How To Stop The ‘Flippy’ Hook??

This shot is simply when the ball either starts right or straight and then veers sharply to the left. This shot is more common for more experienced players however it can plague all levels of golfers. Believe it or not the main reason for this shot is for the body and the path moving too excessively to the right. Once the body recognises that the swing is moving in this direction, the hands will tend to takeover and attempt to ‘flip’ the club left to compensate. The ball flight will be often low as the more the hands ‘flip’, the more the clubface de-lofts.

Now to fix this issue, you will need to do the exact opposite. Firstly you need to make sure that the alignment is parallel left of the target. This will include your feet, shoulders, knees and hips. Secondly you will need to ensure the grip is neutral with the lines created between the index fingers and thumbs of both hands pointed at the right shoulder. Thirdly you want to ensure that at the first position of the backswing when the club reaches parallel to the ground, that the clubface and hands are forming a straight line. You want to also ensure the ‘toe’ of the club is pointed to the sky.

The next step is that you want to focus on the follow through. You want to feel that you are swinging more left with your body and your path. Now when you first do this you may find that the ball now starts left and ‘hooks’ even further left. This is mainly due to your old swing still wanting to present the clubface ‘closed’ to the ball. Just ensure you feel the clubface a little ‘open’ through impact. This should now start you hitting it straighter but the contact still may not be quite there.

The last step will ensure your contact will be correct. In your old swing when creating these excessive ‘hooks’, the hands tend to stay behind the clubface at impact. Just ensure now when swinging left with your clubface open, that your hands stay more in front of the clubface. You want to in essence feel like you’re playing low punch ‘cuts’. (‘cuts’ are shots that go a little right).

Once you have completed all these steps you will not only control your direction but contact the ball with compression.

If you need any further help in fixing you ‘hook’ just contact myself at David Waters Golf.