Hooks and Pushes - Any ideas what to do to fix this?

[Guest]

Hi,

I had another session with trackman yesterday and it confirms my current problem quite nicely: I tend to hit a lot of hooks (both straight and pull hooks) and, more rarely, pushes. Some of these are playable and might even end up as beautiful push draws but that is the exception, sadly.

The trackman numbers (for a 7i) were showing a club path of 5-10° (with very rare 2-3°) and face angles from anything between -8 to 2°, attack angles around  -3 - -4,5°. I never managed to get a negative club path (without changing the setup fundamentally (i.e. aligning my feet and shoulder to the left of the target).

I will try to put a video of my current swing up as well, but that will not be possible in the next couple of days (maybe on the weekend).

Any ideas what I could check or try to see a better relation between club path and face angle? I guess my grip is fairly strong (around 3 knuckles on the left hand) and I will try a more neutral grip but what else could I do to fix this issue?

[mvmac]

What is the desired shot you want to hit?  Push draws?

[Guest]

Anything between a straight shot and a push draw would be great, I think something in the area of 0-4° club path and 0-2° face angle would be a good start. It just irritates me that I cannot get a negative club path even when I am trying to swing out to in as much as possible.

[Ernest Jones]

It just irritates me that I cannot get a negative club path even when I am trying to swing out to in as much as possible.

Lots of people out there who will trade paths with you!

[lugonza_2001]

Hi there! You may want to check your ball position at stance. I have to check mine as well so it´s an easy tip for me to give you. If you see 3 nuckles of your left hand, that´s a strong grip that can create some hooking....

[mvmac]

Anything between a straight shot and a push draw would be great, I think something in the area of 0-4° club path and 0-2° face angle would be a good start. It just irritates me that I cannot get a negative club path even when I am trying to swing out to in as much as possible.

Would make sure you're getting the weight forward properly.  So as the left knee goes forward, the hips are also turning.  Without seeing your swing I'll assume you're staying closed too long.

I think a good way to start to feel this is to make sure the legs "thrust" into the followthrough and that you squeeze your glutes, keeps you rotating.

Notice how there isn't any gap between the thighs, glutes are engaged.

[Guest]

Hi there!

You may want to check your ball position at stance. I have to check mine as well so it´s an easy tip for me to give you.

If you see 3 nuckles of your left hand, that´s a strong grip that can create some hooking....

I am trying to have the ball in the middle for anything from a 60° Wedge to a 7i. Starting with the 6i, I am moving the ball further to the left (towards the target) so that is about one ball length to the left from center for a 5i. On the range today, I was experimenting

with a more neutral grip (2 knuckles) and it was feeling quite normal.

Would make sure you're getting the weight forward properly.  So as the left knee goes forward, the hips are also turning.  Without seeing your swing I'll assume you're staying closed too long.

......

Thanks a lot for this, I was already starting to have this impression, turning to slow with my upper body, I think I tend to stop my shoulder turn at impact (if that is even possible) instead of rotating further through. Today on the range, I was already trying to improve on my upper body rotation but I did not do this by focusing on my lower body. Will do this next time.

[mvmac]

I am trying to have the ball in the middle for anything from a 60° Wedge to a 7i. Starting with the 6i, I am moving the ball further to the left (towards the target) so that is about one ball length to the left from center for a 5i. On the range today, I was experimenting

with a more neutral grip (2 knuckles) and it was feeling quite normal.

Thanks a lot for this, I was already starting to have this impression, turning to slow with my upper body, I think I tend to stop my shoulder turn at impact (if that is even possible) instead of rotating further through. Today on the range, I was already trying to improve on my upper body rotation but I did not do this by focusing on my lower body. Will do this next time.

Yeah you don't want to just spin everything open, it opens up as you go forward.  I would also play the ball further up with the irons, about one or two balls back of the left shoulder.  Will help with what I just mentioned.  Ball too far back the player will tip back more on the downswing and hurt their ability to have the weight forward properly.

[Guest]

Went to the range again yesterday and, while it felt difficult at the beginning (and actually still does), it really made a big difference to my ball flight. Anything between a straight and a very slight push-draw now. Of course, there are still the mishits but they are much more playable now (pushes not so far to the right, hooks not drawing so much, very rare pull hook).

I did change my grip a bit (a little more than 2 knuckles), shortend my backswing (working on this all the time) and turning more with the upper body instead with the arms (by always feeling my left arm connected to my chest, hope that is a good thing) and rotating more with the lower body and thus the shoulders. It feels that my lead shoulder is now moving upwards and back instead of a horizontal pivot.

Thanks a lot for your help guys, I will try to update my swing thread as soon as possible.