What is a hook shot in golf?
A "hook" or "hook shot" in golf is a shot that results in a significant right-to-left curving of the golf ball's flight (for a right-handed golfer; for a lefty, a hook curves left-to-right in flight). A hook can be played intentionally, but is often the result of a mishit.
What causes a hook on a golf club?
(Remember that a hook is caused by a club path starting to the right – a closed stance – and the clubface pointing to the left of that path – a closed face. Similarly, a slice is caused by an open stance and an open clubface.)
How do you hit a golf ball with a hook?
First, it aims your feet more to the right of your target, so the ball can hook back toward it. Secondly, it moves the ball slightly away from your body and flattens your swing. That helps you hit the ball with an in-to-out swing that also will help the ball hook slightly. Keep your upper arms close to your chest.
Why do I keep hooking the ball?
If you are hooking the ball without meaning to (an uncontrolled hook), you probably hate that hook. It's a rattlesnake in your pocket, to quote Hogan again, that can jump up and bite you on any shot. The root cause of a hook is a closed clubface at the moment your club impacts the golf ball.
What creates a hook in golf?
Hooking in golf comes from a closed clubface relative to your path at impact which can be caused by a strong grip, lack of body rotation or poor connection/timing between the arms and body. The most common hook comes from the challenge of getting the face square at impact.
What causes pull hook golf shots?
Pull hooks results from an over-the-top (or outside-to-inside) swing path paired with a closed, quickly rotating clubface. By contrast, slices occur when the same outside-in path is paired with an open clubface, imparting left-to-right spin.
What causes you to hook irons?
Probably the most common cause of a hook is the swing path. A perfect swing path would be slightly inside out. The players that hook the ball come very far inside with their path. You will notice with a golfer who has a terrible hook problem that the club may end up on an inside path directly after take away.
What swing path causes a hook?
Taken together and to summarize, a hook is caused by the combination of a: Severe inside-out club path, Clubface that is closed to that path and. Clubface that is pointing to the right of the target at impact.
How do I stop hitting a hook?
To fix the issue, turn your hand more towards the target, in a neutral position. Make sure the V's between your thumb and index finger on each hand point straight up. When the V's are facing more towards your rear shoulder, you are likely to hit a bad left hook.
Why do I hook my driver but not my irons?
The alignment is one of the most common causes of a hook. If you find that the alignment is what is causing you all of the trouble you have in your game, you can simply work on getting set up correctly, and these issues will go away. Most golf fixes are a bit involved and can take weeks to perfect and move on from.
How do I stop hooking my golf shot?
3:284:34How To Stop Hooking The Golf Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd get the feeling that Club is turning on the way back. So the toe is pointing to the sky. It'sMoreAnd get the feeling that Club is turning on the way back. So the toe is pointing to the sky. It's much easier than to get to the top of the backswing. And have a square clubface.
Can ball position cause a hook?
A Rearward Ball Position Those who swing out-to-in often have more forward ball positions, and they're usually players who slice the ball. It's no coincidence, because ball position can determine the hook or slice spin that occurs during the shot, as well as dynamic loft.
How do you stop pull hooking in golf shots?
3:504:46Stop Pull Hooking the Golf Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDown don't try and start you know don't try and hit the ball further to the right you need to do theMoreDown don't try and start you know don't try and hit the ball further to the right you need to do the opposite to what you think it's a good grip. Good stance right foot square left foot turned.
Does a strong grip cause a hook?
For golfers who struggle with an overdrawing ball flight, we often see a grip that is turned too far away from the target — commonly known as a “strong” grip. This type of grip can often close (and de-loft) the clubface too much in relationship to the swing path and target at impact, leading to the dreaded duck-hook.
Can standing too close to the ball cause a hook?
Standing too close to the ball causes a loss of posture, reduction in arm extension, loss of balance, loss of speed, toe hits, slices, low hooks and a change in swing path. Always check you setup first when you start hitting errant shots. It is much easier to change your setup from day to day than your golf swing.
Why is a slice worse than a hook?
Since your distance is affected as well as your direction, a slice sets up a lot of bogeys. Another reason the hook is considered to be a better miss is that, with the hook shot, a player has usually released the club, but their timing was just off. The player's clubface could also be closed slightly, causing the hook.
How do you stop pull hooking in golf shots?
3:504:46Stop Pull Hooking the Golf Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDown don't try and start you know don't try and hit the ball further to the right you need to do theMoreDown don't try and start you know don't try and hit the ball further to the right you need to do the opposite to what you think it's a good grip. Good stance right foot square left foot turned.
How do you treat pull hooks in golf?
2:566:28Quick Fix: Pull, Hook & Pull Hook. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDoing the move people are still hitting the golf ball left. And there's really one simple antidoteMoreDoing the move people are still hitting the golf ball left. And there's really one simple antidote to that get these hips turned. If you don't turn the hips enough the club will overtake.
How do you fix a pull in golf shot?
5:5312:27How to Cure a Golf Pull - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we can hit down on the golf ball. We start to tilt too far to the left and now when I make aMoreSo we can hit down on the golf ball. We start to tilt too far to the left and now when I make a swing doing this you can see that it's easy to pull a shot to the left every single. Time.
How do I stop snap hooking golf shots?
2:113:58How to Eliminate A Snap Hook with Your Driver - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo if you actually the easiest by fixing the snap hook is try to hit a little cut. So remember whenMoreSo if you actually the easiest by fixing the snap hook is try to hit a little cut. So remember when we spoken about hitting the fade prior. We just wanted to try to catch the inside of the golf ball.
Cause of Hook Shot in Golf
We get asked the question a lot: Why do I hook the ball, what can I do to stop hooking the ball? Well I think the first thing you need to do is understand what causes the hook. There are two or three different things that cause the hook. Basically people who slice and hook are doing essentially the same thing.
Hand Position at the Bottom of the Swing
Most people who hook the ball pull down into an across position with the left elbow out and the body hanging back, and then they flip their hands. As soon as they flip their hands the hands pass the body, the swing is left and it spins the ball left. It is the angle that would spin the ball.
Elbow Position and the Slice
If the left elbow is out at impact you have an angle that would cause a slice and if you get into impact with your right elbow sticking out then the crossover here is where the hands flip over the ball and it causes the ball to spin to the left. Curves, hooks or slices, are all created through angles.
What is a pull hook in golf?
A true hook in golf is a shot that starts out to the right of your target (for right-handed players) or starts straight but then curves back to the left. This is caused by a combination of club path through impact and face alignment at impact.
What is the right hooking position?
If you are hooking you are most likely aiming to the right of your target (for right-handed players). This encourages an inside/out path in relation to your target line.
How to do a downswing swing?
That means you start your downswing from the ground up firing your hips first, then your shoulders, then your arms, and then your hands.
What does it mean when your clubface is shut at impact?
So simply put, if your clubface is shut at impact, your ball is probably going to hook and if you swung on an inside/out path, you can call it a true hook.
Where does the ball start and end?
Growing up we were all taught that the ball starts in the direction of your path (where the clubhead is traveling) and then curves and ends up in the direction of where your clubface was at impact.
Can hooks occur in golf?
Hooks can occur at any time and are dangerous miss-hits as they are extremely difficult to control. Finding and fixing what causes a hook in golf is crucial for low to high handicappers alike. >> If you like this, you'll also like: 3 Proven Ways How to Correct Your Reverse Pivot in Golf.
What causes a slice in golf?
Similarly, a slice is caused by an open stance and an open clubface.) The combination of moving the ball and your foot back does two things. First, it aims your feet more to the right of your target, so the ball can hook back toward it. Secondly, it moves the ball slightly away from your body and flattens your swing.
How to get a closed stance on a hook?
Pull your right foot straight back from the target line. You only need to move it back 3 or 4 inches. This creates a closed stance. (Remember that a hook is caused by a club path starting to the right – a closed stance – and the clubface pointing to the left of that path – a closed face.
Why do players move to the right side?
Many players instinctively move to the right side because they want the ball to start to the right. But if you tee up on the right side, you'll have to start the ball out over the right rough and, especially if there are trees, that's mentally intimidating. Many players will try to avoid the right rough and instinctively hit the ball left, ...
What side of the tee box should you aim down?
If you tee up on the left side of the tee box and aim down the middle, you're already aimed slightly to the right. That's exactly what you want.
How to get the ball closer to your right foot?
Move your feet slightly toward the target so the ball ends up farther back in your stance. This isn't a big move – the ball only needs to be a couple of inches closer to your right foot than normal.
What happens if you slide your hips toward the target?
If you slide your hips toward the target, you'll tend to lean backward and leave the clubface open – you don't want that. (With a closed stance and an open clubface, the club's path will start the ball to the right and the open clubface will send it even farther right – a push-slice.)
How to fix a hook on a golf club?
To correct a hook, check your grip to make sure you can see only two knuckles of your left hand. If you see three knuckles, turn your hands slightly counter clockwise. Do not aim the body too far to the right at address, and check to see if the clubface is twisted shut at the top of the backswing.
Why does my golf swing have a hook?
What Causes a Hook. With a hook, the clubface is closed at impact and the swing might be inside out. Sometimes this is the result of rotating the wrists too soon in the swing, or not following through on the golf shot. A hook can also be caused by too strong of a grip.
How to fix a slice in golf?
Fixing the Slice. Apply light pressure to your grip for an even tempo in the swing so the clubface hits the ball square. Make sure the club is lying across your fingers and not in the palm of your hand. Release the tension in your body, and lead the downswing with your lower body.
What causes a golf club to slice?
What Causes a Slice. A slice can occur when the angle of the clubface as it strikes the ball is incorrect. According to Golf.com, just a 1.5-degree variation in your clubface alignment can translate into a ball that lands 70 feet from the target. To find out what causes your slice, look at the trajectory of the ball.
How to hit a golf ball straight?
To hit the ball straight, use the correct grip, setup and swing path. Line up your body and the club to the target line at address, and take the club back with a shoulder turn until your arms are parallel with the ground. Keep your posture and balance, and refrain from swaying to the side.
What is the swing path of a golf ball?
Or, if the ball starts out to the left and then curves right, your swing path could be outside-in. If the ball starts off right and ends up further right, you have an outside-in swing.
Who invented the hook shot?
Former Harlem Globetrotter Goose Tatum is often credited with inventing the hook shot; he even shot them without looking at the basket. The hook shot later became a staple of many players in the National Basketball Association, including notable stars such as George Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Yao Ming .
What is a hook shot?
Richard Mason Rocca attempting a hook shot for Eldo Napoli in 2006. In basketball, a hook shot is a play in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion ...
Why is Zavier Simpson called Captain Hook?
While serving as co- captain for the 2018–19 Michigan Wolverines as a junior, Zavier Simpson earned the nickname "Captain Hook" for making use of the hook shot.
Why is a jump hook important?
The jump hook provides for better balance as well as a quicker release, though the shot will not be released from as high in the air. According to Hakeem Olajuwon, it is a "necessary shot that every center should have", because it is very difficult to block.
Why are hook shots so popular in FIBA?
In FIBA games, hook shots were a favored skill for centers before dunks became more popular, mostly because of the relative difficulty of blocking such shots.
Who was the basketball player who shot the hook shot?
NBA Hall of Famer George Mikan developed a devastating hook shot while playing for DePaul University in the mid-1940s, as did Jerry Lucas playing for Ohio State 15 years later.
Who shot the baby hook in the 1987 NBA Finals?
The skyhook was rarely blocked, and it was accomplished by only a few players like Wilt Chamberlain and Manute Bol . Magic Johnson used a similar shooting technique during the 1987 NBA Finals, which he called his "baby hook" in deference to teammate Abdul-Jabbar.
