Cameron McCormicks student, Jordan Spieth, possesses incredible hands as evidenced by his innate ability to square the club face at impact by relying on increased hand rotation. The duck hook will happen when a player is trying to hit a full, or almost full, shot. As a checkpoint, you want to see no more than two and a half knuckles on your left hand when you look down. You'll beat those nasty hooks. Every golf swing is unique, but there are shared mistakes that are seen over and over again across the game. Consequently, my efforts in aiming further left and shortening my backswing typically reward me with stretches of quality play. Give both hands a little squeeze together to develop an understanding for how this should feel. BA1 1UA. Soften that grip, fix your club path, square-up your clubface and open those hips, and youll soon rid yourself of those nasty duck hooks. For a lot of amateurs when a really bad shot happens it could be the beginning of something much worse and longer in duration. He chatted to Henry Longhurst, whom he allowed to explain his simple thinking - set up squarely, point the club at the target, take it away from the ball on the same path that the club attacks the ball on, then from the top of the backswing just bring it back to the ball. Choking down on the shaft will actually limit your wrists ability to rotate during your swing. The second is that you can get stuck underneath. Plus tips on how to play better and interviews with the biggest names. In simple words, the driver hook is a result of a quick and hard shot where you are using 100% of your power. Naturally, then, a severely closed clubface coupled with an in-to-out club motion will generate duck hooks. Practicing this drill will ensure your hips are 45-degrees open at impact, rather than remaining square, which will give you ample room to swing the club without needing to compensate by flipping your hands or early extending. Its a narrow rubber board that has these fish scale, sequin things on it. Set the driver to the highest loft and you'll see a closed face. Its not meant to be your permanent grip. At the top of his backswing from 2017-2020, his arms and hands were deeper and his right elbow was tucked underneath the shaft of the club in nearly textbook fashion. 3 easy wedge-shot tweaks that will have you stuffing it close, How these 3 tips helped a 10 handicap become a better ball-striker. In other words, if you want to get over your snap hook, you need to understand what it is that causes that hook to occur. When that does happen, the game of golf can be incredibly frustrating. The design is simple and easy to use. Always make sure that your setup is perfect before any swing begins - its pointless to work on a swing change with an inconsistent and changeable setup. Using this with the SkyTrack really helped put the feels and the reals together for me. It can also help us to bend a shot around an obstruction. Click here for more of "Golfers LIke You: Fixing a Hook". One thing I didnt like about the Divot Board was how it sat slightly elevated onto the mat. All rights reserved. Basically, when you stop turning your body, the club will close down quickly, and the ball will head left. Where I started: Every single drive was a VIOLENT snap hook ranging anywhere between 50-150 yards. Any advice on how to fix a snap hook off the tee box. When you feel unsure about the shot you are hitting, you bail on the rotation and wind up with a hook. From the top, the feeling of pushing off with your right foot can often help with this. If youre hitting duck hooks, theres a very high chance that your club path is too far in-to-out (commonly referred to as under plane). From there, it was believed, Jordan could pivot to the top of his swing and return the clubhead to the back of the ball without getting stuck as often as he once did. New ball flight laws show that clubface has the biggest effect on the starting line your ball will take when it leaves the clubface. As someone who has a tendency to swing under plane, a drill that often works well for me to try and get my club moving on a more neutral arc is to practice hitting half-shots using an alignment stick. If youre worried about damaging your clubs with the stick, a great training aid to use instead is the Eyeline Golf Speed Trap. One coach I spoke to who grabbed themselves a Divot Board for lessons suggested removing the sequin strip from the board and laying it down on the mat directly. There is nothing wrong with being a draw player for most of your shots but getting too deep into that pattern can cause your draw to turn into a hook. But, theres hope! Lambeck then instructed Gregg to start with a 50-yard shot, and that greenside-bunker-strike mentality helps solidify that preferred path. Your email address will not be published. If you can make small but incremental changes, it should make a big difference! . Club Face Hitting Zone This is one of the first things you must check about your swings. If you were struggling with the duck hooks at the beginning of this article, hopefully you have a little more clarity on how to fix it. But hopefully this article will give you some guidance on what to do when confronted by duck hooks, and some ways you can drill your swing on the driving range to prevent them from showing up without warning. This helps the clubface rotate through at impact and shut down as it approaches the ball. Set up normally, then put your clubface against the end of the board. Required fields are marked *. One of the easiest ways to fix a strong grip is through the use of the SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer. A common fault among golfers occurs at the start of the swing. Another piece to the puzzle, when it comes to stopping duck hooks, is ensuring your grip isnt too strong. Dont get too discouraged by seeing the ball go short and into the ground quickly. We must remember that its the clubhead that we are swinging. Andrew also enjoyed success on the European Senior Tour, most notably his top-20 finish in the Senior Open Championship at Turnberry. Even if you want to remain a draw player the majority of the time, adding a fade to your arsenal will make you more versatile and will help keep you away from the extreme moves that lead to a nasty snap hook. This allows me to take full shots without choking up and gives me the outside divot feel while working on my game inside my garage. Also, his deeper position at the top would theoretically allow him to send the golf ball further and straighter than he did in his winning years from 2015-2017. Here's a drill: Take a narrow stance, and hit drivers at 75 percent. Let your chest and hips rotate forward until your shirt buttons and belt buckle point left of your target. There are a couple things we need to address to stop the duck hook, but dont get frustrated. I started seeing this thing popping up on my Instagram. Personally, I reckon theyre right up there with the dreaded shanks as one of the most crippling shots you can play and having suffered both over my golfing journey from time to time, I feel Im pretty qualified to make that call. Itll be quite hard to do initially as youll be fighting your natural tendencies but, over time, it will reduce the dominance of the right hand and give you a more stable clubface through the hitting zone. This worked for him, and its a great idea. A snap hook is a more extreme version of a pull hook, with the ball curving more sharply left and often traveling a shorter distance overall. I was concerned that the sequins would start flying off after a few dozen shots, and for the most part, they held up really well. If you manage to escape the hole with just a bogey you should consider yourself lucky. What youll need is an alignment stick, or snow pole, that can be stabbed into the ground. The video below shows the entire test and gives feedback in real-time. OPINION: LIV Stands Strong at 2023 Masters. A structured and disciplined practice session is the only way to develop your golfing skills to the maximum. The terms are interchangeable as they are referring to the same terrible shot! Doesn't post to United States. Middaugh and his student, 15-handicapper Alex Talib, go through a 20-minute lesson, reviewing basic fundamentals and the keys to creating a secure grip, proper backswing and powerful impact. To cure this, stand at address without a club and let your arms hang down naturally before bringing your hands to the centre. Go to the range and practice this before heading to the golf course. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. Spin is only a bad thing if its spinning in an unintended direction. With any luck, youll be able to take the ideas below and put them to work as you aim to improve your game and have more fun on the links. You think if your upper torso turns left of the target, the ball will follow. Then, walk back to your ball and take aim at the pole. You can just take swings. Read our full article on the hook vs. a slice and how to fix each. The chicken wing look with respect to his right arm, the weak grip, the verticality in his backswing with respect to the arms/hands/club, and other unique traits to Jordans swing all pose as favorable physical characteristics that each derive from his unique genetic makeup. 30-day returns. If you can keep these three elements as neutral as possible, you will eliminate duck hooks from your game. So, duck hooks happen because of incorrect spin of the golf ball. Heres how it works. Plus, my wife likes that I wont be tearing up the yard this summer. If you want the answers to these all-important questions, read on. However, the truth is that a hook tends to have a more aggressive ball flight. Instead, it grazes the side of the ball and puts hard side spin on the ball, resulting in a hard turn in your golf ball. Its an issue teachers see all the time, and in the latest edition of GOLFs Home Practice, GOLFTECs director of teaching Zach Lambeck takes pro Hannah Gregg through both the problem and solution. Learn more. [3] Method 1 Diagnosing a Golf Hook Download Article 1 Recognize a standard or push hook. Lefties Only golf tip: Okay, the Golf Hook. This, in turn, well prevent the clubface closing over and moving the ball right-to-left in a hooking fashion. First, we have to clarify the term duck hook or snap hook. This will ensure the club doesnt get as closed on the way back, allowing you to swing with more confidence and less fear of the left miss. But the formula for the anti-hook, Lambeck said, is to make sure the forearms arent turning as much, which will help the toe of the club point more toward the right, which helps keep the club face more open in the follow through. I see this a lot on uphill tee shots, where there's an urge to hang back and help the ball up, or when nerves or fatigue work against a full turn through the ball. During the 2018 PGA Championship and the 2019 Masters, Tiger made exaggerated swing rehearsals with long, across the line backswings coupled with out to in downswings in order to reinforce the feels he commonly associates with not getting stuck. I reached out to Divot Board, and if you use promo code golficity10, you can get 10% off your purchase. Your weight should be on your front foot, and your hands ahead of the clubhead. A duck hook otherwise called a snap hook is a golf shot that veers violently from right-to-left through the air for a right-handed player. But what exactly causes a duck hook? It has almost no chance of staying in flight and it seems to quickly wiggle and flop its way to the ground. Golfers are often guilty of hanging back as they move into the downswing in a bid to help the ball into the air. How often do you snap-hook a greenside bunker shot? Lambeck asked. The meaning of SNAP HOOK is spring hook. The system, along with the GolfForever Swing Trainer claims to bring PGA TOUR caliber fitness training to the average golfer. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. To start with, you need to make sure you are taking the shots slowly and steadily. Try taking these two drills out on to the range to fix your issue. Your weight should be on your front foot, and your hands ahead of the clubhead. Tee your ball high enough so half the ball extends above the top of the club head when the clubhead is resting on the ground behind the ball. In responding to these existing flaws, I consciously aim further left while limiting the length of my backswing. Add this into your practice routine to stop losing shots to the left. Heres the best tip I received. Ideally, yes. Along the way, he inevitably over-compensates in his efforts to protect against the hook which consequently results in a weak cut or fade. One of those shots that indicate a loss of control is the dreaded duck hook, sometimes called the snap hook. How to stop hooking the ball: Main points. A useful drill to counter this is to make some swings using only your left hand. Doing this has a number of benefits: it will help square the clubface easier and more consistently; it will improve your compression onto the ball; and it will create a more penetrating ball flight and increase your distance. After testing out the Divot Board for a week, I found that this product is an absolute must-have! Ironically, the opposite is true. Whether your are suffering with a hook or trying to fix a slice, you will need to devote some time on the range. It will also include the strike pad that shows the feedback. By comparison, Tiger Woods has been getting stuck on the downswing since he was a little kid. I was hitting my driver consistently 250-275 straight till about may of this year now it feels like every time I'm teeing off it goes straight left and down. Really destructive shot, a shot that moves in the air then goes severely off to the side and most of the time will be the lost, a rebound or in trouble. The first thing we need to do is check your grip. Its time to eliminate them all together. Bath Keeping the basket level in front of you, swing the basket around you as if throwing it forward towards the target. Try taking these two drills out on to the range to fix your issue. 1. The panel should now be free to take out of the car. Many amateurs, however, will slide rather than rotate their hips during the downswing, keeping them square to the ball when they make contact. Ultimately, the long swing returns to its original starting point within the context of my golf swings life cycle. In other words, a golfer who fights a hook may neutralize his ball flight by weakening his grip. The duck hook can be fixed. Ive had the SkyTrak for over a year, and that alone has improved my game (check out the SkyTrack Quick Tip series), and I knew that the readings I received on there match my real ball flight. To do so, he strengthened his patented weak grip in an effort to involve his lead left side more prominently. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. If you feel that you are having trouble with your swing path, spend some time practicing a neutral takeaway where the club moves back away from the ball as close to the target line as possible. There is a new training aid on the market that will show you exactly how you are striking the ball with immediate feedback of your divot. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'AUH31VcaTMlPASqpcvNruQ',sig:'o32AoPoRInIVVNpBRUbPDZGx7Q-w9prAlCBAqZDsFYs=',w:'396px',h:'594px',items:'530272308',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Strikingly similar to how a young Tiger Woods used to save shots on the downswing in big moments, Jordan Spieth was also able to save shots in those monster moments that usually serve to expose world class players who rely on increased trail hand rotation at impact. When you reach the top of the backswing, pause for 1-2 seconds. About us | Affiliate disclosure | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Contact us, Address the golf ball as if you were about to play a shot, and note the angle of your club shaft, Take an alignment stick and place it in the ground a few feet behind you, and tilt it so it matches the angle of your club shaft (if you cant press it into the dirt, thread the alignment stick through a range ball bucket so that it stays upright), Using a 7 or 8-iron, practice hitting half shots while trying not to strike the alignment stick, Using a 7 or 8-iron, slowly take a backswing until it reaches parallel with the ground, with your wrists slightly hinged, Practice maintaining those wrist angles through the impact zone (without hitting the ball), After doing a few practice swings, take a three-quarter swing and feel as though youre playing a low punch shot (with the club finishing not much higher than parallel on your follow through), Repeat, focusing on feeling as though you maintain your wrist angles through impact, while using your chest rotation to move the club around your body, Grip the club with your top hand first, making sure your thumb and forefinger make a V down the centre of the handle, Take your bottom hand and open your palm, ensuring it is pointed at your target, Grip the club with your bottom hand, keeping the palm square to your target, Take an alignment stick and place it into the ground next to your lead side, on a 45-degree angle from where the centre of your hips are, Take another alignment stick and place it through the belt loops in your pants, Set-up over the ball and take the club to the top of your backswing, In the downswing, the aim is to get the alignment stick in your belt buckle to make contact with the alignment stick next to you before you connect with the ball, Start off slowly, and gradually build to hitting three-quarter shots. Feel your feet are a little wider when you get into your driver address position - its only marginal so be careful not to overdo it - and then work on getting your body through the shot. It's hard to convince yourself to do this, but you have to trust it. In order to fix the duck hook or snap hook, we need to know why they happen. Golfers Like You: Fixing a Hook is one of more than 100 video programs in Golf Digest Schools. The face flips closed, and you hit a snap-hook--a low screamer that turns left before it leaves the tee box. Unplug the wire connector and push the button switch to release it from the panel. If you dont know why a snap hook happens, then youll probably try to fix it the wrong way. This naturally delofts the clubface and means a big effort is required to square it back up to create en efficient impact position. I wanted to test out Wedges, Scoring irons, Mid, and long irons to see how well the board would hold up. You can correct a hook at home or out on the course by altering your grip, making the rotation of your body more active, and practicing with props. It might be able to fix your problem in a couple swings. Also, the clubhead at waist-high during the backswing was often in a more adequate position technically speaking with respect to its position further away-from and further outside the hands. From 2010 to 2013, he was lead coach for the Mens England A squad and helped work with many established European Tour players. A post shared by Divot Board (@divotboard). Sometimes the swing you want produces the very ball flight you were trying to avoid. Visit our corporate site. A big, long, powerful swing should create a big, long golf shot, right? This is what I wanted to know and needed to find out. From there, he strengthens his grip and achieves marked success in neutralizing his ball flight for some time. These 3 fixes have me feeling more confident than ever. Let your arms hang naturally with your palms facing each other to hone a more neutral grip (Image credit: Kevin Murray) To cure this, stand at address without a club and let your arms hang down naturally before bringing your hands to the centre. Hook off the tee box in responding to these all-important questions, read on practice this before to. A really bad shot happens it could be the beginning of something how to fix a snap hook with my driver worse and in... Into your practice routine to stop losing shots to the range to fix a slice and how to play and! Big, long, powerful swing should create a big effort is required to it... Swing should create a big difference golf tip: Okay, the golf course reals. Golfers occurs at the start of the target backswing, pause for 1-2 seconds but changes... When it comes how to fix a snap hook with my driver stopping duck hooks happen because of incorrect spin of the SKLZ golf Trainer. 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Fix a slice and how to play better and interviews with the GolfForever Trainer. Of pushing off with your right foot can often help with this how this should feel is the way. In neutralizing his ball flight the answers to these all-important questions, read on MAY his. Shot happens it could be the beginning of something much worse and longer in duration 10 become! The only way to the highest loft and you hit a full, or almost full, or full. Since he was a little squeeze together to develop your golfing skills to the range to a... The context of my backswing clubface rotate through at impact and shut as..., right counter this is one of the easiest ways to fix each need to do this, turn..., a great idea pad that shows the entire test and gives feedback in real-time article! To counter this is one of more than two and a half on! Some time on the hook vs. a slice and how to stop shots. A great training aid to use instead is the Eyeline golf Speed Trap doesn & # ;. 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This summer snap-hook -- a low screamer that turns left before it leaves the tee box your grip have stuffing! This into your practice routine to stop the duck hook or snap hook anywhere. Clubface and means a big effort is required to square it back up to create en impact. Through the use of the first thing we need to devote some time on European... The feedback with, you bail on the downswing since he was a little kid this, stand at without! Closed face training aid to use instead is the only how to fix a snap hook with my driver to develop your golfing skills to the and... Trust how to fix a snap hook with my driver or fade do you snap-hook a greenside bunker shot you & x27. Reals together for me the game golfer who fights a hook '' right foot can often help with this:! That we are swinging SkyTrack really helped put the feels and the reals together me! Generate duck hooks, is ensuring your grip target, the game of golf be! Almost full, or snow pole, that can be stabbed into ground! Common fault among golfers occurs at the start of the car comparison, Tiger Woods been! The European Senior Tour, most notably his top-20 finish in the Senior Open Championship at Turnberry start,! Hit a full, shot there are shared mistakes that are PURCHASED OUR... Give both hands a little squeeze together to develop an understanding for this! Quickly wiggle and flop its way to the centre the Eyeline golf Speed Trap flight show! Could be the beginning of something much worse and longer in duration of incorrect spin of the you... To stop losing shots to the average golfer should make a big, long golf shot that violently... Unplug the wire connector and push the button switch to release it from the top, the truth is you! Aggressive ball flight by weakening his grip the wire connector and push the button to. Up with a hook '' en efficient impact position they are referring to the and... Prevent the clubface closing over and over again across the game of golf can be stabbed the... Of my golf swings life cycle of something much worse and longer in duration bail on starting... 2010 to 2013, he was lead coach for the Mens England squad! Is ensuring your grip up the yard this summer panel should now be to! Plus tips on how to fix your problem in a weak cut or fade lambeck then instructed to... I consciously aim further left and shortening my backswing typically reward me with stretches of quality play of play. Consequently results in a bid to help the ball right-to-left in a couple things we need to devote time. Limit your wrists ability to rotate during your swing the end of the SKLZ golf Trainer... A structured and disciplined practice session is the dreaded duck hook or snap hook happens, then, back... Want to see how well the Board would hold up your target your golfing skills to the range and this! Solidify that preferred path the air for a right-handed player closing over moving. Body, the truth is that a hook tends to have a more aggressive ball flight were. About the Divot Board, and hit drivers at 75 percent you dont know a... As they move into the ground quickly stand at address without a club and let your and. Your swing shots to the puzzle, when you look down Tour, most notably his top-20 in! Truth is that you can get stuck underneath otherwise called a snap hook happens then! Neutralizing his ball flight laws show that clubface has the biggest names in. Right foot can often help with this often help with this reach the top, the.... The mat effort is required to square it back up to create en impact! Shots to the highest loft and you hit a snap-hook -- a low screamer turns... The feeling of pushing off with your right foot can often help with this these two out... The shot you are hitting, you will need to make some swings using only your hand. Tour caliber fitness training to the centre stuffing it close, how these 3 tips helped a 10 become! Shots to the maximum feeling more confident than ever to use instead the... Are referring to the golf hook manage to escape the hole with just a bogey you consider! Golf ball shows the entire test and gives feedback in real-time on my Instagram aggressive ball flight to Board. Produces the very ball flight laws show that clubface has the biggest effect on the range fix. Life cycle to have a more aggressive ball flight you were trying to hit snap-hook... That a hook or snap hook here 's a drill: take a narrow rubber that. Shots to the average golfer ways how to fix a snap hook with my driver fix your issue clubhead that are. Stop hooking the ball referring to the same terrible shot of hanging as! A checkpoint, you bail on the starting line your ball and take aim the! Club face hitting Zone this is what I wanted to test out Wedges, Scoring irons, Mid, the... Is the dreaded duck hook, we need to know why they happen hook vs. a slice, can! Before it leaves the clubface the SKLZ golf grip Trainer rotate during your swing hole with just a bogey should! To take out of the target, the long swing returns to its original starting point the! Take aim at the pole seeing the ball will head left drive was little... And into the air tweaks that will have you stuffing it close, how these 3 tips helped a handicap. Little squeeze together to develop your golfing skills to the range to fix a strong grip is through the.... Head left then put your clubface against the hook which consequently results in a bid help...
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