Hooking/pulling

[JeffG]

Most of the times I hit a draw....most of the times its more of a draw than I want. In fact, I'd love it if I just hit it straight. But I've come to accept that every shot is going to move right to left.

However, sometimes I downright hook it or pull it OB. Such as yesterday, playing without woods...teeing off with 4 iron. Every shot had been great that day w/ the 4-iron...slight draw right down the pipe. Came to the par 5...WIDE open fairway...and then bam...a complete pull-hook out of bounds.

I can feel at impact my hands turning over. I just don't know how to correct it. Last month during the free club fitting, the Pro at the club gave me a little tip as to why i'm pulling/hooking shots. After looking at where I was hitting the club on the bottom, he said that the club was leading my hands. Which I know isn't correct, i've read articles and watched videos about it. He said its causing my hands to flip the club during impact. He said to practice swinging a club into the back of a couch or something and trying to make my hands hit first.

I've tried this and tried it on the range. I usually end up shanking it though. I'm trying to concentrate on shifting weight to the left, head staying behind the ball....but my hands being in front of the club. So I feel really awkward out there with my head back...but my arms all extended out trying to get them in front of the club at impact. Therefore I usually embarass myself with the craziest of shots.

Any ideas on how I can stop this CONSTANT excessive drawing/hooking?

[allin]

Sometimes it helps to focus on making sure you are pulling the left side (not arms) through as you rotate. Be careful not to turn it into a slide, just make sure your left ribcage is pulling your turn. You may also want to make sure you are clearing your forward hip. If you don't clear it soon enough it forces your club to far inside and your hands will flip over trying to catch up. Finally try the pump drill, this can increase lag and prevent your hands from releasing early (casting). A common cause of pulls and pull hooks. I find any of these errors especially when trying to swing a club near maximum lead to pulls.

[beung]

I have/had the same problem.....couple of questions for you though.

What kind of clubs do you use?

Do you have a swing that is a bit too much inside to ouside?


If you have an inside to outside swing and you draw the ball you may have too much offset on your clubs. Clubs with less offset might straighyten out your ball without a major swing change.

More importantly check your setup. If you feel you are getting inconsistant results from what feel like consitant swings chances are your setup is to blame. Much like a preshot routine, if you don't have the same starting point each time you swing how can your end point be the same each swing? Your brain is too smart and your body will try and adjust to an improper setup.

[JeffG]

Sometimes it helps to focus on making sure you are pulling the left side (not arms) through as you rotate. Be careful not to turn it into a slide, just make sure your left ribcage is pulling your turn. You may also want to make sure you are clearing your forward hip. If you don't clear it soon enough it forces your club to far inside and your hands will flip over trying to catch up. Finally try the pump drill, this can increase lag and prevent your hands from releasing early (casting). A common cause of pulls and pull hooks. I find any of these errors especially when trying to swing a club near maximum lead to pulls.

I'm trying to visualize what you are talking about. I'll try it on the range soon. And what is the pump drill?

beung- I'm currently using Cobra FP's. Theres a little bit of offset, but not as much. They're considered "game improvement" clubs. I didn't think I'm good enough for players clubs, and I didn't want the oversize/offset of the super game improvement clubs. I don't know if I have an inside/outside swing. I do have a pre-shot routine. For a while I had trouble lining up, but i've fixed that. I don't really know if its so much of a swing-plane problem, I think it has to do with my hands. Like I said earlier, I could close my eyes and could tell by my hands that I've hit a pretty big pull/hook. Think a strong grip might have anything to do with it?

[Burg]

I'm trying to visualize what you are talking about. I'll try it on the range soon. And what is the pump drill?

A strong grip promotes a right to left ball flight. I have a neutral grip because a strong grip leads to pulls and hooks for me. I would try a neutral grip and see what happens. It may be a quick fix.

[gills]

Hey Jeff,

First off, let me start by saying that i'm certainly no pro, nor am i horrible and everyone is certainly different. I'm a decent weekend warrior golfer that took 6- 1/2 hour lessons last year that has developed the same problem as you, which brings me here. Like you said, I instantaneously know when i hook/snap hook the ball a millisecond after i hit it and the majority of the time what i feel are my wrists and club unwinding way ahead of my lower body when this happens. I also feel that my swing path is sometimes very inside to out and i take my eye off the ball prematurely. What i've done that I feel have made dramatic differences in the past 3 weeks are: -I really focus on taking my club back as straight as possible with the proper shoulder turn, not to the outside, not the inside (which i have a tendency to do and contributes to my particular issue), but nice and straight back. I guess i do what someone refered to as the "pump drill" although i'm not sure. I bring my club back relatively slowly with my left arm as straight as possible and the butt end of the club pointing right at the ball a few times to embed what i want before i swing. -I picture pulling the butt-end of the club toward and through the ball on the downswing. For some reason, ever since i started doing this, i've picked up 15 yards on each club when hit properly. I think i hold my wrists hinged for a longer period of time on the downswing causing a faster club speed at impact. -I keep the ball closer in the middle of my stance than forward. -And during all this, i make 100% certain that i do not take my eye off the ball for a nanosecond until the ball is truly gone. I noticed that i was always looking up way too early and not focusing on the ball long enough. These things work for me, not sure if they'll work for you. I used to open my club face and my shoulders so much at impact to prevent this that it just become strange feeling whenever i would address the ball. I was about to go and purchase a set of blades just so I would have absolutely no offset in any iron. Although, the offset probably plays a role in it and my next set of clubs will have very little offset in them. I knew i had to try something different because those seemed to be just band aids and i was no longer comfortable. Good luck and i hope you figure it out soon. Tom

Most of the times I hit a draw....most of the times its more of a draw than I want. In fact, I'd love it if I just hit it straight. But I've come to accept that every shot is going to move right to left.

[RackleyGolf]

I've felt your pain...try this on the range:
1) Light grip
2) Good posture
3) Slower backswing than normal
4) SLIGHTLY lift your left heel in your backswing
5) Begin the downswing by putting your left heel back onto the groud (you'll see this in Phil Mickelson's swing)
6) Your hips will clear and you'll THEN pull a more square clubhead through the ball

I don't profess to be a pro IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM, but this is my thought process when hitting nice, long straigt drives.

Good luck!

RA

[$2 Nassau]

Happens to me quite often, it's usually a quick fix and it's always the same reason....my body is opening up WAY to soon. My hips tend to open too soon and I just whip my entire body around. Usually make good contact and hit the ball very hard, but it goes left.

I try to keep my right knee flexed longer which quiets down my lower body. Keep posture and spine angle throughout the swing.