The Hook Shot in Golf, and How to Use It

Golf is a sport of skill, precision and patience. It requires players to have an in-depth understanding of the rules as well as the course layout. When you get a good shot it feels like you’ve hit it just right, when you don’t it can be frustrating. A hook is one type of bad golf shot which happens when your ball curves away from your target instead of going straight towards it.

In this article we’ll look at some possible reasons for why this happens as well as how you can stop a hook from happening again.

What is a hook in golf?

A hook in golf , is a shot that curves to the right for a Right-Handed golfer, or left for Left-Handed golfer. It's also known as an "inside" or "screwed" shot, because the ball starts left of the target and ends up right of it.

This type of curve is usually caused by *too much spin* on the ball due to too much hands/armslide during your downswing and followthrough. The hook can also happen if you don't rotate your shoulders far enough during the downswing.

What causes a hook?  

1. Too much hands & armslide during downswing and followthrough
2. Lack of shoulder rotation during the backswing and downswing
3. Bad grip where your thumbs are meeting in the middle/ top of the grip 
4. Using an iron shafted club with too much loft for your skill level 
5. Improper alignment: you're too far from the ball to hit a straight shot, even if you rotate properly. So your attempt at hitting a straight shot with improper alignment will naturally curve to the side of which your body is facing (right-handed golfer hits it left and vice versa) 

Another common cause for a hook (or "sliced shot") are woods. Woods have a lower lofts and longer shafts which make them great for hitting long straight shots, but they require more accuracy from the golfer because of their heavier weight.

How to fix a hook

1) Practice good posture/posture alignment when addressing the ball and through the swing

2) Use your legs, hips and core to drive the clubhead back on a straight line, not your hands.

3) Get a proper fitting for your clubs (clubs that are too long, or too short for your height/action will amplify hooks)

4) Try different clubs until you find the one that's right for you (maybe try a wood instead of an iron).

5) Try getting lessons. A good instructor can correct any swing faults you may have. Or contact me here if you need help fixing your swing.

Can you fix a hook after the ball is hit?

Yes.  You can try to fix a hook (or any other type of curve) by "chipping" the ball out of the rough (right after it hit the ground). If you can't get it out with a chipping motion, re-address the ball and practice your posture alignment thing once more, then simply swing from where you are.

Is a hook better than a slice?

Yes. A hook is actually a good thing if you can control it because while the ball starts left of target, it will end up right of target (if you didn't slice through impact). It's better than a slice because a slice curves to the outside of the target line.

 Different kinds of hooks

1. Draw: the ball curves to the right for right-handed golfers, and left for left-handed golfers.

2.Push-hook: the ball starts in the direction of the target line, but curves right (for right handed golfers) or left(left-handed golfer).

3.Push-slice: the ball begins in the direction of your target, but curves back to the outside of your target line. This is similar to a straight slice with a little extra curve.

4.Drive-hook: The ball starts left of the target line, but curves back in to finish right of the target.

5.Drive-slice: The ball starts left of the target line and curves out to finish left of the target.

Conclusion:

A hook is a good thing to have in your bag of golf tricks. Just make sure you can control it first. Remember, practice your posture and alignment, find the right clubs for you, get lessons, etc.

Hope this article helped you understand what a hook is. If it did, please share it with your friends or leave a comment below! Happy golfing!