Pushing the golf ball can be an annoying miss.
Most of the time, the push shot feels really good but heads to the right.
Overall, a push is a better miss than a slice, but it still needs some correcting.
In this guide, we will explain what a push is and how you can work on fixing it.
Keep in mind that there are several reasons this could be happening, and you will need to figure out why before you can fix it.
How to Stop Pushing the Golf Ball
There are a few main reasons you push the ball, but there are some rather simple fixes for them.
We will get into these reasons and give you the information you need to fix them.
The issues that cause a push include…
- Alignment
- Inside Out Swing Path
- Grip Pressure
- Ball Position
- Grip Size
- Lie
Causes of A Pushed Golf Ball
1. Alignment
One of the simplest and most fundamental reasons for hitting a pushed golf ball is the fact that your clubface could be aligned to the right.
You will notice that, when you hit a push, the ball goes to the right, and it just stays to the right the entire way.
When you hit a slice, there is a spin on the ball which causes it to go out straight and then start turning right.
Slices are a bit harder to watch because you feel like you are watching your ball get into more and more trouble.
With a push, you can hit the ball so it is pushed just a few yards right of your target or forty yards right of your target.
Sometimes a straightforward fix for a pushed golf shot could be that you are lined up too far to the right.
If your clubface is square to the path and the path is headed towards the right because of alignment, then this could be a simple fix.
Try and put some golf shafts down on the ground and make sure your feet, your shoulders, and your hips are all aligned to the target.
Make sure your clubface is set up square to your target as well.
When everything looks and feels square, try hitting a few more shots and see if you are pushing the ball as much as before.
If you are no longer pushing it, great.
If you are, move to another solution.
2. Inside Out Swing Path
Another way you can push the golf ball is if your swing path is a bit inside out.
This may not be very clear for some people because the inside out path is often talked about as being a good thing.
An inside out swing path can be a good thing, but the clubface must be square to the target.
If you take an inside out swing path but your clubface is open, you will end up pushing the golf ball.
This is one of the harder push causes to fix.
It requires you to evaluate your golf swing and see what the clubface angles are looking like.
The best way to do this is to use video if at all possible.
Have a friend record your golf swing both down the line and the head-on view.
You should be able to see how your clubface is positioned and if it is heading right and if it is open.
If this is the case, as you come into the impact position, you are going to need to release the golf club just a little bit sooner.
It would help if you worked on feeling like you are closing the clubface slightly as you come into impact.
Focus on a high finish where your arms have plenty of time to rotate and turn over.
This fix is going to be a bit about feel and could take a little while to start to feel.
If you struggle, then you may want to think about starting the release at the top of your backswing.
This should give you enough time to close the clubface and make sure that it is square as you get to that impact position.
3. Grip Pressure
If your grip pressure is too tight, it could cause you to push the golf ball.
As we talked about in our last example with the open clubface, you need to make sure your clubface rotates towards closed as you come into the ball.
If your clubface is wide open to a target, you have no chance of hitting it straight.
To release the clubhead, your hands need to be able to rotate.
If you are gripping the club to death, you may not be allowing your hands to turn over the way they should.
A great way to work on this is to practice very light grip pressure.
When you hold onto a club, you want to use the position of your fingers to keep the club in your hand, not just the strength of your grip.
Many golf professionals stress the fact that the looser the grip, the more naturally you will be able to swing the club.
You will also notice that, when you grip the club more lightly, you may even get more distance.
Players need to feel like they have control over the golf club but not to hold it any tighter than that.
When you practice your grip pressure, work with some shorter swings until you get the feel of it.
Once you understand how to control the club while still not holding it too tightly, you can move on to the larger golf swings.
Please pay attention to the fact that sometimes you will grip a club too hard only because it needs a new grip.
Your golf grips should be changed fairly often, so they are tacky and allow you to grip the club lighter.
Using a golf glove can also help you accomplish this same feeling.
4. Ball Position
If you have read any of our other guides, you know how we feel about stance, setup, and posture.
These (along with the grip) are the most critical factors in any golfer’s game.
If you don’t have the fundamentals down, you can’t play a great round.
One common cause of a golf push is the ball being too far back in the stance.
For a right-handed golfer, this would mean that the ball is too close to the right foot.
When you set up like this, you will start to feel a bit locked in as you come into impact.
Mostly, you are going to run out of room while you are still in the process of releasing the club.
This will make the club strike the ball before it is ready.
Therefore, the clubface will be open and leave the golf ball out to the right.
This is one of the easiest issues to fix if you are someone who pushes the golf ball.
All you would need to do in this situation is to move the ball up in your stance.
For a driver, the golf ball should be almost off your front foot.
The rest of your clubs will usually be right around the middle of your stance.
If you are playing the driver in the middle of your stance, chances are you are going to hit quite a few pushes until you move that ball up.
5. Grip Size
Another issue which could cause a push is a grip size that is too large.
This is something not very many golfers think about, but grip size has a significant impact on your game.
If you happen to have a golf grip that is too large for you, chances are you will push the shot from time to time.
The reason is that the larger golf grip is harder to turn over if you have small hands.
If your hands are oversized and you are playing with an oversized grip, then this should not be a problem.
You notice this issue affecting most golfers when women try and play golf with a men’s grip.
Some men who wear glove sizes of medium and small may need an undersized golf grip.
This is usually a simple fix, and many golfers notice the issue because, with some of their clubs, they don’t have the push problem.
With some clubs that are easier to turn over, like the wedge or the eight iron, it is not as big of an issue.
Then, as you move up in the bag, it starts to become a real problem.
Try changing the grip size on your driver and see if it has an impact on your ability to hit the ball a bit straighter.
6. Lie
In the game of golf, we play it as it lies.
Chances are, whatever the lie you are given, you must play from there.
Sometimes the lie itself can be what causes the push.
Golfers should be aware of what types of lies can cause a push so that you can prepare for them.
If you are playing a very hilly or sloped golf course, you must be ready to have some unconventional lies to deal with.
If the golf ball is below your feet, this is a classic push lie.
As you come through the golf ball, it will be hard for your body and hands to rotate the way they usually do, and your clubface ends up being a bit open to the target.
If you have a lie where the ball is below your feet, you should consider aiming slightly left of the target.
When you do this, make sure you aim everything to this position.
In other words, do not just manipulate the clubface to go left of the target.
This could end up causing an even bigger problem.
Make sure your feet, shoulders, hips, and clubface are all aimed just slightly left of the target and then hit the shot from the pull lie.
If the ball starts to pull away, at least you won’t be in a tremendous amount of trouble.
If it never pulls, you will only be a few feet left of the pin.
The most important thing to remember when the ball is below your feet like this is to stay with the shot.
If you get a little quick and look up too soon, this is a shot that you could top and end up hitting only a few feet in front of you.
How To Stop Pushing The Golf Ball (Video Tips)
Conclusion
Hopefully, our guide on how to stop pushing the golf ball made you feel like you have the right mindset and concepts to work on.
Knowing why you are hitting a poor golf shot makes the game so much less frustrating.
If you can be working towards a solution, then working on your golf game can be fun.
Leave a Reply