problem that keeps reoccurring. On my iron shots and approach shots all of them are pulled dead left sometimes as much as 50 yards offline. I hit my driver so good yesterday and then pulled these shots which just ruined my score. I assume my clubface is closed and that is the reason. Anyone have this problem and any suggestions for a cure? I also assume I might be coming over the top. The baffling part is it’s only happening with my irons and not my driver or 3 wood. ?????
Click to expand...
Video would be helpful.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
Hooks occur from a lack of rotation from the lower body. Or stalled upper body that allows the arms to move left with zero hindrance.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Hooks occur from a lack of rotation from the lower body. Or stalled upper body that allows the arms to move left with zero hindrance.
Click to expand...


My pro harps on not closing the clubface on the backswing (halfway back toe of club should be pointing toward the sky). He says if it is not in that position then the clubface will be closed at impact which is the cause of pulled hooks. Thoughts?
 
Tadashi70 said:
Hooks occur from a lack of rotation from the lower body. Or stalled upper body that allows the arms to move left with zero hindrance.
Click to expand...

I played last night and moved the ball back in the stance which somewhat helped. Are there any drills or how do I work on lower body rotation or stalled upper body? Thanks!!!!
 
I still struggle with a pull hook but it is getting much better. Try to key on starting the downswing with a turn of the hips toward the target before your arms go to the ball. It felt very awkward to me because I was all arms but I stuck with it until it feels natural. It takes a while for it to become muscle memory.
 
badolds said:
I still struggle with a pull hook but it is getting much better. Try to key on starting the downswing with a turn of the hips toward the target before your arms go to the ball. It felt very awkward to me because I was all arms but I stuck with it until it feels natural. It takes a while for it to become muscle memory.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the tip. Were results bad at first?
 
Lost Golfer said:
Thanks for the tip. Were results bad at first?
Click to expand...

Yes they were bad at first. My arms swing was deeply ingrained. The hip move screwed up my timing for a while.
 
badolds said:
I still struggle with a pull hook but it is getting much better. Try to key on starting the downswing with a turn of the hips toward the target before your arms go to the ball. It felt very awkward to me because I was all arms but I stuck with it until it feels natural. It takes a while for it to become muscle memory.
Click to expand...

I need to work on this. My big miss has become pulled and pull hooked short irons (mostly 9 down to my 58). They don’t come at one point of the round or other. I’m mostly fine with my other clubs. If anything, I push those a skosh. The range at the course is closed so it’s difficult to practice full shots. I have to drive 30 minutes to another course or get lucky on a time when the course is fairly empty and I can hit balls from the fairway to the green. I’ll try some swings each day with that move.
 
badolds said:
Yes they were bad at first. My arms swing was deeply ingrained. The hip move screwed up my timing for a while.
Click to expand...
I experienced the same issue.

In the middle of a total swing overhaul.

The biggest change is using the upper body to rotate vs. my prior "armsy" swing.

Over time it will certainly get better.

I'd strongly recommend lessons with a PGA pro if you're not already doing so.



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Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. I’ve have a sore back for a while so I think I’ve gotten in a some bad habits by not turning to avoid aggravating my back. Need to lose some lbs. which I think will help.
 
Lost Golfer said:
I played last night and moved the ball back in the stance which somewhat helped. Are there any drills or how do I work on lower body rotation or stalled upper body? Thanks!!!!
Click to expand...

First feel what it feels like to swing your hips real hard towards the target a few times then do this.

This drill is great for warming up or to learn to sue your hips for power. Get your driver out and tee the ball normally. Then take a backswing now further back than getting the head about waist high and swing as hard as you can through the ball from that position. In other words your backswing should be extremely abbreviated and your through swing should be exaggerated. It will feel awkward at first and if you are using your arms instead of your body you won't it will at all, but if you're using your whole body to swing and initiating through with your hips you'll find you can actually hit it pretty far with maybe only a 1/4 back swing. You will also find the only way to get that distance is to really use your hips to pull your upper body through the swing.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Hooks occur from a lack of rotation from the lower body. Or stalled upper body that allows the arms to move left with zero hindrance.
Click to expand...

I've been doing this with my driver the last 2 or 3 rounds. Thanks for the reminder to stop swinging with all arms.
 
Good stuff in this thread that I need to work on to eliminate pulls and pull-hooks with my irons. Thanks!
 
Tadashi70 said:
Hooks occur from a lack of rotation from the lower body. Or stalled upper body that allows the arms to move left with zero hindrance.
Click to expand...

Not that Freddie needs any affirmation but this is a regular miss for me and it's always from stopping the hip turn. Exaggerate that finish and get that belt buckle pointing at the target.
 
Lost Golfer said:
My pro harps on not closing the clubface on the backswing (halfway back toe of club should be pointing toward the sky). He says if it is not in that position then the clubface will be closed at impact which is the cause of pulled hooks. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

It shouldn't be pointing to the sky, but it should be up some and matching your spine angle. If you were standing straight up the club would point to the sky, but when you bend forward into your spine angle the toe of the club should go with it. Otherwise, you are open to the path and will be forced to play a push/fade or add a lot of face rotation through impact.
 
-CRW- said:
It shouldn't be pointing to the sky, but it should be up some and matching your spine angle. If you were standing straight up the club would point to the sky, but when you bend forward into your spine angle the toe of the club should go with it. Otherwise, you are open to the path and will be forced to play a push/fade or add a lot of face rotation through impact.
Click to expand...

When you do this does it happen naturally or do you have to rotate your wrists to get into this position? I’m having trouble doing this.
 
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