This happens as the ball is reacting to the club face position as it strikes the ball and also the direction that the club head is travelling in as it swings through the ball. A pulled putt is the result of the putter face aiming to the left of the target as it strikes the ball. The ball is hit straight to the left of the target because the putter head is also being swung to the left of the target.

This is easy to demonstrate if you place an alignment pole, or club shaft on the floor. This pole represents the target line. The far side of the line is the outside of the line and the side that you stand on is the inside. To hit a pull with your putter, the putter head is swinging through the ball from the outside of the line and then across it to the inside as it strikes the ball. The ball rolls straight to the left of the hole as the putter face is aiming in the direction that the club head is swinging, which is to the left of the target.

To hit your putts straight at the target rather than straight to the left, the putter head needs to swing along the target line, rather than across it from the outside to the inside and the putter face needs to be aiming down the target line as this happens. This will allow the ball to be hit straight along the target line and you will not miss left.

There can be several causes for why you are pulling putts. Initially, check your eye position relative to the ball. If you position your eyes on the outside of the ball then you will swing the putter outside the target line as you make your back swing. As a result of this, you will then swing the putter head back towards the ball and across the target line to the inside and with the putter face aiming in this direction you will pull the putt.

To check your eye position, take your putting stance up and hold a ball between your eyes on the bridge of your nose. Allow the ball to drop and if it lands on the far side of the ball on the floor that you set up to putt, your eyes are too far over the ball. You should be positioned so that the ball that you drop either lands on the ball you are going to putt, or just on the inside of it. This now has your eyes positioned correctly, enabling you to swing the putter head directly along the target line.

You also need to check your ball position if you are pulling putts. If you are playing the ball too far forward in your stance, then your body will rotate towards the target as you swing the putter through the ball and the putter head will travel to the left of the target. Ensure that you position the ball in the centre of your stance and your body will remain parallel to the target line allowing you to swing the putter straighter along the target line.

With your eyes correctly positioned and the ball in the correct place, you can now work on swinging the putter straight back and straight through on the target line. To do this, place a club on the floor and then position yourself so that the heel of your putter rests against the shaft of the club on the floor. Swing the putter head so that the heel of it contacts the shaft throughout the swing and this will have you swinging the putter in a straight line, rather than across the line, out to in. Ensure the putter face aims in the direction that the head is travelling and you will begin to hit straight hits down the target line.