Hooking... Probably over the top hooking.

[live4u120]

Well, lately I've been working on keeping my head behind the ball during impact. Since I started, I've been hooking the ball either really bad, or just a pull. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I heard something about my shoulders turning first, that makes me come sort of over the top, and closes the face.

What do you guys think that could be the problem? I tried moving my hips first, but sometimes it goes straight, or I just shank it horribly, and it flies off to the straight right- literally.

But any suggestions or thing I could check would be a huge help.
Thanks!

[Bauer]

I struggle from pulling it with my short irons since I have started tring to keep my head back as well. For me it is because my shoulders are releasing/turning too early and I come over the top. It could easily be this but I am not sure really what else it would be.

[unoiron]

Sounds like you have a pull hook, which is different than a hook. A pull hook will occur when you come over the top with the club face hooded at impact. The ball will start left and then hook like crazy.

If you keep your arms in front of your chest on the backswing, downswing, at impact, and on the follow through, you should start coming into the ball from inside to square. There is a drill called the 9 to 3 that, if done correctly, can greatly improve ball striking and get the club face moving on the right path.

[live4u120]

By that, do you mean like a fade-biased kind of swing? I tried doing that in the den about 10 minutes ago, and the ball actually seemed to go much straighter. Could you show me a demonstration on youtube or something of the 9 to 3?

[uttexas]

I believe 9 to 3 is the same thing as backward "L" to "L" swing training. backswing to 9 o'clock (left arm parallel to ground then forward swing to 3 o'clock.

One of the key moves to prevent "over the top" is at the top of the backswing, start turning your hips toward the target (some might say slide forward), then pull the handle of the club down (you do not start uncocking or swinging at/through the ball until much later on the forward swing). When you practice hitting the ball 9 to 3, the first move on the forward swing should be down, not around.

will try to find som youtube examples

[uttexas]

9-3 on youtube

[uttexas]

this is what I mean by first move down, not around--will try to find a down the line view

[uttexas]

Hogan on over the top


Tiger Woods--really nice close up swing vision of dropping or pulling the club down from the top of the backswing. Tiger really exaggerates this move with his squatting move.

[david_wedzik]

Since I started, I've been hooking the ball either really bad, or just a pull.

It is very important to know which one of these is the issue - is it more of a straight pull or is it a shot that starts straight and then curves with hook spin from there? Or does it start pretty far left and still curve with hook spin from that point (if it is this one it is surely very low as well)?

If it starts straight and hooks from there you ARE NOT coming over the top (ball flight 101)...if it is a straight pull then you are coming over the top. Dave