We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Duck hook

Jaybanks9

Jaybanks9

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
392
Reaction score
0
Location
Portsmouth, VA
Handicap
5.3
I've been hitting my r11 great since I bought it, but the last few 18 has been struggle. I normally hit driver 260-270 with a slight fade. Last week I started hitting a baby draw after working on my irons a lot. Loved the flight! Then today out of the 12 times I hit driver, there were about 8 duck hooks that flew prob 140-150. I hit 3 wood-lw good. Makes for a long day when you hit three wood in to greens that you should be hitting about a 9 or pw. I did a lot of yard work yesterday and felt I was throwing my hands at the ball instead of turning thru it. Maybe I was fatigued. My tempo felt off to. I think I was bringing it back to quick. What is some advice to get rid of a hook? I have my r11 at 8*, 10g in heel 1g in toe, and face set to open. Please help :banghead:
 
I have trouble with this too from time to time. It happens usually when I am really hitting my irons well. The tight turn back you need to hit irons and wedges on target is not what you want to do with a driver. Try dragging the club back some on your backswing, make it lower and longer going back, you don't want to be picking the club up going back until your hands are almost waist high.
 
My 2 cents. Dont change anything UNTIL you get back out on the course. Sometimes we just have days like that, it could have been that you were tired like you mentioned, then after the few times you started doing it, it got in your head and made it worse. Id play another round or 2 and see if you're still doing it, because you may have just had a bad day then if you go to change something it might throw your swing all off.
 
If you know of a teaching pro, I'd recommend having an expert take a look at your swing. I can't tell you how much time I've wasted trying to self diagnose and tweak my grip, stance, ball position, etc. only to make temporary fixes that made certain things better, but made other things worse. I actually sought out a PGA instructor because I couldn't hit my drives at all, and that 125 yard duck hook was the main problem. One 50 minute session and my game from the tee box totally turned around for the better.
 
You're back swing is too fast. I'm fighting this EXACT problem the past few weeks and finally got to play a round with my uncle who spotted it immediately. Sometimes I would start taking it back slowly but then I'd jerk it back right at the top making it impossible to square on the way down. Complete your swing thinking Ham-Burger and it'll straighten you out. I bet you're swing HMBRGR right now :)
 
Did somebody in here call my name?
 
My opinion is that a 10 handicap is not going to completely ruin his swing tweaking it some. If you are asking for advice from people here on this forum I am assuming it is because you don't want to pay for a lesson or it is because you think you can fix it yourself. I think so too, it is not a mystery. If you understand your swing and the cause and effect of what you do then you can fix these issues yourself. NO change to ball position, no change to setup, no change to stance, all that is fixed those are not a variable, the only tweak is a longer takeaway which if it results in a big slice the first time you do it then perfect, hook fixed, then just narrow it down some and see the ball turn back left from there.
 
I had a lesson with my pro yesterday and I was pulling the ball while practicing and told him I've been pulling a good bit lately. Turns out my tempo was bad. He had me slow my back swing way down and had me swinging at a 3:1 ratio (3 back, 1 down). I started hitting the best shots ever with no pulls. Of course, that was on the range. I had a few pulls today but I know it is because I am too quick at the top sometimes. When I pull, it's because I go 1....2.....3 4 instead of 1......2......3.......4 if that makes sense. :)
 
I would post this in the Ask the Pro section. GolfTec guys are really good about getting back to you quickly and with great help. My two cents....

BDG
 
Bridges said:
My 2 cents. Dont change anything UNTIL you get back out on the course. Sometimes we just have days like that, it could have been that you were tired like you mentioned, then after the few times you started doing it, it got in your head and made it worse. Id play another round or 2 and see if you're still doing it, because you may have just had a bad day then if you go to change something it might throw your swing all off.
Click to expand...
I agree 100%. I had one day like that this year. I have no idea what was going on. My swing felt the same but I was duck hooking every wood. It was gone the next day. I went back to hitting great drives. Don't change anything unless it becomes a common problem.
 
Bridges said:
My 2 cents. Dont change anything UNTIL you get back out on the course. Sometimes we just have days like that, it could have been that you were tired like you mentioned, then after the few times you started doing it, it got in your head and made it worse. Id play another round or 2 and see if you're still doing it, because you may have just had a bad day then if you go to change something it might throw your swing all off.
Click to expand...

I agree don't change anything until you play a few rounds.

At the beginning of the year I was a 19 cap, then made a grip and swing change, and my bad slice turned into a slight draw. My old miss was an even worse slice, whereas now if I get lazy, I'll do a quick duck hook b/c my swing gets much flatter, and I swing harder.
 
KellyBo said:
I had a lesson with my pro yesterday and I was pulling the ball while practicing and told him I've been pulling a good bit lately. Turns out my tempo was bad. He had me slow my back swing way down and had me swinging at a 3:1 ratio (3 back, 1 down). I started hitting the best shots ever with no pulls. Of course, that was on the range. I had a few pulls today but I know it is because I am too quick at the top sometimes. When I pull, it's because I go 1....2.....3 4 instead of 1......2......3.......4 if that makes sense. :)
Click to expand...

I read this tip from Vijay Singh in a golf mag a few years ago, he recommended using longer numbers for the backswing and then shorter for the downswing this eliminates the timing needed for multiple beats with a 1,2,3 count. If you say to yourself something like 'one hundred and ninety' going back then swing down with a short number like 'five' or 'eight' it is easier to say the longer number at exactly the same tempo every time than it is to think 1...2...3.. with the correct timing between the numbers. Try it - it works. For a while I was using different length numbers for different swing lengths - like 'seventeen' going back with a wedge, or 'three hundred and four' with a 3 wood. You can use any number - you could even use a phrase that you can time out and repeat at the same tempo.
 
Thank you guys for the help. Tomorrow will be sent drilling balls for a few hours getting this figured out. If nothing changes then it is lesson time. I'm not opposed to a lesson. Ive never had one other than when I learned to play (14 years ago). I do think it's a combo of tempo on the backswing and I think I had it a little too far back in my stance. Thanks again. I'll update tomorrow and mention any fixes I find.
 
Went to the range today and played nine after some new things discussed here. Didn't hit one duck hook today and shot +2 for nine. I played the ball up in my stance making sure that my left arm formed a straight line with the shaft when hitting driver. Plus I made sure to slow down my take away. I was aiming at a big pine tree about 300 away and everything was dead on. The last ball of my bucket I holed out at the 100 yard flag. Great way to get your confidence going, but it let me knowif I had an ace in me today I just used it!

Thanks for the help guys. I know it's only one day, but it helps to address the ball and not feel like I need to say a prayer to hit it decent
 
I'm glad you were able to work out your issues with the Driver. Keep it up!
 
It's great to pick the brains of all that assisted. You don't always have to see a pro, sometimes someone else's experiences can assist you.
Glad you played well and took some nuggets from the group.


Kongfrontation
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top