How to Hook a Golf Ball – Tips for Correcting Form

Hitting a hook in golf can be both a blessing and a curse. While many golfers struggle with unwanted hooks, learning to intentionally shape your shots with a controlled hook or draw can add versatility to your game.

A classic hook is a shot that curves dramatically from right to left for right-handed golfers (left to right for left-handed players). It typically starts right of the target and curves back to the left, often with a lower trajectory than a straight shot.

 

 

Why Do Golfers Hit Hook Shots Inadvertently?

Understanding the root cause of a hook shot is the first step to fixing it. Here are several reasons why golfers tend to hit hook shots:

Grip Issues

The most common cause of an unintentional hook is a grip that is too strong. In golf, a “strong grip” means that when you look down at your hands on the club, you can see more than two knuckles of your left hand (for right-handed players). A strong grip closes the clubface too much, causing the ball to hook during impact.

Closed Clubface at Impact

If your clubface is closed relative to your swing path at impact, the ball will veer off to the side. A closed clubface happens when your hands rotate too much through the swing, turning the clubface inward.

Swing Path

An inside-out swing path is another common cause of hook shots. If your club is traveling too far inside the target line and then out to the ball, this creates a significant side spin, causing the ball to hook. This swing path often stems from poor weight transfer or over-rotation of the upper body.

Overactive Hands

Sometimes, golfers' hands get too active during the downswing, leading to an excessive release of the club and a closed clubface at impact. This causes the ball to hook unintentionally. Proper timing and coordination of the hands are critical to maintaining control over the clubface during the swing.

Alignment Issues

Incorrect alignment can also contribute to hitting a hook shot. If your body is lined up too far right of the target (for right-handed golfers), your clubface may naturally close during the swing, resulting in a hook.

Early release 

Releasing the club too early in the downswing can close the face prematurely

Types Of Hook Shots

In golf, there are several types of hook shots, each characterized by the trajectory of the ball and the underlying cause of the hook. Understanding these different types can help golfers diagnose and correct their swing. Here are the main types of hook shots:

Draw Hook Shot

 The draw is often considered a controlled or "good" hook shot, where the ball curves slightly to the left (for right-handed players) without veering dramatically off course. This shot occurs when the clubface is slightly closed to the swing path at impact, causing a slight right-to-left spin.

Experienced players often use a draw to navigate around obstacles or enhance ball flight in certain conditions.

Push Hook Shot

The push hook shot is a common error made by even established players of the game. The push hook is typically an overextension of the draw hook shot. The push hook starts to the right of the target and then curves sharply to the left (for right-handed players). It’s typically a result of an exaggerated inside-out swing path combined with a closed clubface.

The error happens when the club path favors the right of the target, significantly more than the clubface. Usually, this error occurs because the player’s grip on the club is too strong, closing the clubface.

Pull Hook Shot

The pull hook starts to the left of the target and continues to curve further left. It’s one of the most undesirable types of hook shots because it often leads to a severe miss.

This shot occurs when the club path moves to the left of the target line with a clubface that is even more closed, producing excessive leftward spin. Often a result of over-rotating the upper body or swinging too far from outside-in, with a closed clubface.

Classic Hook Shot

The classic hook is a more extreme version of the draw, where the ball starts straight but curves hard to the left (for right-handed golfers). This occurs when the clubface is too closed relative to the target line at impact, producing excessive spin and causing the ball to curve sharply left.
It is often caused by an overactive hand rotation or improper grip, resulting in a closed clubface at impact.

Snap Hook

The snap hook is an extreme and sudden leftward curve of the ball that happens almost immediately after impact. The ball dives sharply to the left and often travels a much shorter distance than intended. This will occur when the clubface is dramatically closed at impact, causing an extremely high degree of sidespin.
It occurs with an overly aggressive hand rotation or a very strong grip, leading to a closed clubface far too early in the swing.

 

How to Correct Your Form and Avoid Unintentional Hook Shots

So, how can newcomers to the game prevent themselves from making a bad hook shot? Some amateurs confuse a hook with a slice. A common shot error afflicts many new golfers, and some may take months or years to work it out of their game.

However, new players will find the hook just as defeating, laying shame to their confidence at the driving range and on the course. The hook shot also generates more ball speed, resulting in a dangerous shot when it’s completely out of control.

Correcting a hook shot involves addressing the grip, clubface angle, swing path, and alignment.

Examine Your Grip

The grip is a common error point causing the hook shot. Look down at your hands on the club in your address position. If you see three knuckles on the left hand but only one on the right hand, it means you have a strong grip.

Changing your grip is challenging, and you’ll need to do it in small increments to prevent it from affecting your game. 

To prevent your hands from closing the clubface too much at impact, you need to adjust your grip to a more neutral position. Here’s how:

• Check that you can see only two knuckles of your left hand when looking down at your grip.
• Make sure your grip pressure is firm but not too tight. A relaxed grip allows better control over the clubface during your swing.
• Rotate your right hand slightly toward the target to weaken your grip, which prevents the clubface from closing too much through impact.

Square the Clubface

Work on squaring the clubface at impact. A square clubface ensures that the ball will go straight, rather than curving to the side. Here’s how you can do it:

• Focus on your takeaway, keeping the clubhead low and square to the target line during the backswing.
• During the downswing, try to avoid rotating your hands too much through impact, and practice a neutral hand position at contact.

Fix Your Swing Path

Correcting an inside-out swing path requires conscious effort to keep the club on the proper plane. Here are some key pointers:

• Practice a more neutral swing path by focusing on swinging the clubhead directly down the target line.
• Make sure your weight shifts correctly through the swing, transferring from your back foot to your front foot. Proper weight transfer helps prevent an inside-out swing path.
• Use alignment sticks or other training aids to visualize and practice swinging on the correct plane.

Control Hand Rotation

To avoid over-rotating your hands and closing the clubface, focus on maintaining control through impact:

• Practice drills that help you feel the correct hand release during your swing. For example, pause at impact during practice swings and check your hand position.
• Work on slowing down your hand rotation through impact, keeping the clubface more stable.

Check Your Alignment

Improper alignment can lead to an unintentional hook. Here’s how to fix your setup:

• Align your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line.
• Use alignment sticks on the ground to check that your body is not aimed too far to the right (for right-handed players).
• Ensure your clubface is square to the target at setup.

Rotate Your Body Through The Shot

Another common factor causing the hook shot in beginners is releasing the angle in their hands as the swing reaches the impact point. This behavior typically occurs because the player stops the rotation of their body through the shot.

If this is the case for you, you can turn your left foot outward just a bit to improve your movement throughout the shot; if your feet and stance are exactly perpendicular to the ball, it may cause a lack of range-of-motion in your hips through the shot and a failure in the release of the hands.

 

Practice Drills to Control Your Hook

Feet-together drill

Hit shots with your feet close together to promote better balance and reduce excessive body movement.

Alignment Stick Drill

Place two alignment sticks on the ground: one along your target line and the other along your feet line. Practice your swing, focusing on keeping the club on a path parallel to the target line.

Grip Pressure Drill

Take practice swings while holding the club with different grip pressures. Experiment with loosening and tightening your grip to find the sweet spot that prevents excessive hand rotation.

Half-swing Practice

Work on controlling your club face with half swings before progressing to full swings.

Towel Drill

Place a towel under your trailing armpit during practice swings. This helps keep your arms connected to your body, reducing the chance of an inside-out swing.

Closed-Face Drills

An inactive lower body during the shot is the most common cause of hooking the ball. Those players who struggle with the challenge of transferring their weight through the swing are more inclined to hook the ball.

If you struggle with this problem, close the clubface and attempt a normal swing. Try to hot a straight shot, and if you are still in your old habit, it drives the ball further left. As a result, you’ll become conscious of the error, and your body will adjust to a new shot position.

The alignment markings on the clubface show you the angle of the clubface and how closed it is in your current posture. The only way you can take a straight shot in this position is to rotate your body through the ball and shift your weight to delay the club’s release by a fraction of a second.

Practice these changes enough, and you’ll find it’s an effective way to program your biomechanics into a smoother swing sequence.

Quick Hook-Shot Checklist

So, after going through why you’re hooking the ball, let’s look at a quick checklist to recap how to hook a golf ball:

• Always align the club face to the target.
• Check your grip and how many knuckles are showing on each hand.
• Improve range-of-motion and body rotation by turning your left foot out slightly.
• Make sure the lower half of your body is in motion during the swing and in tune with the movement through the ball strike.

Purposefully Hooking the Ball: When to Use a Hook Shot

While unintentional hook shots are problematic, learning how to hook the ball purposefully can be a valuable skill for more advanced golfers. A controlled hook shot can help you navigate around obstacles such as trees, hazards, or out-of-bounds areas when there are no direct paths to the target.

When to Use a Hook Shot

• Around Obstacles: If you're behind a tree or hazard, a hook shot can help curve the ball back into the fairway.
• Navigating Doglegs: On a hole with a sharp dogleg, a well-placed hook can help you follow the course’s natural shape, potentially giving you a better angle for your next shot.
• Playing in the Wind: When facing a strong crosswind, a hook shot can help counter the wind and keep your ball on track.

How to Hook the Ball on Purpose

To intentionally hook the ball, follow these steps:

• Strengthen Your Grip: Rotate both hands slightly to the right (for right-handed players) to close the clubface slightly.
• Adjust Your Stance: Set up with your feet aiming slightly to the right of the target, but keep your clubface pointed at the target.
• Swing Path: Focus on an inside-out swing path, ensuring that your clubhead moves from inside the target line to out.
• Rotate Hands Through Impact: Allow your hands to rotate more aggressively through impact to close the clubface and generate side spin.

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Hook shots can be frustrating, but they are a common issue for many golfers. Whether caused by grip issues, swing path problems, or a closed clubface, the key to correcting a hook is understanding its root cause. By adjusting your grip, swing mechanics, and alignment, you can prevent unintentional hook shots and improve your overall accuracy on the course.

If you're struggling to correct a persistent hook, consider working with a professional golf instructor who can provide personalized guidance and feedback.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, learning how to intentionally hook the ball can give you an edge in tricky situations on the course.

Advanced players that deliberately practice their hook shots find they discover more about ball flight and shot arc. Understanding these dynamics help you sort out any other lingering problems in your swing.

We hope that by following the tips and drills outlined in our article, you’ll be well on your way to eliminating unwanted hooks and adding the controlled hook shot to your golfing toolbox.