Driving

This Tip Will Keep You From Hooking Your Driver

August 11, 2016

We’re guessing this scenario is going to sound pretty familiar: You’re standing on a tee, telling yourself Don’t go left, and then you proceed to hit a huge hook. It’s infuriating, but avoidable. Rick Smith says that you’re hitting a hook in this situation because you’re not letting your torso turn all the way through.

“You think if your upper torso turns left of the target, the ball will follow,” says Smith. “Ironically, the opposite is true. By slowing or even stopping your turn toward the target, your arms and hands whip through the hitting area and shut the clubface, producing that dreaded snap hook.”

__Mickelson experiments with a TaylorMade SLDR__

J.D. Cuban

So, how do we keep that clubface from shutting at impact? Smith says the key is to keep turning.

“It's hard to convince yourself to do this, but you have to trust it. Let your chest and hips rotate forward until your shirt buttons and belt buckle point left of your target. This stops the clubface from flipping closed and will help keep your ball in play.”

If you stop fearing the hook and start swinging all the way through, you're going to spend a lot less time hunting for balls in the woods.