How to Stop Hooking the Golf Ball?

A hook can turn a great round of golf into a frustrating one. If your shots keep curving hard left (for right-handed golfers) or hard right (for lefties), you're dealing with a hooked golf shot. The good news? It’s fixable. This guide will walk you through exactly how to stop hooking the golf ball with expert insights, drills, and adjustments.

Understanding the Hook: What Causes It?

Before fixing a hook, you need to know why it happens. A hook occurs when:

• Your clubface is too closed at impact. The face points too far left (or right for lefties), causing excessive side spin.
• Your grip is too strong. A strong grip means your hands turn too much, leading to a shut face.
• Your swing path is too inside-out. The club moves too far from inside the target line, exaggerating the curve.
• Your wrist action is too aggressive. Over-rotating your wrists at impact shuts the face too quickly.

How to Fix a Hook in Golf: Key Adjustments

1. Check Your Grip

Your grip directly influences your clubface position. If your grip is too strong (hands too far to the right for a right-handed golfer), your golf club will likely close at impact.

• Fix: Try a neutral grip. When you set your hands on the club, you should see two knuckles of your lead hand. If you see three or more, weaken it slightly.

2. Adjust Your Clubface Alignment

If your clubface is closing too soon, the ball will hook. Check your alignment by practicing with an alignment stick or another visual guide.

• Fix: Ensure your clubface is square at setup and throughout the swing. Try setting up with the clubface slightly open to neutralize the hook.

3. Balance Your Stance and Posture

Poor balance and weight distribution can cause unwanted hand action, making the hook worse.

• Fix:
  • Keep your weight centered at address.
  • Make sure your stance isn’t too closed. A closed stance exaggerates an inside-out path.
  • Feel your weight transferring naturally, not hanging back on your trail leg.

4. Improve Your Swing Path

A common cause of hooking golf irons and woods is an exaggerated inside-out swing path. If your club travels too far from inside the target line, you’ll generate too much side spin.

• Fix:
  • Practice swinging more on-plane. Try a drill where you place an alignment stick just outside the ball. If you hit the stick, your swing is too inside-out.
  • Feel like you're swinging more down the line rather than whipping the club around your body.

5. Control Your Wrist and Hand Action

Flipping your hands too aggressively at impact will close the clubface and create a hook.

• Fix:
  • Focus on keeping your lead wrist flat through impact.
  • Try a slow-motion drill where you exaggerate a quiet wrist release.
  • Avoid overactive hands. Feel like your body rotation is leading the swing, not just your arms.