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Stop Hooking The Ball By Thinking Bunker

Feel Like You’re Hitting Out Of A Bunker To Straighten Out Shots

By Ryan Gager

We’re talking about that nasty hooking problem you have, and how to correct it. In this edition of Fix My Fault, GOLFTEC’s Zach Lambeck works with professional golfer Hannah Gregg as she tries to correct the problem she has with hitting too many hooks with her irons. They look into what causes a golf shot to hook off target and how the feel from a typical bunker shot can help keep your club face a few degrees more open and eliminate those hook shots.

Toe of the Club at Follow Through

Notice Hannah’s club head position on the left where she hit a hook compared to on the right when she hit it straight. Courtesy GOLFTEC

The example here shows Hannah on the left when she hits a hook. Notice that the club shaft is coming up out of her shoulder and that the toe of the club head is pointing left and away from her body.

Too much club head rotation is what puts the extra sidespin on the ball causing it to curve way to the left.

On the right, Hannah has hit a straight shot. Notice the differences in the follow through – the shaft is now more straight up and down, and the toe of club head is pointed to the right.

Because she didn’t over rotate the club head stayed more square and the ball followed a straight path with minimal sidespin.

The Drill to Fix The Hook

Make a swing like your are trying to hit a greenside bunker shot with your 7 iron to help keep the club face open. Courtesy GOLFTEC

This drill requires a little bit of imagination, but it’s basically thinking about how you would swing in a greenside bunker.

  1. Take your 7 iron and make some practice swings like you would if you were trying to hit a shot out of a greenside bunker. You want to keep the face open to pop the ball up and out of the bunker. If you rotate your forearms and the toe of the club head over, it would be very difficult to get that shot out of the bunker.
  1. Hold the follow through and check your club head position to make sure the face is pointing up toward the sky instead of down towards the ground.
  1. Once you get comfortable with your practice swings, put a ball down and just hit 50 yard shots taking half swings. Then after you get the feel for it, move up to full swings.

The next time you start snap-hooking the ball, think about this bunker drill and keeping that club face open. Note – do not try changing your path and start swinging out-to-in, as it will create more problems. For help with hooks, slices or any other issues in your golf game, be sure to stop in to your local GOLFTEC. Working with a GOLFTEC Coach will have you hitting your irons the right direction and playing your best golf!

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Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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