By far the most common swing ailment among recreational golfers is a slice. However, the opposite ball flight — a hook — can be equally frustrating to deal with.
Although far less common, a duck hook can be a score-wrecker. While the slice has little power and typically flies high in the sky, the hook has the opposite characteristics. The ball comes out hot and low. It’s a ball flight that is nearly impossible to score with.
As Lee Trevino famously once said, “You can talk to a fade but a hook won’t listen.” So if you find yourself developing a hook, work on correcting the issue as soon as possible. If not, your scores are sure to suffer.
At GOLFTEC, golfers of all different types come in seeking advice — chronic duck hookers among them. And with the data they’ve compiled, there are two main reasons recreational golfers hook the ball.
GOLFTEC’s Director of Teaching Quality Josh Troyer explains more below.
1. Swing path too far right
One of the key ingredients for a hook is a swing path that is too far in-to-out. This can be caused by a variety of reasons, but one of the most common Troyer sees is swaying (or sliding) toward the target during the downswing instead of properly turning the body.
Basically, they are keeping their back to the target too long during the downswing,” Troyer says. “This keeps their shoulder closed and send the swing path out to the right.”
The fix: Try focusing on rotating your body more during the downswing. If you can get your body turning as opposed to swaying, you’ll be able to get the club on a more neutral path.
2. Closed clubface
The second key ingredient that causes a slice is a clubface that is closed relative to the club path. This can be caused by a grip that is far too strong or the way the arms and wrists are working through impact.
“You’ll see a lot of golfers who over-hook the ball have too much lead arm supenration through impact,” Troyer says. “You’ll start to see the clubhead exit too far to the left, and the hands will exit much higher, and the face will be pointed down to the ground.”
The fix: Take a look at your grip and make sure it’s not too strong (hands rotated counterclockwise). If it is, weaken it just a bit. Also, try to keep your wrists and arms quieter through impact.
If you want to get some expert insights into your swing — and learn how how to eliminate your hook under the guidance of a coach — book a swing evaluation with GOLFTEC below.
