Snap hook

I've been in this boat for years and finally figured out MY fix. I emphasize the "my" as hooks can be caused by a number of factors.

I developed a few swing flaws that really kept the ball from going right:

1. Hooding the face during the takeaway (having the club being parallel to my spine really helped stop the hooks: free-online-golf-tips.com/.../golf-takeaway.png)

2. Poor wrist hinge (It's very difficult to hook it with proper wrist hinge. A training aid called the Swingyde has been immensely helpful for me to understand proper wrist hinge.)


One more note: I developed these flaws because I am one of the many golfers who have an over-the-top downswing and taking away the bandaids above make me hit it right of right. So don't be alarmed if that happens to you too.

Thanks Alan. That happens to me as well; my miss is low and left. Like you I come over the top, and my downswing is rather steep. Although my club head isn't hooded at address, it ends up that way at impact from time to time. At 65 my hips don't turn as easily through impact as they once did, and I get "handsy" at impact.

A swing thought, and grip change have helped. When I re-gripped my driver, I added a few extra layers of tape under the right hand, making it more difficult to manipulate the club with my right hand. This isn't for everyone, but it worked for me.

The swing thought is baseball related.At impact I try and focus on not allowing my wrists to "roll"until well after impact.Hitters refer to it as "hands inside the baseball", meaning the wrists haven't released until the ball is almost past the hitter, resulting in the ball going to right field in most cases.

Frustrating! But you are in good company! Ben Hogan fought with a snap hook for a while until he figured out what worked for him to correct the problem. Did anything happen to you physically during/or the weeks prior to May of this year? If you had the desired trajectory prior to that time period something may have happened that changed your stance, ball position, grip, backswing, or follow through. Many factors or simply one may have changed that is causing your snap hook. It could be as simple as trying to watch to soon where the ball goes after you hit it or even too strong (Vs pointed to or beyond trail shoulder) of a grip! If I don't keep my head down through and after impact, or if I swing too fast, or if my forward thumb is not on center line I'll snap hook my driver. Any chance you have recorded notes on the mechanics of "your swing" you can fall back on when "feel" fails you? A professional instructor is always an option to diagnose the snap hook but if that is not possible, slow your swing back down a bit until you have the desired flight path and gradually increase your swing speed to regain your distance. Take notes while on the range when you are successful. When playing a round of golf, you can carry your notes with you. This is an open book test!

Can you get on a trackman or flightscope? As those numbers will give you exact reason why. Also check out this ball flights law video and that will give you more insight into your swing:

www.youtube.com/watch

I know I sound like an old record, but if I get into a rut, I go see my PGA professional and normally in a few minutes he can correct any of my issues. Normally thru the eyes of a PGA instructor, it is easy less time consuming fix.

depends a lot of pro's still teach the old ball flight laws, understand the update ball flight laws and that's the half the battle

I had been struggling with this as well. A few things to look for:
1. Driver Face thru impact. Is it closed at impact...grip too strong and or keeping the head closed during swing vs letting it naturally open/close.
2. Club Path. Taking it too far inside on the takeaway? Finishing too much to 'right field'?
3. Early hip extension...and/or too active of a lower body. Then you try to save it by getting too handsy.
4. Look at where on the face you are making contact.

Try some 50% speed swings at the range - this is hard to do.
Do some half swings or not trying to power thru at impact.

Most of the time hooks are caused by a path that's too far out and a face that is too closed at impact. If the ratio from path and face is greater than 2 to 1 you will hook.

I was having the same issue. Luckily I have a good friend that is a former PGA instructor. He had me move the club a bit forward in my palm and also emphasized that I need to kinda feel as if "i'm reaching for the ball" on the setup/swing. Not sure if any of that will make sense or help but it eliminated my snap hook(My miss had always been a slice so it was weird to randomly have a hook for a bit). Good luck to you, hope you get it straightened out.

I played around with my drive to recreate the snap hook. For me, I found that if I leave the ball at my left heel or toe and swing hard, I will snap hook. I rationalized that this was happening because of the flex of the shaft and the "kick point" of when/where the bend in the shaft straightened out and when/where the head (and lower shaft) snapped through the swing thereby closing the face and creating the snap hook. The only thing I tested was the placement of the ball in my stance. I moved the ball back in my stance an inch at a time but kept the same swing speed. I found that by placing the ball three inches forward of middle stance allowed the timing of the bend and snap to equal out giving me a straight to light draw (5-10 yards) while maintaining a high swing speed (no monitor used, just the feel of how fast I was able to swing). Middle stance caused a fade (10-20 yards) and I knew this was because the face had not yet returned to square. I do stand far from the ball to reduce /eliminate an out to in swing path that more often than not will result in a slice. Not necessarily a bad thing (e.g., doglegs, around obstacles, etc.).

I had a clear of this a few years ago. I would try adjusting your driver to a fade setting and swing normally. If that doesn't help (I didn't for me). Try opening up your stance to promote a fade. I think the main thing is not to give up with trying to sort it out. Don't be afraid to keep on trying. If it fails see a pro

It can be annoying to hit a snap hook off the tee, but you are particularly irritated since you were just driving straight. Below are the following suggestions to aid you along your way back:

Check Your Grip: Do convince the club isn't taking too much of a strong grip. It is almost certain that a club that is facing downward will cause the clubface to turn towards your body, leading to a snap hook, if your hands are too rotated to the right (for right-handed golfers). Try out a lighter and a more balanced grip.

Alignment and Stance: First, see that you stand up and align things properly. Do not point too far to the right because it will make you swing from the inside-out. Place your feet, hips, and shoulders so that they point at your objective in perfect rows.

Swing Path: The most common cause of the a snap hook is what golfers call an inside-out swing path that also combines with a clubface that is closed. Focus on swinging mostly along the target line or get some desirable outside-in to achieve your goal before the clubface gets to the end of the closing movement and swings up in a pronounced fashion.

Clubface Control: Through improving extensors not flexors the clubface can be kept square through impact. For the case of a closed clubface, wrists can go over the correct rotation, thus the clubface will be shut. By sticking to your wrists and keeping on a vertical plane that is firmly square, try to hit the perfect shot.

Slow Down: On the other hand, overswinging can cause a snap hook, and thus, the clubhead closed. At this point, hold back your swing tempo a little to control and coordinate your swings.

Drills: Some people use drills as one of the primary training methods to fix their swing path and control over the clubface. The "Gate Drill," for example, is prescribed for the person to put two tees in the ground just a tad wider than the clubhead and to stand between the space. Concentrate on swinging through without hitting these.

Professional Help - If you're still having trouble, consider taking a golf lesson from a certified golf instructor. They will provide you with a personalized feedback and they will also help you to find the swing flaws.

Remember that it is not something that you will be able to do instantly. Snap hook correction is a long-term process. Therefore, keep learning and practicing without getting too much down when you make mistakes. Best of luck!

Thanks for your input and welcome to Team Titleist! One area we try as members to shy away from is digging back in time (3 years on this one) and bringing out old posts. That one had very few responses and had run it's course. Unfortunately they do not get purged. It is good the keeps the posts as current and fresh as possible, thereby keeping our members interested and responding to the posts. Thanks again for your interest and participation.

Thanks dear.