Hank Haney Quote: "You cannot correct a slice hitter, they first must become a hook hitter" - ish

When I was watching the last Hank Haney project he mentions that it's impossible (to him) to correct a slicer into a solid straight hitter.  He said you must go from a slice to a hook then you can be tuned to go straight (in the sense of draw back to target).

I have noticed with my progression via Evolvr I have reduced my slice tendencies way down and my off target shots are now 90% hook or pulls.

I was curious if this is true and if so, what is the theory behind it?

Thanks!

Brad

It mostly makes sense to me.  If you are slicing, you are swinging across the ball.  To correct it you need to get your swing going in to out- this will make you a drawer/hooker.  sure you might go from across to in to in, but I think it is probably easier to overdo this correction then get it to exactly where you want it on the first go, so Haney statement makes sense to me.

No idea what Haney's theories and methods are ... but I love all of Harvey Penick's books and he says something along the same lines.  I don't believe that he actually says that he can't make a slicer hit it straight, but if I remember correctly, he says that he likes to teach you how to hit a hook first, then its easier to teach you how to hit it straight.

I would presume that when the student knows what it feels like to hit a hook and a slice, it would be easier for them to find a middle ground.  Just a guess, though.

I can understand from the standpoint that a slicer has to learn what a hook feels like, since it's essentially the opposite move. So it makes sense to try to get a slicer to hook the ball.

But then what?

Explain.

Thanks for the reply Mike, I appreciate the explanation.

I do feel my swing is much closer to where I want it to be, which is a great feeling.

Brad

Oh, I know you weren't responding to me. I was just interested in your take on what Haney said.

Haney teaches over-exaggeration to correct a fault. So, to Haney, his statement makes sense. As a Haney student, it did not work for me.

Yes, he does teach turning the back of the left wrist to the ground to close the club face and to help the hands stay ahead of the club head. Yes, he does teach swing to right field to help rid the golfer of the OTT move.

But his method lacked the fundamentals of keeping the arms close to the body, and many of the fundamentals of TGM. Apparently, by swinging the arms, he assumes one moves the lower body into the correct (positions) place.

I think Haney's teaching method has an inherent lack of respect for the student, and possibly, his instructors. His instructors shove, push, but do not explain. There is no explanation of the swing. While you can overwhelm students with too many words, one must teach and instruct the instructors on bringing students along so they can understand.

As to teaching students to eliminate a slice, there are methods are than teaching a hook.

that is my .02.

Watch at your own risk. (Contains referenced quote plus bonus jackassery.)

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2012-03/behind-the-scenes-hank-haney

Haney has a bit of an ego. I don't listen to much of anything he says since he's an attention *****.

I will say that a hook swing is infinitely better form in terms of developing power, which is why so many people consider a draw the holy grail of ball flights. If you teach a slicer to straighten it out, he won't build up much power whereas a hooker will hit it much longer. But a fade is a perfectly cromulent ball flight and more consistent than a draw.

The problem with celebrity status: it exposes you to an extent. But then, it exposes you to people who have issues, and you get all sorts of stories and opinions. It's the circle of opinion. lol.

With golf, I think what we've learned is there is no one answer. Each student is unique, they may fall into patterns, but the words and visual techniques/methods an instructor selects for a student that takes that student to a higher level is what separates great instructors from the also-rans, and the garbage.

Can you not teach someone to throw a baseball right handed until they've thrown one left handed?  Can you not teach someone how to write left handed if they haven't written with their right first?

To me, it sounds like "hey instructors...use this line on your students and you'll be able to charge for a few more lessons!"

My first lesson (not from Haney) was "how to hook".  Not really....but that's what it looked like.

Anyway, when I slice I'm lost, but a hook can lead me back to a playable game.

Looks like he is going to create  a world of Jim furyk swings with .001% the talent.