quick help with duck hook

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By Don O

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  1. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    I've worked hard in the off season.  Was consistently hitting driver straight.  I'm still hitting pure iron shots and will see how well the short game works out moving from mats to really soft ground conditions.  However, I have not yet figured out why driver started and is still duck hooking on the last 3 range sessions.  It will be about 3 weeks before I can make a lesson, so I'm looking for the first 3 reasons. It's so bad, I almost don't want to face him without some improvement.

  2. Blake B

    Blake B
    Harbor Springs, MI

    I've said this before in this particular forum but it would be really difficult to point you in a specific direction without photo/video evidence. If you have a very flat swing, I would suggest bringing the club up higher on a better swing plane (but of course that is if you have a flat swing.) Check your distance between the ball, is it comfortable? Are you standing too close/far? Has your body over-rotated towards the ball prior to impact/timing?

    All things to consider, amongst an even longer list of other possibilities. Get yourself on a monitor and learn just what it is that you can achieve with slow playback etc. 

    Good luck!

  3. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    Thanks. I'll need to get my wife to take the clip. I'll look at the flat swing - I may have overcooked the swing to keep from coming in over the top.
  4. I agree with Blake, could be one of many potential reasons for the duck hooks.

    When I've struggled with them, here are my top reasons:

    1-tempo/tight grip pressure, when I grip too tightly the tendency is to quicken the takeway and yank the club way too much to the inside with my hands vs nice and smooth, straight back the first couple feet to allow for a nice shoulder turn. When I slow things down on the backswing, usually good things happen.

    2-ball position too far back in stance. I always put both feet together with the ball/tee splitting my feet and then just take one big step back with the right foot so I consistently play the driver just inside my left foot.

    3-shoulders aligned too far right of target line so you are closed to the target at address vs parallel left

    i hope you get it fixed soon, I know how frustrating it can be. Chances are you are a better player and it is something as simple as grip, alignment, or ball position. Good luck!!!

  5. Keith M

    Keith M
    Acworth, GA

    Same thing happens to me from time to time.  Make sure you're rotating your hips fully.  Really exaggerate that hip rotation and it may stop for you.  Sometimes I forget to move the hips in favor of shoulder rotation and next thing I know I'm hooking into the next zip code.

  6. FJL

    FJL
    Kitchener, ON

    I don't use left or right when writing lessons because I don't know who is a right handed or left handed golfer, so we'll use "target" (for the front foot or side) and "away" (for the back foot or side).  This works for the better golfers that I teach who start to duck hook in mid season.... hope it helps you.


    TARGET FOOT TURNED IN DRILL

    USES

    This is another drill to prevent an excessive lateral motion toward the target.  The swing will feel more rotary in nature.  This drill may help the higher handicap player who pushes or blocks shots to the slice side due to the body getting too ahead of the hands.

    SET UP

    Starting with a normal set up, simply turn the target foot in so the foot is angled 10 – 15 degrees away from the target toward the away foot.

    PURPOSE

    This drill helps players who get the hips moving and rotating too aggressively.  It will also give you the feeling of using the target leg as a post for rotation of the body.  The modern swing now tends to lock the forward knee and you will feel this by using this drill.

    BENEFIT TO BETTER PLAYERS

    Getting the club stuck behind is a typical fault of the better player but you may be of sufficient talent to flip the hands through impact and are thus prone to quick hooks.  This drill will give you the opportunity to slow down hip rotation and keep the hands more in front of the chest.

    DOING THE DRILL

    Make ¾ swings with a mid iron at first and in a slow motion practice swing so as to see and feel what to expect.  The front foot turned in will cause the forward knee to restrict the turn to the finish.  Be sure to maintain flex in the forward knee or the hip will lock and topped shots may occur.

    Good Luck!

     

  7. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    Thanks FLJ and Austin - I narrowed it down to grip being too strong and for which of 2 reasons where I was out of tempo. Played 27 holes over the weekend (gets me to 36 for the year), and the last 18 I was straight or slight draw off the tee. I was only about 50% in the fairway, but I'm used to a fade so I not comfortable aiming left of center (I'm LH). Having made a career slicing, I had no clues how to fix a hook.
  8. Matt B

    Matt B
    Columbus, OH

    You may also want to adjust your driver to the flatter lie angle, I think the B1 setting may help ease the hook.
  9. Spudstarch

    Spudstarch
    Walnut Creek, CA

    Keith M said:

    Same thing happens to me from time to time.  Make sure you're rotating your hips fully.  Really exaggerate that hip rotation and it may stop for you.  Sometimes I forget to move the hips in favor of shoulder rotation and next thing I know I'm hooking into the next zip code.

    Are you me? That was my problem two weeks ago, lol.

    I've since, simplified things and now I feel like I just rotate my shoulders steadily for my back swing, and then rotate my hips for the downswing. Everything else seems to fall into place without me having to think about it and I've been getting some of the best drives I have ever had.

  10. Sam E

    Sam E
    San Diego, CA

    Keith M said:

    Same thing happens to me from time to time.  Make sure you're rotating your hips fully.  Really exaggerate that hip rotation and it may stop for you.  Sometimes I forget to move the hips in favor of shoulder rotation and next thing I know I'm hooking into the next zip code.

    This is the problem when i hook, the hips stop rotating. This happens to me when i'm too focused on the ball instead of the whole swing from grip to finish.

    Before i took lessons, i'd go over the top and slice it

  11. Hey Don,

    Like most golfers who play the game for an extended amount of time, the duck hook aka "pull hook" is a real problem that is difficult to overcome if you don't understand why you're doing it or how to fix it.  Ultimately what's happening is your coming across the striking line with a closed club face, which causes the ball to pull left with right to left spin.

    Here are some simple techniques to think about when trying to cure the duck hook.

    1.  Loosen your grip - A tight grip tends to cause you to get quick at the top which leads to coming across the ball.

    2.  Check your alignment - Make sure your knees, shoulders, feet, and eyes are square with the target.  Try to even aim left of your target and bring the ball back towards your target (fade), a lot of decent golfers can do this by just mentally focusing on that idea.  It's a good technique to play around with.

    3.  Ball placement - A large majority of golfers place the ball too far back in the stance which tends to cause right to left spin (draw).  However, too far forward in the stance can cause you to come down on the ball across it (pull).  When hitting a driver the ball should be just inside your left big toe.  When using an iron the ball should be just left of your left hand during address.

    4.  Tempo - Think of making a smooth swing.  Most of the time when I pull hook the ball it's because I got quick at the top.  Try to make a smooth stroke all the way through with proper balance.

    5. Balance - Don't let your hands get in front of your body during the swing.  Make sure you end your swing with your belt buckle aiming towards your target and without falling backwards or forwards.  If you are falling a certain way, work on fixing your balance.

  12. Chris B

    Chris B
    Monroe, LA

    If you are right handed ensure that the backside of your left hand is at the target for an exaggerated amount of time after impact.
  13. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    Chris B said:

    If you are right handed ensure that the backside of your left hand is at the target for an exaggerated amount of time after impact.
    Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. I'll check to see how long the backside of my right hand is at the target after impact. Anything to keep improving Fairways and GIR.

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