Pulling the Handle in the Downswing: What It Is, Why It Happens & Proven Fixes

Britt Olizarowicz

Sep 25, 2025 . 6 mins read

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“Pulling the handle” is one of those golf swing terms many players haven’t heard, but it describes a common downswing mistake.

It happens when the hands and arms yank the club down at the start of transition instead of letting the body lead.

Many golfers, particularly those who are more handsy in their swing or struggle to generate power, tend to make this mistake.

While it may feel powerful, this move usually leads to poor wrist positions, steep angles, and inconsistent ball flight.

Key Takeaways

If you want to come back to this post later and take a step-by-step approach to fixing the “pulling the handle” error in your swing, at least take these tips with you for now:

• Pulling the handle means starting the downswing with the arms instead of the body.
• It often shows up when the backswing is restricted, the sequence is out of order, or the player is chasing lag.
• The move steepens the swing, opens the clubface, and forces a late flip that hurts compression and distance.
• Typical ball flights include high wipey fades to the right or pull-hooks when trying to square up at the last second.
• The fix is a body-led transition with organized wrists: fuller turn, pressure shift, trail-side bend, flatter lead wrist, and continued chest rotation.

Why Pulling the Handle is a Problem?

When the downswing starts with the arms, the handle moves down too long while the lead wrist goes into extension (cupping).

The trail wrist loses its extension early, which forces a late flip near impact. That combination makes consistent contact nearly impossible.

The bottom line is that when you pull the handle, you also put yourself in a position where the clubface is open, and you’ll have to do a lot of work to compensate for it.

What Causes Pulling the Handle in the Downswing?

While the act of pulling the handle is what happens when a golfer starts their downswing with this move, it’s not often caused by this action.

Instead these are the causes that lead players to that point of feeling like they need to pull the handle.

• A restricted backswing that leaves little room for the lower body to rotate.
• Downswing sequence out of order (hands and arms race before hips and torso).
• Open clubface at the top, leading to a tug-and-flip pattern.
• Chasing “lag” by pulling down rather than letting the body create it.

Effect on Impact and Ball Flight

Pulling the handle changes how the club arrives at the ball. With the different clubface angle you’ll end up potentially losing both distance and accuracy.

• The handle is still traveling downward instead of arcing up and in.
• Clubface often left open, forcing last-second manipulation.
• Compression and strike quality drop off.

Ball flights you’ll often see:

• High, weak fades or wipey rights when the face stays open.
• Pulls or hooks when you flip aggressively to square the face.

Fix Your Downswing Sequence

Fixing “pulling the handle” starts with reordering the downswing so the body leads and the wrists stay in better positions. Think of it as giving your arms space to follow instead of forcing them to lead.

Here are the key steps:

• Make room on the backswing: A fuller hip and chest turn gives your lower body something to work with in transition. If you stay restricted, the only option is to tug with the arms.
• Start down from the ground up: Shift pressure into the lead foot, then let the hips begin to open. This gives the club a chance to shallow naturally instead of being yanked down.
• Let the body tow the arms: As the pelvis rotates, add a small amount of trail-side bend. The arms can then “fall” into position without a pull, setting you up for width and shallow delivery.
• Keep the wrists organized: The lead wrist should stay flatter or slightly flexed while the trail wrist stays extended through mid-downswing. These positions control loft and shaft lean while preventing early casting.
• Blend in face control: Add a small “motorcycle” move with the lead wrist so the face doesn’t drift open while you hold the angles. This helps avoid the high-right miss.
• Deliver with rotation, not a drop: Keep the chest moving through impact. This allows the handle to arc slightly up and in, creating a longer flat spot and more consistent strike.

Quick Fixes at a Glance

In this video, you’ll see how a better downswing sequence starts with the body and is reinforced by correct wrist motion.

It explains why clubface control comes from the wrists and shows two HackMotion drills, including the Casting Drill (keep wrist angles) and the Motorcycle Drill (square the face) with slow reps, feedback, and a simple progression into shots.

If your misses come from early casting or an open face, this walkthrough shows exactly what to feel and how to measure it so you can repeat it.

Drills to Stop Pulling the Handle

The HackMotion casting drill is the best way to work on your issues with pulling the handle in real time.

You’ll be able to get a better downswing sequence and really see what the clubface is doing through impact.

You can also use the HackMotion motorcycle drill and the dynamic transition drill to help you gain better awareness of the wrists.

HackMotion Casting Drill

This drill trains you to maintain the wrist angles from the top through the downswing without releasing them prematurely.

HackMotion Motorcycle Drill

Adding the motorcycle feel ensures the clubface doesn’t drift open while you keep the angles.

HackMotion Transition Drill

This drill teaches your body to tow the arms instead of the other way around.

Final thoughts

Pulling the handle is an arms-first transition that results in steepness, loss of angles, and inconsistent ball flight. The fix is to let the body initiate while the wrists stay organized.

Use HackMotion to confirm what your wrists are really doing, train the angles with the Casting Drill, manage the face with the Motorcycle Drill, and add body sequencing with the Transition Drill.

Together, these moves will replace the tug with a smoother, more consistent downswing.