The Hook-
A five-star method for getting one or
losing one
by
Dr. Gary Wiren,
PGA Master Instructor
If you slice, I'm sure you'd much prefer the other shape. But you
probably don't want a real hook, you'd prefer a draw; that is, a hook
under control. The draw's curving shape for the right hander is
right-to-left, but it is a gentle curve, whereas the hook is more
dramatic and less likely to be controlled.
The major advantage in a right-to-left shot is distance. A hooking
ball has less backspin and therefore will travel farther than one
that slices. Since overcoming distance is a major problem for most
amateur players, I encourage my students to develop the draw shape in
their full shots. Another important advantage to the draw is playing
in windy conditions. The right-to-left shot has a lower trajectory,
and therefore is less affected by the wind, giving better control.
The physics of hook spin are simple to understand, but they are
harder to implement than those that make the ball slice. That's why
we have far more golfers who slice than those who hook.
Theoretically, from a physics standpoint, it should be just as easy
to produce a hook as it is a slice. But the psychology involved in
striking a ball makes that theory unworkable. To hook a ball, you
have to put right-to-left spin on it. That is accomplished by
striking the ball with the face closed to the path of the clubhead.
The greater degree it is closed, the great the hook.
For any golfer who
has sliced the ball his entire golf career, a hook is like a cool
breeze in the desert, a joy to the eye as well as to the heart. But
for the player who has torn too many pairs of britches climbing
fences to chase down o.b. duck hooks, that right-to-left driving shot
is a demon, an uncontrollable rogue that jumps out of the clubface
just when you can least afford it. The hook, a delight to some, a
scourge to others - let's address both.
There are three kinds of hooks - those with a swing path from
inside to out&endash;the ball starts to the right and comes back to
the center; those whose swing path is down the line toward the
target&endash; the ball starts slightly to the left and curves
further to the left; and those having a swing path to the left with
the ball starting there immediately and continuing to curve further
to the left.
So, two factors produce the hook: the swing path and the clubface
alignment at impact. Getting the face closed to the path is the
answer to producing a hook. Since it is preferred that the ball end
up in the middle of the fairway, the desired swing path to produce a
hook should be from inside the target line slightly to the outside. A
swing path traveling slightly over the left shoulder will accomplish
that.
The easiest way to develop an inside swing path is simply to
concentrate on making the plane of your forward swing underneath the
plane of your backswing. For all practical purposes, this guarantees
an inside-to-out swing path. There are mechanical explanations which
could describe that move; for example, start the forward swing with a
shift of the lower body moving the weight from over the right leg to
over the left&emdash;or move the left hip toward the target, letting
the hands and arms drop so the right elbow points to the right pants
pocket&emdash;but those moves will develop naturally if you try to
swing the club toward the target on a forward plane that is
underneath your backswing plane. This puts the swing path on the
inside.
Closing the clubface is much easier than changing the swing path.
Here are four ways to do it.
1. Intentionally close the clubface at address, then take your
normal grip and swing.
2. Rotate your grip with both hands toward the right (clockwise)
so that the Vs made by your left and right hand point more toward
your right shoulder.
3. Take a regular grip but close the face of the club at the top
of the swing by bowing your left wrist and returning to the ball the
same way.
4. Rotate your forearms and hands in the forward swing so the toe
of the club passes the heel in the impact area.
The most common reason for slicing rather than hooking is the
failure to do #4; that is, not allowing the rotating of the hands,
forearms and clubface, to return to square. The cause for this
frequent mistake is increased muscular tension, the result of
anticipating hitting the ball. With more emphasis placed on swinging
the club rather than hitting the ball, the grip, and consequently the
forearms, will lighten up, allowing the face a better chance to
square itself. This squaring process happens naturally if you let it,
the result of centrifugal force and gravity. You simply need a good
starting grip position which does not change or greatly increase the
grip pressure during the forward swing.
The Five-Star Guaranteed Hook Method
If you have never been able to make the ball hook, here is an
absolute, sure-fire, "five-star guaranteed method."
1. Stand in an exaggerated close stance so that your back faces
the target.
2. Take a "three-knuckle" grip in your left hand with the right
hand set parallel to match.
3. Swing the club along your hip line almost brushing your right
hip on the backswing, and similarly, your left hip on the forward
swing. It's an exaggerated inside-to-out path.
4. Shift your weight from right to left as you would in a normal
swing.
5. Relax your hands and wrists so you can get the clubhead up
quickly on the forward swing. Make the clubhead point to the sky by
the time your hands reach your left hip.
Place the ball on a tee, use a seven iron, take a few practice
swings to get used to the feeling of the drill, then add the ball and
watch for a big hook. After you have severely hooked several shots
(if you proceeded as we described, they should be big sweeping
hooks), start to reduce the exaggerated positions. The amount of hook
will decrease as you adjust more toward normal. Make your stance less
closed, alter your grip to two knuckles and feel the swing become
slightly less wrist, so the clubhead doesn't get vertical quite as
fast in your finish. You'll soon be drawing the ball right-to-left
quite easily but from different positions and with a different swing
than your old one. If you start to lose the draw shape, go back to
the Five-Star Drill until the draw returns.
Getting Unhooked
One of Lee Trevino's famous quips goes like this: "You can talk to
a fade, but those hooks don't listen." In my way of thinking and
teaching, you learn first to draw the ball for power, then if you
need to, to fade it for control. If you have a hook that frequently
gets you into trouble, here is how you can whip it: Reverse the
Five-Star procedure.
1. Open your stance so the feet and shoulder line point well to
the left of target.
2. Take a one-knuckle left hand grip with a right hand to match.
3. Swing the club similar to a bunker shot, outside the flight
line across to in.
4. Shift your weight to the left as you would in a normal swing,
but don't let your arms and hands drop to the inside.
5. Grip the club in the left hand firmly and feel as though the
face looks to the sky when reaching left hip height.
Again, like reducing the hook, gradually work back to a more
normal position. It's most unlikely that staying with all five
adjustments would be necessary. One or two will probably stop the
hook. You certainly don't wish to trade your hook for a slice, but
only to reduce the hook to manageable proportions, a consistent draw.
Curving the golf ball's flight is totally a matter of path and
face. Identify the feelings and positions in your swing that allow
you to create the ball spin and shot shape you desire. Try it on the
range and see if the Five-Star approach doesn't help you reach that
result.
Gary Wiren is a PGA Master Instructor and a Ph.D.
He operates "Golf Around the World" in Lake Park, Florida. The
company conducts golf seminars, schools and personal visits, and
sells golf teaching aids, books and videotapes. Call 561-625-1928 or
800-824-4279 for information.
Garyw@floridagolfing.com
