Step by Step guide of how to hit a hook in golf
- Set up to the ball with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel
- Open the clubface by rotating it clockwise, this will keep it from closing on impact
- Address the ball, making sure that the bottom of the club is slightly elevated
- Try to aim just outside of your target, but not too far as to lose control of the...
Full Answer
What causes a hook in golf?
Apr 19, 2015 · 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.
How to stop a hook in golf?
The easiest ways for recreational golfers to intentionally hook the ball are: Close your stance. A very closed stance can induce a draw or hook ball flight. Close the clubface at address. Hold the club out in front of you and twist it so that the clubface is in a closed... Strengthen your grip. For ...
How to correct a hook shot in golf?
Step by Step guide of how to hit a hook in golf 1. Set up to the ball with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel 2. Open the clubface by rotating it clockwise, this will keep it from closing on impact 3. Address the ball, making sure that the bottom of …
How to fix a golf hook?
How to Intentionally Hook a Golf Ball 1. Step 1 - Strengthen Your Grip A hook is easier to hit with a strong grip. This helps the clubface rotate through at... 2. Step 2 - Close Your Stance Closing your stance is another easy way to help setup for a hook. To do this, drop your... 3. Step 3 - Swing ...
What causes a golf hook?
The cause of a golf hook is 1) a disparity between the angle of the club path and the angle of the clubface and 2) a closed clubface.
What is a hook shot in golf?
If you’re right-handed, a golf hook is when your ball starts out on a straight flight path, then veers sharply to the left. If you’re left handed, your ball veers to the right. In both cases, a hook shot is also characterized by a lower-than-usual ball flight.
What is a draw in golf?
A draw, as you probably know, is when the ball curves gently to the left (for a right-handed golfer). Rather than veering wildly off course, it’s a solid, controlled shot. In order to hit a draw, you want your club path angled 4 degrees to the right and your clubface angled 2 degrees to the right, relative to the target line.
How to tell if your golf club is square?
If you’re not sure whether your clubface is square, lift the club straight out in front of you at eye-level. Look at the leading edge of the clubface. If that edge is straight up and down, the clubface is square. Keep the club in that position as you lower it back down and take your setup.
What does it mean when your trail hand is turned under?
If you’re right-handed, a strong grip means your lead hand is turned well to the right. Your trail hand is turned under. What you want instead is a neutral grip.
Is hooking a golf ball an inevitable part of the game?
When you don’t fully understand it, it’s easy to feel like the golf hook is just an inevitable part of your game. Fortunately, a little knowledge goes a long way to stop hooking the golf ball and start shooting nice, long draws.
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.
Why is it important to keep your swing plane on?
Keeping your swing on the right golf swing plane is vital to stopping you from hooking the golf ball.
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.
Which finger should point straight up?
The V's that form between your thumb and index finger on each hand should point more straight up at address rather than towards your rear shoulder.
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.
How to hook a golf ball?
There may be times when hitting a hook intentionally would be a great talent to have. How do you do it? The easiest ways for recreational golfers to intentionally hook the ball are: 1 Close your stance. A very closed stance can induce a draw or hook ball flight. 2 Close the clubface at address. Hold the club out in front of you and twist it so that the clubface is in a closed position. Then place your hands on the handle, using your normal grip, and set up to the ball with the clubface closed. 3 Strengthen your grip. For a right-handed golfer, this means rotating both your hands slightly to the right, so your left hand is more on top of club's grip and your right hand is more below it.
What does it mean when you hook the ball without meaning to?
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.
How to get a hook ball to fly?
Close your stance. A very closed stance can induce a draw or hook ball flight. Close the clubface at address. Hold the club out in front of you and twist it so that the clubface is in a closed position. Then place your hands on the handle, using your normal grip, and set up to the ball with the clubface closed. Strengthen your grip.
Why are golfers afraid of slicing?
Recreational golfers are usually more afraid of slices because slicing is what most recreational golfers do. But it's the hook that scares the pros.
What is a hook in tennis?
A hook can be played intentionally, but is often the result of a mishit. A hook is a more severe version of a draw, and the hook is the opposite of a slice . A very severe hook is sometimes called a "duck hook" or "snap hook.". When those terms are used, it probably means the ball flight started out straight before dropping severely to the left.
What is the hook ball flight?
The hook ball flight for a right-handed golfer: The ball starts out to the right before curving (often sharply) back to the left. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism.
What does it mean to be right handed in golf?
For a right-handed golfer, this means rotating both your hands slightly to the right, so your left hand is more on top of club's grip and your right hand is more below it. Try one of these on the driving range, try them in varying amounts, try them in combination, and see what kind of draw and hook shot shapes you get.
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.
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.)
How to hold a golf club without a club?
To cure this, stand at address without a club and let your arms hang down naturally before bringing your hands to the centre. When you do this, you’ll notice the palms face each other, which is effectively how you want to hold the club too, rather than having one on top of the other.
Why do golfers hang back?
Golfers are often guilty of hanging back as they move into the downswing in a bid to help the ball into the air. It feels intuitive as we’re often told to hit the ball on the up with the driver, but this can, and likely will lead to hooks as the body stops and the hands take over.
What causes the golf ball to go left of target?
Even when set up well, in the takeaway, the right elbow (left for left-handers) can drift sideways and away from the body. This shuts the clubface and, unless a compensation is made later in the swing, will cause the ball to start left of target and likely move further left.
How to get your golf club to be more neutral?
If this sounds like something you struggle with, focus on keeping the right elbow closer to your body in the takeaway. This will put the club in a more neutral position halfway back, with the toe pointing towards the sky and the heel towards the ground. Not only this, but it will make it easier to synchronise body, arms and club, leading to more consistency.
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 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.
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 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.
Why does my ball spin in a counterclockwise direction?
A hook can also be caused by too strong of a grip. With a hook, the ball will spin in a counter-clockwise direction.
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.
What is a slice and a hook?
Simply put, a slice and a hook are draws or fades that did not come off. A slice follows the same shape as a fade, although it travels more across than forward, diminishing your distance. A hook takes the same path as a draw. However, it snaps from right to left for right-handed golfers.
How to hit a fade right handed?
Right-handed golfers that are looking to hit a fade should focus on three elements. The first is to aim to the left of the target. The second is to ensure that the clubface is slightly open but angled a few degrees left of the target. The final element is your angle of attack.
Why do players draw in a game?
Players induce a draw or fade to gain more control over their shots. Or to navigate around obstacles like trees.
What happens when you hit a draw?
When players are learning to hit a draw, they tend to roll their hands across their body excessively, prompting a hook. A fade offers new golfers more forgiveness in terms of the ball going airborne. A draw gone wrong can result in a low hook that struggles to get off the ground.
