Why Do My Irons Go Right to Left? (How To Fix Your Pull)

If your alignment is dialed in and you’re still having issues, here are the best ways to address common problems and start hitting it straighter.

Issue #1: The Pulled Shot

If your golf ball is starting out left and staying relatively straight on that line, this is from an incorrect swing path. If the ball is starting out left and not moving right or left, that means you’re coming over the top on the downswing. But the face itself is square, which is why the ball isn’t moving sideways. 

Here are some common reasons why you might be pulling the ball. 

Deceleration

One reason that you might be hitting a pull is from deceleration on the downswing. This is an issue I’ve personally struggled with whenever I try to hit more club when I’m at an awkward distance between clubs. 

For example, if I’m in between wedges on a certain shot, sometimes I take more club and try to hit it less than full distance with a knockdown swing. But mid-swing my mind says, “Wow, we have too much club” and tries to correct the issue by slowing down my lower body movement. This leads to my upper body turning too much and resulting in a pulled shot that usually goes way long.

To fix this, choke up on the golf club and think about accelerating on the downswing. This should help you keep your lower body turning and clear your left side so you can swing toward the target.

Inside Takeaway

Another reason why you might be pulling shots is from an inside takeaway. 

When you take the club back too far inside, it’s easy to get steep on your downswing, which leads to a pull. By dragging the club inside, it’s nearly impossible to create lag and you lose power too.

To fix this, try to take the club more outside on your takeaway. A good checkpoint to assess this is when the club is parallel to the ground. Ideally, you want the clubhead just outside your hands which will make it easier to drop the club on the downswing for an in to out path.

If you struggle with your takeaway, try out the Lag Shot training aid. This was voted the #1 swing trainer of 2022 by Golf Digest and a great tool to help you groove a better takeaway at home. 

Issue #2: Too Much Draw

If your issue is that the ball is moving too much from right to left in the air, this is more of a hook than a draw. While a draw is one of the most coveted shots in golf, it’s also tough for most golfers as the majority of players suffer from the opposite, a slice.

If your irons are moving too much from right to left, it’s from the club face being shut at impact. The more shut the face, the more the ball will travel right to left in the air. However, your path is on plane if it starts at your intended target and just an issue with the face.  

Before adjusting anything, first make sure your face is square to the target at address position. You can use a golf club magnet to attach to the face and ensure you’re not starting out with a shut face. If you’re still having issues, here are three strategies to straighten out your ball flight. 

Weaken Your Grip 

If you’re suffering from a hook shot, one easy fix might be to adjust your grip with both your right and left hand. A hook shot is a result of your left hand usually being too strong and over the grip. Try to weaken your lead hand and see how it affects your draw.

If you’re still hitting too much of a draw, you can weaken your right hand as well. Just know that changing your grip will feel awkward at first and will take a good amount of practice before it feels normal.

Start with your left-hand first, then adjust your right hand for a more neutral grip position. Also, if you want to make your new grip feel more comfortable sooner, I suggest buying a grip trainer. 

The SKLZ Golf Tempo and Grip Trainer will help you find the right “V’s” in your grip and assist with tempo too. Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, this trainer can help you get on plane and dial in a perfect grip position. 

Adjust Your Setup 

Another way to straighten out your ball flight with irons is to adjust a few things at setup.

The first thing to think about is your ball position at address position. Sometimes the ball might get too far back in your stance, which leads to a ball flight that is too much right to left. Move the ball up slightly so you can swing out and through on the downswing.

Additionally, another setup issue to test out is how close you stand to the golf ball. If you’re hitting it too much from right to left, I suggest standing closer to the ball. This will adjust your posture and make it easier to change your plane and square the face at impact. 

Start Hitting Cuts

If you’re hitting a hook, try to do the opposite and hit a slice the next time you’re out practicing. Sometimes you need to feel the exact opposite in your swing to correct an issue. Who cares how far it goes or where it ends up, just try to hit a massive slice. 

The longer the club, the easier it is to do. I suggest starting with a 5-6 iron and after a few attempts, go back to your normal swing. Hopefully you’ll find a shot in the middle that is straight or has a slight draw.

If you’re having issues with this feeling, check out the Eyeline Speed Trap 2.0. This training aid will help you correct a hook or slice by adjusting the path of your swing. It’s a small but convenient training aid that can help you groove a consistent swing on the range. 

Issue #3: The Pull Draw 

The final issue is the most complicated to fix as you’re trying to tackle two issues; the pull and ball having too much right to left movement. If this is happening, I suggest trying to tackle one issue at a time. 

You might be thinking, which issue should I tackle first? 

I would work on your swing plane (issue #1) instead of fixing a draw. Because if you can get the ball started on your intended target line or even right of it, your draw will work out perfectly on the course.

Remember, most golfers would kill to be able to hit a draw as so many suffer from a weak cut or slice. Work on swinging out more so you can play your draw and maximize distance with every club in the bag. 

Top Questions About Hitting Irons 

Do you have more questions about making solid contact with your irons? If so, we have answers to the top questions below. 

Why do my irons go left and right?  

If your irons are going both left and right, it’s due to an inconsistent swing path and/or face at impact. Before saying exactly why, it’s also important to clarify if you’re pushing vs. pulling the ball or hitting a cut vs. a draw. Remember, this is the most important step as each type of miss requires its own drills and corrections to hit it straighter. 

Why are my golf irons going left? 

Your irons are going left due to a steep downswing plane and/or a closed face at impact. Use the tips and drills from above to straighten out your ball flight and make corrections quickly.  

Why are all my iron shots going right? 

Like a golf ball going too far left, it’s important to first diagnose your right miss. Is the golf ball starting right and staying straight? Is it starting at your target and then slicing right? Or, is it a combination of both?

Once you check your alignment and identify your shot, then you will need to work on the path and swing plane. If the ball is going right, it’s because the face is open and/or you’re swinging too far from the inside on your downswing. 

Wrapping Up 

If your irons are going right to left, you can fix it with the steps above. As a recap, make sure you first check your alignment before starting any new drills or buying any training aids. 

Once your alignment is square to your target, then you need to identify your shot. Figure out if it’s a pulled shot, it has too much draw, or it’s a combination of both and is a pull draw. Like alignment, this is key to making sure you make the proper adjustments and don’t waste time on drills for other issues.

After diagnosing your missed shot, start using the tips and training aids above during practice sessions. It’s also a good idea to keep recording your swing during practice sessions to document your progress over time.

Finally, stay patient and understand that changing your swing takes time. Sometimes it will be a quick fix, while other times you will have to work hard on the range to fix your swing. Stick with it and trust the process.

What’s the best tip you have learned to stop hitting it left? 

Let us know in the comments below.