Push Shot in Golf: Causes, Diagnosis, and Simple Fixes
Quick Answer
A push shot in golf starts to the right of the target and stays mostly straight for a right-handed golfer. It usually happens because the clubface and swing path are both traveling right of the target at impact. Before changing your swing, check your setup and clubface alignment.
What to check first
- Starting direction: A true push starts right and shows little sideways curve.
- Clubface angle: The face is usually pointing right of the intended target at impact.
- Swing path: The club may also be traveling too far from inside to outside.
- Body alignment: Feet, hips, or shoulders aimed right can send the whole swing right.
- Ball position: An unusual position can change how the clubface arrives at impact.
Quick verification
- Lay an alignment stick on the target line and another beside your toes. Hit half-speed shots and watch the ball’s starting direction before changing anything else.
A push shot can be frustrating because the strike often feels solid. The ball simply launches toward the wrong side of the course.
I diagnose this miss from the ball flight backward. Once you separate starting direction from curvature, the cause becomes much easier to find.
In This Guide
What Is a Push Shot in Golf?
A push shot is a ball flight that starts right of the intended target and continues mostly straight for a right-handed golfer. For a left-handed player, reverse every directional reference in this guide.
Golfers also call this miss a block. However, “block” is often used more loosely for several shots that finish right.
Definition: A true push occurs when the clubface points right of the target while remaining relatively square to the club’s rightward swing path.
Modern ball-flight analysis separates two important impact measurements:
- Face angle: The direction the clubface points at impact relative to the target line.
- Club path: The direction the clubhead travels through impact relative to the target line.
- Face-to-path: The difference between those two directions.
The clubface has a major influence on the ball’s starting direction. The face-to-path relationship is a major influence on curvature.
You can read more about launch-monitor terminology through TrackMan. Understanding those two numbers can remove much of the guesswork from practice.
Push vs. push-slice
A push and a push-slice may both start right. Their curve separates them.
- Push: Starts right and stays fairly straight.
- Push-slice: Starts right and curves farther right.
- Push-draw: Starts right but curves back toward the target.
A push-slice means the clubface is open relative to the swing path. A push-draw means the face is closed relative to the path, even though it may still point right of the target.
Why Am I Pushing Golf Shots to the Right?
Most pushes come from a rightward delivery of both the swing path and clubface. The important question is why your impact conditions keep moving in that direction.
Your alignment is aimed right
I always check alignment before making a mechanical swing change. Golfers often feel square while their feet, hips, or shoulders are aimed several yards right.
Place one alignment stick directly on your target line. Put another parallel to it along your toe line.
- Set the clubface toward the target first.
- Set your feet parallel to the target line.
- Check your knees, hips, and shoulders.
- Make sure the shoulders have not quietly closed at address.
The PGA of America is a useful resource for setup and alignment fundamentals. A square setup gives you a clean baseline for diagnosis.
Your swing path travels too far from inside to outside
A slight in-to-out path can produce excellent shots. Trouble starts when that path becomes excessive and sends the club far right through impact.
This sometimes happens when the club drops too far behind the golfer during the transition. Players often describe the feeling as being “stuck.”
- Hands get trapped behind the trail hip.
- The club approaches too far from the inside.
- The body may rotate before the arms catch up.
- The clubface and path both travel right.
Do not immediately force an outside-in swing to compensate. That can replace a push with a pull or slice.
The clubface is not returning to your target
A path can be only slightly right while the face remains noticeably open to the target. The resulting shot can still launch right.
Grip, wrist position, and release pattern can all affect the face. Check simple setup errors before trying aggressive hand rotation.
Ball position is changing your delivery
Ball position influences where the club meets the ball within the swing arc. Moving it without understanding the effect can change both path and face.
Use a repeatable reference point instead of guessing. Then test one small change at a time.
Section Takeaway: Diagnose alignment, path, and face separately. Do not rebuild your swing simply because the ball finished right.
How Do You Diagnose a Push Shot?
Start with two observations: where the ball begins and which way it curves. Those clues tell you far more than the final resting position.
| Shot | Start Direction | Curve | Typical Impact Pattern for Right-Hander |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push | Right | Minimal | Face and path both right and fairly matched |
| Push-slice | Right | Farther right | Face open relative to path |
| Push-draw | Right | Back left | Face right of target but closed relative to path |
| Pull | Left | Minimal | Face and path both left and fairly matched |
| Slice | Varies | Right | Face open relative to path |
Use your divot as another clue
With an iron, look at the direction of the divot after impact. A divot pointing far right can support the idea of a strongly rightward path.
A divot is not a perfect measurement of impact. Use it with ball flight rather than treating it as proof by itself.
Check impact location
Use impact tape or foot powder during practice to see where the ball contacts the face. Off-center strikes can change ball flight, especially with woods.
- Hit five balls at normal speed.
- Record the starting direction.
- Record the curvature.
- Check strike location.
- Change only one variable afterward.
This is how I prefer to troubleshoot on the range. It keeps a simple setup fault from turning into a week-long swing rebuild.
How Do You Fix a Push Shot in Golf?
Fix the easiest confirmed cause first. For many golfers, that means alignment rather than a major swing change.
Step 1: Square the clubface before your body
Stand behind the ball and choose an intermediate target a few feet ahead. Aim the clubface at that spot before placing your feet.
Then build your stance around the clubface. This prevents your body from quietly pulling the face and path right.
Step 2: Neutralize excessive in-to-out path
If video or launch-monitor data confirms a severe rightward path, work toward neutral rather than trying to swing left aggressively. Small changes are easier to repeat.
- Make waist-high rehearsal swings.
- Feel the club exit around your body after impact.
- Avoid forcing the hands straight toward right field.
- Build speed only after the starting line improves.
Step 3: Check the face without flipping your hands
Trying to snap the hands closed can turn a push into a hook. Instead, check grip and wrist conditions first.
A neutral grip should allow the clubface to return without emergency hand action. If your grip feels unusual or uncomfortable, a qualified coach can check it quickly.
Pro tip: If changing your grip, wrist position, or downswing mechanics causes discomfort, work with a certified PGA Professional or qualified instructor instead of forcing the movement.
Step 4: Retest at half speed
Full-speed swings can hide whether a change works. Start with controlled shots using a mid-iron.
- Choose a precise target.
- Confirm your alignment.
- Make a half or three-quarter swing.
- Watch the starting line first.
- Increase speed only after several predictable flights.
Golf’s governing bodies distinguish a normal golf stroke from literally pushing or scraping the ball. You can review the current Rules through the USGA if the terminology causes confusion.
Section Takeaway: Make the smallest correction that changes the ball flight. A good fix improves both direction and predictability without creating a new miss.
What Drills Help Stop a Push Shot?
The best drill depends on the cause you confirmed. Do not practice a path drill when the real problem is simple alignment.
Parallel alignment-stick drill
Place one stick on the target line and a second parallel to it near your feet. This gives immediate visual feedback about where your body is aimed.
- Start behind the ball.
- Aim the face first.
- Set your feet second.
- Check shoulders before swinging.
- Hit short shots without moving the sticks.
Start-line gate drill
Place two tees several feet in front of the ball to create a wide gate around your target line. Your job is to start the ball through that gate.
Do not worry about perfect curvature initially. Improving the start line gives you clearer feedback about face control.
Three-quarter swing drill
Hit controlled three-quarter shots while keeping your finish balanced. Watch whether the push becomes smaller when you stop chasing maximum speed.
If the ball starts on line at reduced speed but pushes at full speed, sequencing may be part of the problem. Video from behind the target line can help confirm it.
Face-control rehearsal
Make slow swings and stop shortly after impact. Check whether the clubface looks dramatically open instead of roughly matching your intended delivery.
Do not obsess over a frozen position. The drill is only meant to improve awareness of where the face is pointing.
For more instruction ideas, Golf Digest maintains a large library of professional golf instruction and fault-fixing guidance.
Why Do I Push My Driver but Not My Irons?
You can push one club category while hitting another well because setup and impact conditions change between clubs. Driver ball position, stance width, shaft length, and strike pattern differ from a short iron.
If you push only the driver
Check whether your shoulders become closed when you move the ball forward. Golfers sometimes move the ball forward and unknowingly aim their upper body right.
- Confirm shoulder alignment.
- Check whether the stance has become excessively closed.
- Mark the strike location on the driver face.
- Compare normal-speed and controlled swings.
A longer club can also make path errors more visible. What feels like a small rightward delivery may produce a much larger miss downrange.
If you push only your irons
Check alignment, ball position, and contact first. A ball positioned unusually far back or a path traveling strongly outward can move the starting line right.
Also watch the divot direction. Repeated divots aimed right provide another reason to inspect your path.
If the push appears under pressure
A push that appears only on the course may be partly related to alignment and tempo. Trouble on the left can make a golfer subconsciously aim farther right.
I like picking a small intermediate target and committing to it. That routine reduces the temptation to steer the club away from danger.
The R&A also provides authoritative golf resources and information about the game worldwide.
Push Shot FAQ
What causes a push shot in golf?
A true push usually occurs when the clubface points right of the target and the swing path also travels right for a right-handed golfer. Because the face and path are relatively matched, the ball starts right but shows limited curve.
Is a push the same as a slice?
No. A push starts right and remains relatively straight, while a slice curves significantly right for a right-handed golfer. A push-slice combines both patterns by starting right and then curving farther right.
Can bad alignment cause a push?
Yes. If your feet, hips, shoulders, and clubface become aimed right, you can make a reasonable swing and still hit the ball right. Check alignment before changing your swing mechanics.
Can an inside-out swing cause a push?
Yes. An excessively in-to-out swing path can contribute to a push when the clubface also points right. A slight in-to-out path is not automatically a fault, so diagnose the ball flight before changing it.
Why do I suddenly start pushing my golf shots?
Start by checking simple variables such as alignment, ball position, grip, and tempo. A sudden miss does not always mean your swing has fundamentally changed, especially if contact still feels solid.
How do I stop blocking my driver right?
Check your clubface and shoulder alignment first, then inspect strike location and swing path. If your path moves excessively right, use slower swings and neutral-path drills instead of trying to flip the hands closed.
Should I aim left if I keep pushing the ball?
Aiming left may hide the symptom without fixing the impact pattern. Unless you are intentionally playing for a predictable shot shape, diagnose why the ball starts right and correct that cause first.
Final takeaway: A push shot is useful information, not a mystery. Read the start line, check the curve, verify your alignment, and then correct either the face or path only when the evidence points there.
Work at controlled speed until the new flight becomes predictable. If the push keeps returning despite a square setup, a PGA Professional or qualified instructor can help identify the movement you cannot easily see yourself.
