YouTube + Top 100 Teacher = No More Hooks
Dear Top 100 Teacher,
I am a low-handicap player with decent distance off the tee and with my irons. The one thing I am lacking is accuracy with my clubs. I do play a natural 5-7 yard draw, but lately, my draw is turning into a 15-20 yard hook with the driver and a push with the irons. I know the push and block are related, and I don't want to give up my draw. Can you help? Here is a video of my swing when I played a few rounds in Scottsdale, Ariz. The shot on was on a par 4 that set up well for my hook.
Neal G., via email
Dear Neal,
I took a look at the video you sent and it does appear that you are getting the club under the correct swing plane. Too far under plane can cause pushes, pulls, fades, and draws, so unfortunately you now have a number of shots in your bag. (Ha-ha! That's Top 100 Teacher humor.)
When your plane angle (the path your clubhead travels toward impact) is too shallow or too far from the inside, your ball location becomes even more critical. If the ball is too far forward you'll hook it; if it's too far back you'll hit a push.
Flatter plane angles require more clubface rotation through the ball --
think Sergio -- while more vertical plane angles require less clubface rotation, like Chris DiMarco's up-and-down swing.
Ultimately it is the "job" of your left hand to control the clubface. Think of an ordinary door opening and closing: this is the motion you want your left hand to do. Turn your hand to the right in the backswing and roll it to the left from impact until the ball is gone. If you roll too early, you'll have a hook and/or a pull hook. Not enough roll and you have a push or a fade.
You
should work on getting the club down on a little steeper plane and
experiment with ball location until you find the spot that gives you
straight-away flight. Remember, there is NO one ball position, it's
different for EVERY player AND for EVERY club!
You should also make sure that the leading edge of the clubface is at a right angle to the target line when it is in line
with your left shoulder. Again, if it is on the closed side of that
alignment then it will draw or pull and if the clubface is open to
that alignment, you'll hit a fade or push.
Try what I've just given you and if you need more help, we're here!
Regards,
Chuck
Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Chuck Evans is director of instruction at Emerald Bay Golf Club in Destin. Fla.
Posted by: waggle | May 15, 2009 3:34:38 AM
rubbish advice...his stance is closed at address. of course hes going to hook the ball
Posted by: jrae | May 16, 2009 7:08:46 AM
neal is in a closed stance bcause his normal shot is a draw. here,s more understandable advice. you can change your shot shape dictated by the back of your left wrist. if back of wrist faces towards the sky, then your path and to shallow which results in a hook. if the back of wrist faces on a 45 degree angle up and out in front of you, then thats a straighter shot. if back of wrist points straight out in front of you, then that,s a steeper angle which will cause more of a slice. if neal would work on wrist position at the top, he would have more control of his shot shape. hope this helps.
Posted by: Chuck Evans | May 16, 2009 6:14:09 PM
Thanks for the feedback "waggle" and "jrae" unfortunately a closed stance does NOT cause a player to hook the ball - Ben Hogan set up closed with a driver and HE didn't hook it! The second issue is grip. Strong grips don't cause hooking either, think Paul Azinger and David Duval - BOTH fade the ball.
Thanks for the input!
chuck
Posted by: Matt | May 16, 2009 11:09:33 PM
He is right a closed stance will not cause a hook. I can close my stance 45 degrees and hit a slice if i tried. But i would probably destroy my back. I have had open stance for a while and hit a snap hook. The reason i would laterally shift to much and have the club stuck behind me, but my stance was still open...
You want a good tip, get a laser pointer, zip-tie it to the end of the club. Turn on the laser, lay a stick on your target plane. When you take your club back, take it slowly and make sure the laser points to the target line. This will keep you on plane. If you are flat the laser will point further away from you.
Posted by: Greg | May 17, 2009 7:38:34 PM
Camera angle isn't the greatest, but I'd personally like to see a little more width in the swing, both on the takeaway and through the ball. Looks a little steep coming back and cut-off through the ball (not cut-off as in slicing but, but not driving down the target line or slightly in-out for a draw player).
Posted by: jeff | May 18, 2009 9:34:03 AM
His shoulders look open with a closed stance. this will cause him to go under his plane on the follow through and hook it or fade it depending on the face angle.
Posted by: Tony Yang | May 23, 2009 12:56:48 AM
take away swing too much inside
Posted by: bob byrnes | Jun 30, 2009 11:09:30 AM
i can;t stop pulling my irons;9-10 o;clock.please help