I know this is a stupid question....

[Dr_Fu_Manchu]

but I am going to ask it anyway because I can't seem to figure out what else maybe causing this.

Here's the scenario: I have not been able to play for about 5 weeks due to traveling for work and the weather, this includes absolutely no range time either. While I work out with weights regularly, in the last 2 months, I have really concentrated on my core by doing core exercises in between sets (btw Mens Health has a great Golf Fitness section that you can print from their site) and working on flexibility in the mornings.

The last few times I have played this week, out of nowhere, my normal slight fade with my irons and driver have turned into draws and sometimes ugly hooks. It is affecting my scoring because I don't plan accordingly and when I do, of course, it doesn't draw or I hook one OB from the tee

I know there was a thread about someone going to the chiropractor and having the same result. Is this possible? It seems crazy that my workouts can alter my shots, but that is the only thing I can think of that has changed.

Thoughts...?

[James_Black]

maybe it's the long break you took affecting your game as well as the muscle training?

[NormH3]

Seems to make sense that if you have been strengthening muscles it could change your swing. Perhaps you are a bit more agile now and clubhead speed has increased or a once weaker muscle is now the strongest. Perhaps a slight grip change would help...or not. This is just me thinking out loud.

[deronsizemore]

Is your ball taking off in the intended direction?

If your ball is launching at your target, like it used to do with your fade only now it's drawing/hooking; it's your clubface. It's more closed at impact than it used to be, simple as that.

If your ball is not taking off at your intended target (but used too) then your swing has likely changed in some fashion. But like I said, if everything else is the same with your ball flight, it's just drawing instead of fading, the only thing that can cause that is your clubface. The easiest thing to start with is your grip. If your grip has gotten stronger (rotated more to the right for a right hander; not tighter) then that will allow you to close the clubface easier therefore you'll be more likely to draw/hook the ball.

[Dr_Fu_Manchu]

Thansk Deron. My ball flight is straight then it drifts left or in some cases straight and then hooks. I thought about it being my grip, but yesterday, I focused on making sure that it was neutral and still had the same issue. I realize that I must be closing the club face, I am not just sure why its happening all of a sudden. It might be the layoff and maybe I just need a good range session...

[Scots Golf]

It sounds like your rolling your wrists at impact, this is why it hooks sometimes and draws others. Try opening your stance, move your left foot back a couple of inches and this will let you get through the ball more.

[deronsizemore]

Thansk Deron. My ball flight is straight then it drifts left or in some cases straight and then hooks. I thought about it being my grip, but yesterday, I focused on making sure that it was neutral and still had the same issue. I realize that I must be closing the club face, I am not just sure why its happening all of a sudden. It might be the layoff and maybe I just need a good range session...

Yeah, it's hard to tell. If your grip is neutral (sometimes what you think isn't exactly what is happening) and you're still drawing/hooking it, you're likely just releasing the club too much which will close the face. You could try intentionally holding off the release and see what that does. Kind of like what Tiger does when he wants to hit a big cut shot. That's not something you'd likely want to incorporate into your swing permanently but just to get the feeling back of what you should be doing. Zach Johnson does this. His grip is really strong and the only way he can keep from hooking every shot is to hold off the release as long as possible.

This kind of thing happens to me when I overswing too. For me, I typically hit a nice draw or hook if I put a bad swing on one. The more I play the looser my swing gets sometimes and I start overswinging. When I overswing the club gets in a bad position at the top and I usually end up opening the face and hitting a fade out to right field. Maybe this is happening for you only the opposite effect? Try to take some 3/4 swings feeling like your hands in your backswing don't go any further than your right shoulder (they'll probably go further but that's the feeling) and hit some shots like that. Your swing will be under more control and you can maybe figure it out a little easier.