DQOTD: "Trying to kill it" = (snap) hook

[Midpack]

This wasn't the case when I was younger and playing regularly, back then when I went after the ball I usually pushed or push sliced (way) right.

Now older and playing after a very long layouff, when I just swing smoothly I hit the ball pretty straight. Now if I try to kill the ball, with woods especially, I get a pronounced (even snap) hook sometimes - that's new for me. I think I know what's happening, but I suspect folks here probably know exactly why...

[Grizvok]

Without seeing your swing it's almost impossible to actually diagnose what's going on. Typically a hook results when the club face is very closed to the path at impact. I'd expect that when you are trying to really crush the ball you are likely casting the club and releasing early which is causing the face of the club to be extremely closed at impact.

[Buckeyebowman]

No, we don't know exactly why, since we've never laid eyes on you. We can only guess! So here's mine!

You stated that you are older now and playing again after a long layoff. My guess is that you're forgetting to rotate your body through the shot. This leaves your arms and hands to go flapping and flipping through the ball leading to hooks, pull hooks, quackers, and other such non desirables!

But that's just my guess!

My guess would also be to get your left ass cheek moving and out of the way!

[Midpack]

Sorry, I know it's hard to diagnose without seeing me swing. But I'm sure you're both right, when I swing hard now, I seem to be flipping my wrists over very quickly. When I was younger, my tendency was to turn too fast, resulting in an inside out push. So now I subconsciously guard against turning too fast, and flip my wrists instead. That's new and unfamiliar.

Trying to "kill it" is a bad idea at any age, I should know that by now. Thanks gents!

Edited August 8, 2017 by Midpack

[iacas]

Sometimes you get to a point where the harder you swing the straighter it goes, though. I've been there in the past. Great feeling.

Snap hooks, not so much.

[mcanadiens]

Just in my personal case, if I'm trying to "kill" it with the driver , I'm more likely to fire my wrists over and close the club face. Definitely it's something I've tried to focus on this season and, if nothing else, there are fewer hooks coming off the 1W. 

I'd think the concept of swinging harder would have different results for different people.

 

 

[DaveP043]

For most people, pushing to the edge of your ability brings more inconsistency.  Trying to kill it falls into that category, at least it does for me.  Like others have said, one way to try to kill it is to over-emphasize the action of the hands and arms, leading to the over-the-top closed-clubface debacle.  The only solution, don't EVER try to kill it.  Hit it solid, with your regular swing, and it'll go plenty far enough.

[NCGolfer]

19 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

For most people, pushing to the edge of your ability brings more inconsistency.  Trying to kill it falls into that category, at least it does for me.  Like others have said, one way to try to kill it is to over-emphasize the action of the hands and arms, leading to the over-the-top closed-clubface debacle.  The only solution, don't EVER try to kill it.  Hit it solid, with your regular swing, and it'll go plenty far enough.

I agree with that first (and last) sentence but I actually have the opposite happen to me when I swing faster (or slower).  If I try and guide the ball and swing at a 80-90%-ish speed, often I won't make a good full turn with my shoulders and my arms will be ahead of my body and come over-the-top.  If I try and take a harder, fuller swing I make that good shoulder turn and (sometimes) will get stuck and hit a big block.

The trick is finding the balance (obviously.)    Then build from there...

[DaveP043]

Just now, NCGolfer said:

The trick is finding the balance (obviously.)    Then build from there...

I agree completely!    That's the reason I use the term "regular swing", I try to keep my level of effort somewhere in that sweet spot between easing off and trying to kill it.  It doesn't always work, but I try.   

[Midpack]

All good advice. From age 10-45 if I tried to kill the ball, I turned too fast and my hands got ahead, my path went inside and I pushed or push sliced the ball. Now at 60+ after a very long layoff, when I try to kill it, my wrist action is way more inconsistent and I (badly) close the clubface more often not. The big change in outcomes when trying to kill the ball is what threw me.

But again, why I have to teach myself to just not try to kill ball over and over is bewildering. Like Dave said, I can hit fairways or at least stay in play more often if I swing within my real ability. Why I sometimes try to kill it when I may get 10-20 yards more, but end up unplayable or lost over half the time is dumb, dumb, dumb - too soon old, too late smart.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Midpack