Golf Tip: How to Play the Low, Hooking Pitch Shot
- STEP 1 Aim your body about 15 yards right of your target (yellow line, left).
- STEP 2 Loosen your grip and close the clubface so that it points about eight yards right of the target (solid white...
- STEP 3 Regrip the club, then swing in the same direction as the yellow line. Hit the ball with the force you’d use for a...
How do you hit a low hook from behind?
If you are also pulling the ball and hitting a low hook chances are you are starting down with your arms/hands then, sliding your hips such that you deloft the shot and pull it. As you start down, make your hips initiate the downswing and feel as though you are swinging past your chin. This should keep you "behind the ball" and launch it higher.
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.
What is hooking in golf?
What Causes Hooking? What is a Hook in Golf? A hook in golf is a ball flight that goes sharply from right-to-left for right-handed players and left-to-right for left-handers. Hooks follow the same flight as a draw but have more lateral movement.
Why are my Irons hitting them low and hooking the ball?
The first thing you want to do when you find that you are hitting your irons low and with hook spin is to make sure you are addressing the ball correctly. A poor stance can cause many problems within your swing, and it can certainly make you more likely to hook the ball while hitting it low to the ground.
How do you play a low hook?
0:131:18How To Hook Your Ball Around a Tree - Golf Tips - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow in the swing let the club head work a little bit up initially. And then around the hip. So youMoreNow in the swing let the club head work a little bit up initially. And then around the hip. So you can swing the club along your body line and exit out above this lead shoulder.
How do you hit a low hook with a driver?
1:275:07How to Fix a Duck Hook with the Driver | Golf Instruction | My Golf TutorYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst of all you said the ball is starting left. So this is going to be our face. So our club faceMoreFirst of all you said the ball is starting left. So this is going to be our face. So our club face at impact is pointing to the left of our target.
How do you hit a hook in golf?
1:222:23Golf Instruction Tip: How to Hook or Slice the Ball on Purpose - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI'm going to open up the club face. And I'm going to swing as though I'm going on my body line toMoreI'm going to open up the club face. And I'm going to swing as though I'm going on my body line to the left and let the clubface work the ball back to the target.
What causes a low hook golf?
The upper body obstructs or interferes with the club's path to the ball. The most common reason players get stuck is, they don't keep the arms and club in front of the chest as they turn back and through. When the club trails the upper body on the way down, the hands have to flip the clubhead over to recover.
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 you hit a hook on purpose?
1:011:49Golf Tips - How To Hook The Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen you address the ball it's aiming a little left number to try to swing the club head a littleMoreWhen you address the ball it's aiming a little left number to try to swing the club head a little out to the right out to the right. And this would put that spin on the ball.
How do you hit a low slice?
0:554:23How to Hit a Cut Stinger like Tony Finau - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLeft or right spin on the ball allowing him to cut it around the trees.MoreLeft or right spin on the ball allowing him to cut it around the trees.
What causes a low snap hook?
#1 – Slow Down Your snap hook driver could be caused by swinging too quickly and too hard. You don't need to hit every shot with 100% power. Most of the time 85% is all you need.
How do you hit a low draw with irons?
3:335:52How To Hit A Low Draw | GolfPass - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's obviously it's a longer club to to put the put the ball much further back in your stance. LikeMoreIt's obviously it's a longer club to to put the put the ball much further back in your stance. Like it is with a with an iron.
Does a strong grip cause a hook?
If a player's grip is too strong, meaning their bottom hand is rotated too far underneath the club, they will likely flip or turn the clubface shut at impact. This closes the clubface too quickly or easily and results in a hook.
Is a hook better than a slice?
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 fix a golf hook with irons?
3:197:02STOP HOOKING YOUR IRONS SHOTS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd your body as you go through. And by keeping the club face looking at the sky we're reducing theMoreAnd your body as you go through. And by keeping the club face looking at the sky we're reducing the amount that the clubface rotates. Through impact. So for me this is what I call a concept drill.
How to know if your golf club has a low hook?
The best way to determine whether or not it is your equipment that is guilty of producing a low hook is to visit a local club fitting professional. Most golf facilities that sell equipment will have a club fitter on staff who can help you with this process. They may charge a small fee for their services, but consider that fee an investment in your game going forward. In fact, if you decide to buy some new clubs from the facility where you have the fitting completed, the fee for the service may be waved.
What happens if you hit a low hook?
If you are hitting a low hook, be sure to consider the possibility that the root cause is a poor takeaway well to the inside of the line. Losing lower body flex. This is a mistake that is often overlooked in the golf swing, but it can cause serious damage to your game if it goes uncorrected.
What is the club face on a golf swing?
Closed club face. It is this part of the swing that is going to be responsible for the hook that you are putting on the ball. Most people think that they must be coming from inside-out through the hitting area in order to hit a hook, but that usually isn't the case with a low shot that curves left. Instead, you are probably attacking from outside-in, but the club face is so dramatically closed that you still hook the ball even with that outside-in path.
How far should you move the basket in a golf swing?
Using your club, move the basket to a spot approximately 2-3 inches inside the backswing path. When hitting shots, your club should miss the basket to the outside (ball side) going back and coming down. If you hit the basket going back, your takeaway is too far to the inside; your downswing path probably is, too.
Why does my golf club have a double whammy?
One possible cause is excess hook spin. This is created when the clubface is closed at impact in relation to the swing path, which de-lofts the club and imparts right-to-left sidespin (for a right-handed golfer) – a double whammy.
What happens if you hit the basket going back?
If you hit the basket going back, your takeaway is too far to the inside; your downswing path probably is, too. If you hit the object on the downswing, you're too far inside. Keep in mind that if you must make an unusual effort to miss the basket, you've likely been swinging with an exaggerated inside path.
Why does my golf ball fly so low?
Steep angle of attack. This is the mistake that is responsible for the ball flying so low to the ground. While it is true that you need to hit down on the ball in order for it to fly up into the air, you can't take that concept too far without running into trouble. When your swing plane becomes too steep, the club will de-loft at impact and the ball will fly very low to the ground as it makes its way toward the target. One of the biggest keys to your golf swing is managing to get your angle of attack just right – steep enough to impart backspin on the ball, but not so steep that you just wind up hitting line drives rather than high, beautiful shots.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 flatten your swing?
Keep your upper arms close to your chest. If your triceps rest lightly against your chest throughout your swing, this helps flatten your swing even more.
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.)
What is a Hook in Golf?
A hook in golf is a ball flight that goes sharply from right-to-left for right-handed players and left-to-right for left-handers. Hooks follow the same flight as a draw but have more lateral movement. They can be hit with any club, but you will see your most drastic hooks with your driver, fairway wood, and hybrids.
What Causes 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.
Fix Your Golf Hook with Swing Align!
Whatever is causing your hook, there are steps you can take to fix it.
How to Intentionally Hook a Golf Ball
Unless you are a highly skilled player, Trying to play a hook as your standard shot is a dangerous strategy as it brings big misses into play. However, there are often times where it would be advantageous to play a hook.
What causes a hook in a golf club?
A hook is caused by a super closed club face as well as probably flipping the hands and wrists through impact.
How to hit a golf ball through a stick?
Take a stick, old golf shaft, whatever and stick it in the ground about six feet in front of your ball on a direct line to the hole (or target) . Standing directly behind the ball. Line up the stick, ball, and flag (or target). We agree that you need to hit the ball through or over the stick to be on an exact line to the hole or target, right? guide: golf-tipsandfacts.com/.../
How to straighten a golf ball out?
Another thing that will straighten the ball out is to change the swing plane so you are hitting on a higher swing plane than your current swing. Try to position your hands a little higher at the top of the swing. Try to get hands above your head at the top of your swing. One other thing you can check is your grip.
Why is my golf ball low?
The low ball flight is because you're likely hitting down on the ball. Place a head cover 10 inches past the ball and try not to hit the head cover, this will promote an angle of attack of hitting up on it.
Why does a golf ball start off straight?
The ball starts off reasonable straight because of the open face (open to club path, square to target line) but will have side spin and slice.
How to fix a wrong shaft on a golf swing?
You could have the wrong shaft for your swing. For a quick fix, try weakening your left hand on the grip, in effect opening the face of your driver. This, if done properly, should add height to your drives and eliminate your hook. Spend some time at the range to figure out how much to weaken your left hand grip.
Can you change your swing on a slice?
I have been able to fix 90% of people’s slices and over-the-top swings simply by pointing out this geometry fact to them. No swing changes are required; just knowing where to hit will change the swing on its own.
Why do I flip my hands over when hitting a golf ball?
Since the ball is hooking low and hard, you may be flipping your hands over at impact. To correct this, a swing thought that worked for me was to keep the heel of the club moving low and left through the shot. This means that after I strike the ball, I want to feel like the heel is skimming along the turf and then tracking left of my target. The feeling of holding the clubface open longer helps prevent the toe from snapping shut and reduces the chances of hitting the big hook.
How to find happy medium between hook and slice?
Once you get the hang of this opposite condition, you can start reigning it in to find the happy medium between the hook and the slice. Hit a big slice, then hit a big hook. Then try to hit one where the path is a compromise between the two extremes. This should help to train a more neutral path and a more natural release (vs. hanging on to the clubface [slice] or flipping the club over [hook] ).
What is a screaming hook?
A screaming hook is a very frustrating shot to deal with. There's just no negotiating with it. What's worked for me in the past is to work primarily on path. Usually a violent hook is a combination of a exaggerated path that's coming too far from inside-out , coupled with a quick release where the wrists roll over and the clubface closes down. When these happen together, you get a ball flight that starts right of target like you describe and then dives quickly to the left, almost like it has topspin.
How far should I put a golf ball in the club face?
It will be hard for anyone to diagnose without seeing your swing in motion to identify the cause, but with that said, if you are a right handed player, I would assume that you're coming down too far from the inside (ball starting right of the target line) with a closed club face (low spinning hook.) I prefer instant feedback drills on the range and would suggest placing a ball about 3 inches inside and behind the ball you are hitting. The idea is that if you come too far from the inside you will hit the placed ball before hitting the intended ball.
Who said those that hook are in good company?
Those that hook are in good company! Ben Hogan' s 1955 interview discussion:
How many potential paths are there in the ball flight laws?
Combine the two parameters, and you have 9 potential paths aka...The ball flight laws.
How to get a big block on the downswing?
Some players have too much body action on the downswing. They slide their hips aggressively, which can cause the club to drop behind the body. The result often is a big block to the right. Here's a drill: Take a narrow stance, and hit drivers at 75 percent. You'll learn not to slide and to make a better turn through.
How fast is a golf clubhead?
Clubhead speed for the average golfer is 85 to 100 miles per hour. Let's say you're swinging down at 90 mph, and your body stops turning . What happens?
How to tell if you're snapping a tee shot?
With most snap-hooks, there's another telltale sign: Your weight never shifts to your front foot during the downswing. Combine that with a stalled turn, and it's easy to snap it. I see this a lot on uphill tee shots, where there's an urge to hang back and help the ball up, or when nerves or fatigue work against a full turn through the ball.
How do better players hit hooks?
Better players often hit hooks by making the mistake of over-rolling their wrists through impact.
How to hit irons solid and straight?
To hit your irons solid and straight you have to deliver the clubhead to the ball with the clubface square to your path. Your success here has a lot to do with the way you release the club, especially for better players who often make the mistake of over-rolling their wrists through impact.
How to get better at swinging with your right wrist?
Let your right wrist go from extended to flexed (like when you shoot a basketball) so the clubhead releases up and around without that excessive wrist roll. This is important, because it means the clubface isn’t closing or moving in a different direction to your swing path. Instead, it’s releasing up and around—and staying square to the path! Groove these moves and your accuracy will skyrocket. Better yet, you won’t sacrifice any distance.
How to use alignment stick?
Use the alignment stick as a guide—motion the club inside the stick, which will guide your right arm more around your body. Let your right wrist go from extended to flexed (like when you shoot a basketball) so the clubhead releases up and around without that excessive wrist roll.
Club Selection
Technique
- First off, stay calm – you don’t have to make any swing changes to hit this shot well. Execution of the low hook is mostly about the address position. The beginning of the ball’s flight will start very close to where the clubface is aimed at impact, so aim the face where you’d like to start the golf ball. Build your stance after you’ve aimed the clubface. Make sure to give yourself a little margin …
The Feel
- You need clubhead speed to really get that ball curving, but it’s not uncommon for obstacles to be in the way. Trees, branches, roots and fences are all things that can make this swing feel a little claustrophobic. The direction the club travels should feel normal to you. You took care of the ball flight at address. The feel of the swing is about creating power and insuring you catch the ball fir…
on Course Expectations
- When executed well the ball will be flying low and moving fast. If you’re hitting this shot into a green, get a yardage to the front of the green because it’s not going to stop quickly. If you have room to run it up, use it. Again, this ball will be coming in hot. You should have practiced this shot enough on the range to know it’s going to curve the desired direction on the course. I’ll remind yo…
Final Thoughts
- In my opinion these are the types of shots skilled golfers embrace. Practice it enough so that when you encounter a scenario that requires this shot on the course, you look forward to the challenge of hitting the low hook instead of sighing as you accept defeat as you pitch out with your sand wedge.