Pull
A pull is a mishit where the ball starts straight left of the target and stays on that line.
The pull belongs to the family of ball flights and, like all directional terms, applies from a right-handed player's perspective. The ball flies exactly straight, without sideways spin — just to the left. The cause usually lies in the swing path: the club comes from outside across the target line, but at impact the face points parallel to it. The ball takes on the direction of the path without curving. The counterpart is the push, which starts straight right. From the hook, the pull differs in that nothing curves.
On the course you recognise the pattern quickly. An example: on a tight par 4 your tee shot is aimed at the middle of the fairway, yet the ball immediately starts left and stays on that line into the rough. No arc, no spin, simply left. The first check is your alignment: are feet, hips and shoulders really parallel to the target, or does everything point left from the start? Often the stance line is closed to the target and the otherwise clean swing obediently follows that line to the left.
The most common misconception is confusing it with the hook. A hook starts roughly at the target and then turns sharply left, while a pull is left from the first second and stays straight. Anyone confusing the two works on the wrong fault. Against the pull, alignment sticks on the range and a deliberate check of the stance line before every shot help. For left-handed players the picture is mirrored: there the pull starts right of the target.
FAQ
How do I recognise whether my mishit is a pull or a hook?
Watch the first second of the ball flight: a pull starts immediately left of the target and stays dead straight, a hook starts roughly at the target and then turns sharply left. The distinction matters because the two faults have different causes. Anyone suspecting a hook but actually pulling is working on the wrong problem.
What helps on the range against a recurring pull?
First check your alignment, because the most common reason is a stance line pointing left unnoticed. Lay two sticks or clubs on the ground: one pointing at the target, one parallel to your feet. Often you swing cleanly, just obediently along a misaligned line to the left.
Does the pull apply to me as a left-handed player in the same way?
Yes, just mirrored: as a left-handed player your pull starts straight right of the target and stays on that line. All the descriptions of cause and correction apply identically; you just have to think them in reverse. The same mirroring applies to all ball flights in golf, by the way.