Why Do I Push or Block the Ball Right?
Updated October 12, 2026 · Written by the Your Golf Plan team · Written for right-handed golfers; if you play left-handed, flip left and right.
A push starts right of the target and flies straight. A block is the same shot, usually with a little fade, that the golfer sees leave the clubface and go right. For a right-handed golfer both come from a path that travels from the inside to the right of the target.
What is happening
The path is in-to-out and the face is square to the path or slightly open to it. The ball launches along the path, to the right, and does not curve back. Most golfers who block have no curve to fix. The ball is simply on a line they did not intend.
Common causes
- The club approaches from too far inside, often because the trail elbow is tucked and the arms are stuck behind the body.
- The body stalls: the hips stop rotating, so the arms cannot catch up and the face is left open. See our guide to early extension.
- Weight hangs back on the trail foot, so the club swings out to the right.
- Aim and stance pointing right of the target.
- Ball position too far back.
How to check
On down-the-line video, freeze at the point where the club is parallel to the ground on the way down. If the clubhead is well behind you, close to your trail hip, the club is approaching from too far inside.
On the course, a push-slice is a block with extra curve. A push-hook is the same line with the face closed.
Drills that help
Headcover behind and inside
- Place a headcover a few inches behind the ball and inside the target line (closer to you).
- Swing without hitting it.
- If you clip it, the club is coming from too far inside. Aim the club more at the back of the ball.
What you should feel: The club returns from a little more over the ball, along the target line.
Finish facing the target
- Hit half shots and finish with your chest and belt buckle pointing at the target.
- Keep rotating through impact. Do not stop at the ball.
- Hold the finish for three seconds.
What you should feel: The body keeps turning, which pulls the arms and club through square.
Not sure this is your problem?
Drills only work if you are fixing the right thing. Film your swing from down the line and face-on, and a PGA coach will tell you what is actually happening and give you one drill to work on.
Get a coach to look at your swing · $35What a coach looks for on video
- Club position when it is parallel to the ground on the way down
- Hip and shoulder rotation through impact
- Weight transfer to the lead side
- Aim and ball position
- The relationship between face angle and path at impact
That is the difference between guessing from a guide and knowing from your own swing. Two short videos are enough for a coach to check all of this.
Keep going
- What Is Early Extension in Golf? How to Spot and Fix It
- How to Fix a Hook in Golf
- How to Stop Pulling the Golf Ball
Common questions
Is a block the same as a push?
They are close. A push is straight right. A block is a shot the golfer feels was held off, and it often fades. Both start right of the target.
Why do I block more when I try to hit it hard?
Swinging harder often means the arms race ahead of a body that has stopped turning, so the club is left behind and the face stays open.
Have a coach look at your swing
Send two short phone videos and tell us what you are working on. A PGA coach sends back a video review and a drill built around your swing, usually within 24 hours and always within 48.
Get your swing analysis · $35