How to Fix a Golf Hook

While there’s no doubt that the slice is the most common problem for many golfers, there are many beginners for whom the golf hook is an even bigger problem. Understanding how to fix a golf hook requires finding out what is causing your hook and developing a plan of attack for fixing it.

What Causes the Golf Hook?

The hook is caused by a club face that is closed at impact. For right-handed golfers, this means that the club face is pointing slightly towards their body (i.e. the club face is not square with the ball, but instead pointing towards their left foot). The reason this club face position causes a golf hook is because as the club face comes through the ball, the closed position of the face imparts counter-clockwise rotation (or right-to-left spin) on the ball.

The result is a ball flight path that may start out straight, but one in which the ball moves to the left. Depending on how severely the club face was closed at impact and how much right-to-left spin was imparted to the golf ball determines how dramatically the ball will hook.

What Can I Do To Fix My Hook?

The first and most important thing that a beginning golfer can do to fix their hook is to make sure that the result of their swing has the club face contacting the golf ball squarely. The club face should be neither opened or closed at impact. Imagine a small arrow pointing out from the face of your golf club. This imaginary arrow should be parallel to your feet and should be exactly perpendicular to the golf ball. Positioning the club face like this at impact will minimize any right-to-left (counter-clockwise) spin on the ball and produce a golf shot that is solid and straight with minimal sideways movement in either direction.

Golf Grip To Cure A Hook

A proper golf grip can help fix your hook by forcing the club face to remain square at impact, thus making solid contact with the golf ball. Take a look at the photograph to the left. The image to the far left illustrates what a closed club face at impact looks like. This is the club head position that produces the hook. The center image is the one that anyone who wants to correct their hook should strive for. Look closely at the grip the golfer is using in the center image, as well. His grip is forming a crease between the thumb and palm of his right hand that is pointing directly down the shaft of the golf club at the ball. His right palm is neither ‘underneath’ the golf club (as in the leftmost photo) or ‘above’ the club (as in the rightmost photo). This golf grip will help ensure a square club face at contact, which minimizes any sideways rotation on the golf ball.

What Type Of Swing Will Help Cure My Hook?

At this point we know that a hook happens when the club face is closed at impact and produces right-to-left (for right-handed golfers) or counter-clockwise spin on the ball. We have also seen an example of a proper golf grip above that will help eliminate your hook. As for the swing that produces the hook, it is any swing that results in a closed club face at impact. The club face may be closed because the golfer’s arms have rotated faster than his or her body meaning that at impact the club face may be past the ‘squared to the ball’ position and already slightly closed. The hook may also be caused by an in-to-out swing path that results in a closed club face, producing the left-to-right spin that causes the hook. Developing a simple golf swing is essential to fixing your hook.

How To Fix A Golf Hook Video

The video below demonstrates exactly what causes a hook and demonstrates what steps you need to take to correct your hook.

Conclusion

So learning how to fix a golf hook really only requires a few steps:

1) Understand What Is Causing Your Hook
2) Keep The Club Face Square At Impact
3) Use a Proper Grip
4) Develop A Proper Swing To Correct Your Hook
5) Practice!