Pulling and Blocking Irons

This is my first time in the water. I am sure this will be easy for some of you. I find that I hit my irons flush but pull them left of my target. When I try to correct this, I hit weak or weaker shots right of the target. This ping-ponging is really discouraging. Does anybody have a sggestion on cause? I am an 8 handicap. Thanks

you maybe dropping your club to much inside the swing plane on the follow through to correct the pull.

Hi Dlane,

A push and a pull together is a classic case of comming to much from the inside on the downswing, if you leave it you push the ball and if you flip the wrists you pull.

Try a pumping drill.............take the club to the top and drop it halfway down, make sure looking at your reflection the clubhead cut the hands in half as you drop..........back to the top a few times then just let one go.


Hope this helps

Ian.

Hi Dlane
If your ball flight changes directions when you adjust or "let Up" on your swing, to me this is a classic example of a shaft flex vs. swing speed issue. This of coarse considering that your stance and set up did not change. I am curious as to
1. how far you hit the ball with your driver, and
2. the flex rating on your clubs.
Kurt
TheAceofClubs.com

Thanks all. I will work on the suggestions. I think the swing plane deviation needs a look. I hit drive about 250+/-20 yds. My irons are Big Bertha regular steel. I hit 7 iron about 155+/-5 yds. Age 63 yrs. Played 30 years but recently have really been working on Hogan fundementals. Thanks again.

I will go on the other hand as the comments above. I believe you are coming across the line or coming over the top in the downswing. Since you are following some of Hogan's concepts look at his discussions on what starts the forward swing. He states that the lower body bumps towards the target and turns thus pulling the arms into place.

Yes maybe, I will pay attention to this. However, I thought coming over the top or crossing the line would produce a slice . This is not my problem. Maybe I am confused on what crossing the line is and coming over the top. Dave Lane, Virginia, USA

I may be wrong but I didn't think you could hit a pull from coming too far from the inside. May a draw or duck hook but not a pull. A pull usually comes from coming over the top. And also just because you hit a push doesn't necessarily mean that you didn't come over the top. Coming over the top will cause a slice but sometimes a small slice could be what you think is a push. Just food for thought. A video of your swing would really help.

Thanks Chad, I now need to get to the practice range to test some of the comments/suggestions. I suspect that I am deviating from the swing plane too the inside and when I take a full cut at the ball it goes long and straight but left of my intented target-feels good but misses the target. I believe on my weak pushes that I am stopping normal wrist role trying to guide the shot. As I say, I need to get to the range, maybe tomorrow with temps expected at 62F some 20 degrees over normal high. If not already too boring, I will post results. Dave

Let us know how it goes.

Ok, I think the problem is solved. I went back to the basics today and found that the pulls happened both when I tried to overpower the ball and when my hands-wrists were too active. The pushes or blocks were when I tried to delay breaking my wrists or follow through. I believe all this came down to overactive hands and poor follow through. Thanks for all the suggestions, I consider all.

I hit my driver about 250 yds, maybe more if I catch it. 10 hdcp

driver stiff callaway FT-3, Regular BB irons

I do the same thing but not as much as i used to. The reason is taking the club to far on the inside on the takeaway as suggested. I have almost now got rid of it but it has taken me twelve months to do so. I bet when you hit pull shots you hit them absolutely flush, the reason you do this is because you compensate with your hands and wrists. I concentrated on keeping my hands quieter and turning my shoulders correctly on the takeaway. When you go to the range try hitting fades (at first you will not be able to), hit from the right hand side of the range (i always warm up from the right hand side of the range before playing) if you are a right hander. If the practice fairway has a tree on the right hand side try hitting fades around it. At first you will constantly hit pull shots because of the inside path and the fact there is a tree in your way, dont give up.

Hi everybody, have not been on this site for a while,
my understanding is a pull is across the line with a square club face, a pull hook is across the line with a shut club face, a push is an inside out path with a square face. a hook is inside out and you actually shut the face going though the ball to prevent it from going right. therefore a pull and a push are 2 different swing paths. my son has been trying all winter to correct a severe inside outside path. most of this probably comes from sliding the hips rather than turning them so the left hip goes straight back. a simple path drill (if you have a bag with a stand) is to stand the bag next to your right hip such that it is on the same angle as the club (i.e. - the clubs coming out of the bag will be point behind you. this will prevent you from coming too inside and keep the club on plane. this is basically a simple swing plane. hope this helps mike.