Dreaded low hook off the tee

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By Patrick D

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  • 16 Replies
  1. Patrick D

    Patrick D

    Does anyone have any advice? I am hitting my least favorite shot with the driver which is a hook that starts off right of the target line, then hooks with zero height.

    My usual fundamental that I go back to is keeping my spine angle through impact, but nothing at this point is working. It's not a grip issue, if anything I have a tendency to revert back to a grip that is too weak in order to avoid the hook.

    I have tried practicing with my feet together, but it's not translating to the course.

  2. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    Go see you pro. That is what I did. After a few adjustments, the first one being moving the ball forward and slowing down my swing I have improved. He completely changed my swing to a more open stance and I am now hitting a slight cut and hitting the middle of the fairway and around 220-230 yards, which I am happy with from the senior tees. 72 years old and never to old to learn.
  3. JPrice

    JPrice

    Keep your rear foot down slightly longer than normal and stay down a little more through impact. Maybe move the ball away from you a little at set up too. Worth a shot, hard to say without video but these cure my low hook miss.
  4. Seth R

    Seth R
    Olathe, KS

    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.

    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.
  5. BCH

    BCH

    I'll take a crack.

    Good thing to know is the Ball flight laws. It will help you determine what you did in a swing and what you need to do to fix it!.
    In essence-ball flight laws dictate ball flight. Understanding them let's you adjust during a round to correct swing issues.

    For the first 50 yards, whatever direction the Ball is traveling is also the Club head path through the swing

    Ball starts right of target - in to out swing
    Ball starts straight down your target line - straight thru club path
    Ball starts left of target - out to in swing

    In your example you are swinging in to out - hence ball starts right

    What it does from there is dictated by the clubface:

    Open face : slice/fade
    Square face : straight
    Closed face : hook/draw

    Combine the two parameters, and you have 9 potential paths aka...The ball flight laws.

    In your example closed. Duck hook - low as well which i would asume in to out swing with closed - almost shut face

    I would guess you are gettting your head too far in front of the ball before impact delofting the driver creating a very low ball flight with an in to out path and closed face.

    Keep your head behind the ball and try to swing along the path a little straighter. You can get someone to hold a club at your left temple as you swing. Secondly, check your stance and ball alignment with some alignment sticks as you may have it teed up too far back which would result in reducing your loft- potentially significantly to create such a low shot.

    Good luck and I hope that helps


  6. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff
    Hi, Patrick.

    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.

    A good way to work out of this is to train using the opposite. In your current pattern it sounds like your path is moving out to the right and at impact your clubface is closed (facing left, relative to the path). So it might help to practice some shots where you make your path travel out to in while at impact, you keep your clubface open (right of the new cut path). If you do it right, you'll hit some big banana slices that start left or your target line and curve to the right.

    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] ).

    Here's a diagram that might help, too. Good luck! Let us know how you make out.
    Post Image
  7. Don W

    Don W

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff said:

    Hi, Patrick.

    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.

    A good way to work out of this is to train using the opposite. In your current pattern it sounds like your path is moving out to the right and at impact your clubface is closed (facing left, relative to the path). So it might help to practice some shots where you make your path travel out to in while at impact, you keep your clubface open (right of the new cut path). If you do it right, you'll hit some big banana slices that start left or your target line and curve to the right.

    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] ).

    Here's a diagram that might help, too. Good luck! Let us know how you make out.
    Post Image

    Understanding this club angle interception diagram would solve the problem. Best of luck!
  8. JTesta

    JTesta

    If your left hook bounces right, you are simply swinging to hard to begin with and likely your grip and swing are fine. Have more fun and add less pressure while taking a stance that feels as if you can still make a tackle. If the hook is going left on the bounce, then it’s a true hook and not a swing flaw. Technique will help sole problems. Swing more from inside and then rotate upwards with a strong right leg. I call it the pocket wedge, driver or putter. Have you heard of the pocket wedge? It starts low and slow, and accelerates
  9. JTesta

    JTesta

    If your left hook bounces right, you are simply swinging to hard to begin with and likely your grip and swing are fine. Have more fun and add less pressure while taking a stance that feels as if you can still make a tackle. If the hook is going left on the bounce, then it’s a true hook and not a swing flaw. Technique will help sole problems. Swing more from inside and then rotate upwards with a strong right leg. I call it the pocket wedge, driver or putter. Have you heard of the pocket wedge? It starts low and slow, and accelerates
  10. Tyler H

    Tyler H
    Appleton, WI

    Great illustration of the face angle to club path interaction during the golf swing.

    TH
  11. TUser

    TUser

    Like the old saying goes... a picture is worth a thousand words! For anyone that is a visual learner this can help them to start understanding and correcting. Well stated.
  12. Patrick D

    Patrick D

    Thank you to everyone for the feedback. I will give these a try and work to snap out of this.
  13. Sean M

    Sean M
    Liberty, MO

    Military
    Rick - that is a excellent description & diagram!!! Thanks Team Titleist
  14. William S

    William S
    TEMECULA, CA

    Military
    Those that hook are in good company! Ben Hogan's 1955 interview discussion:
    Post Image
    Post Image
  15. Nation

    Nation
    Redmond, OR

    I have been working on the pronation part but not the grip rotation to the weak side. Thanks
  16. JTesta

    JTesta

    That’s how you hit tater chippers!
  17. JTesta

    JTesta

    William S said:

    Those that hook are in good company! Ben Hogan's 1955 interview discussion:
    Post Image
    Post Image

    That’s history!

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