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Snap-hook....weak shaft?

SuperStroke
Bueller

Bueller

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I'm using a Cobra Biocell 5 wood with the stock 58 gram pxv 5.5 flex shaft and I am massively hooking it. The ball is starting straight then going left and I only get this ball flight with this club. I can get a straighter ball if I swing less aggressively but i'm then into shorter distances. Anyone have experience with this shaft? Driver speed is around 95 mph,Fubuki z50 stiff shaft.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
 
Do you struggle with the snap hooks with any other club?
 
No,just this one. I don't do draws either...


Golf : where physics meets gardening.
 
I had the same problem with just the driver. In my case it's not the club or shaft, it's my grip falling into my palms and my hips getting way too quick causing me to get "stuck" and thus leading to a horrendous snap hook. When I correct my grip and swing properly it's all good.


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I'm pretty consistent with my grip so I don't think that's the issue. I played yesterday and driver was very good. 2 shots with the fairway, one off a mat and one from the turf,both snapped left.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
 
Do you have a video of your swing with this snap hook? I know you probably don't want to hear it but it is probably not the club :)
 
Snap hooks are rarely a shaft issue. They are usually a malfunction in the complex machine holding the club.
 
Drivers with too low of loft and spin usually snap hook on me. As for off the deck I usually don't see the snap hook there at all.
 
Usually the Indian not the arrow, but odd that it's only happening specifically with one club. When I get them it can effect any club longer than an 8 iron.
 
moosejaa said:
Usually the Indian not the arrow, but odd that it's only happening specifically with one club. When I get them it can effect any club longer than an 8 iron.
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Yeah,it's weird. Thought it was maybe the shaft being a little weak and closing the face at impact.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
 
It's likely an early release/flipping of the club. Since it's this specific club it could be length, shaft weight, swing weight, etc. Is there spec with this club that is considerably different from your other woods?
 
Bueller said:
Yeah,it's weird. Thought it was maybe the shaft being a little weak and closing the face at impact.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
Click to expand...

Not trying to hijack the thread, but looking for some knowledge; I assumed a soft/weak shaft would usually result in slice as the head lags too far behind. Conversely I believed that a low duck hook was usually the result of an early release where the club is decelerating and the head "gets ahead" of the shaft and over rotates closed.
 
Driver is Nike Vapor Speed with a stiff Fubuki z50 shaft and 4 hybrid is a regular 80 gram Aldila Rip. I've only been fitted for the driver though.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
 
JayB said:
Not trying to hijack the thread, but looking for some knowledge; I assumed a soft/weak shaft would usually result in slice as the head lags too far behind. Conversely I believed that a low duck hook was usually the result of an early release where the club is decelerating and the head "gets ahead" of the shaft and over rotates closed.
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Actually it would be more of a product of a late release where the hands overcompensate right before impact.

Im guessing this issue is primarly related to ball position in the stance. I would make sure you are playing the ball closer to the middle of your stance. Too far forward and the face has already closed prior to impact.
 
JayB said:
Not trying to hijack the thread, but looking for some knowledge; I assumed a soft/weak shaft would usually result in slice as the head lags too far behind. Conversely I believed that a low duck hook was usually the result of an early release where the club is decelerating and the head "gets ahead" of the shaft and over rotates closed.
Click to expand...

Whatever the cause of the slice, this has always been the case for me on the course. I've found it has less to do with flex and more to do with a shaft having too high of torque for a given players clubhead speed. The shaft, and as a result the clubhead, are able to twist too much either during the swing or at impact.

I've found that, at least for me, a clubs relationship of total weight and swing weight can affect how I swing the club. Specifically lighter clubs with heavier swing sweigts cause me to release the club too early. Though the same wouldn't be the case for everyone.
 
fupresti said:
Actually it would be more of a product of a late release where the hands overcompensate right before impact.

Im guessing this issue is primarly related to ball position in the stance. I would make sure you are playing the ball closer to the middle of your stance. Too far forward and the face has already closed prior to impact.
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A late release causes the face to be open. You are essentially dragging the club across the ball which results in a weak push, fade, or push-fade (slice).

I'm sure it's possible for someone to counter that by getting really handsy, but that's a much more difficult way to cause a snap hook than an early release.
 
-CRW- said:
A late release causes the face to be open. You are essentially dragging the club across the ball which results in a weak push, fade, or push-fade (slice).

I'm sure it's possible for someone to counter that by getting really handsy, but that's a much more difficult way to cause a snap hook than an early release.
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As someone who never hits the ball right and has trouble with late release I'll stick with my original statement as well as the statement from my PGA Certified Instructor.

Most players with a late release are handsy out of necessity.
 
fupresti said:
As someone who never hits the ball right and has trouble with late release I'll stick with my original statement as well as the statement from my PGA Certified Instructor.

Most players with a late release are handsy out of necessity.
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I'm in the same boat as you, PGA instructor and all. I'll never understand the need to "one up".
 
A shot veering off that far offline likely isn't an issue of flex. But that doesn't mean the shaft characteristics aren't contributing to the way you are swinging the club. I struggle with lighter shafts and certain weight distribution.

To the torque issue, my understanding is that torque is only the way we perceive the twisting of the club, not as much affecting the end result of the ball. From what db told us, when they tested different torque ratings on a high speed camera, the ball was 30 yards off the club face before the head started twisting. So it's not really going to affect the end result, just the feel at impact.


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fupresti said:
Actually it would be more of a product of a late release where the hands overcompensate right before impact.

Im guessing this issue is primarly related to ball position in the stance. I would make sure you are playing the ball closer to the middle of your stance. Too far forward and the face has already closed prior to impact.
Click to expand...

Yes agree with fupresti ....., the ball position is place a bit more towards center.

If that still doesn't work, I think you need to see the video of your swing.
 
Bueller said:
I'm using a Cobra Biocell 5 wood with the stock 58 gram pxv 5.5 flex shaft and I am massively hooking it. The ball is starting straight then going left and I only get this ball flight with this club. I can get a straighter ball if I swing less aggressively but i'm then into shorter distances. Anyone have experience with this shaft? Driver speed is around 95 mph,Fubuki z50 stiff shaft.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
Click to expand...

Okay, I'll bite. What happens when you slow the swing down?

Sometimes, we get out of sequence and the ball goes left when the lower body does not begin the downswing; sometimes when going for distance, the right hand takes over and closes the club face too soon, and it also may be related to sequencing.

I would also check ball position, but try it 2 balls inside the lead heel or around there - if you move it further back, you could get too much spin or depending on your path, something else.
 
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Bueller said:
I'm using a Cobra Biocell 5 wood with the stock 58 gram pxv 5.5 flex shaft and I am massively hooking it. The ball is starting straight then going left and I only get this ball flight with this club. I can get a straighter ball if I swing less aggressively but i'm then into shorter distances. Anyone have experience with this shaft? Driver speed is around 95 mph,Fubuki z50 stiff shaft.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry your thread was hijacked. If you are hooking only this club then I'd say check to make sure you face isn't shut at address or that you aren't shutting it during the swing. I'd also look at your swing plane. You could be slightly over the top. Make sure you're making a full turn behind the ball. If you're not getting the left should behind the ball this could cause a hook.
 
Here's a good response to this question by Jim Hardy:

Most people have the mistaken idea that a hook is caused by too much right hand or right side coming over the top. That is only 180 degrees wrong. A slice is caused by too much right hand or right side coming over the top. Hooking is when the right side cannot come through the ball and a flip hook is the result. One of the great caused is golfers trying to stop a hook by griping tight with the left hand while having a loose grip with the right hand and at the same time pulling hard with the left arm. It is no wonder you are ending up with too much weight on your right foot. To cure a bad hook you must first learn how to cut the ball, since that is the opposite of your problem. Grip hard with the heel of your right hand against the base of your left thumb. Bring your right side (including your right shoulder) through the ball and let the handle of the club beat the head of the club around to the left. That will create a fade/slice. Once you can do this, just back off of it a bit to play a straight ball.

http://www.pga.com/golf-instruction/ask-experts/fundamentals/snap-hooks
 
Ok,I went to the range tonight to try and figure it out. Again ,this was the only club hooking. Moving the ball position changed the height of the shot but not the right to left flight. If I kept my back to the target longer I could hit big draws,but no straight shots without opening the face too much. My old 5 wood has a 75g Aldila Trinity shaft,regular flex,and this was going pretty straight. I think I'm gonna try a different shaft and see how I go because I love the Biocell head.

Golf : where physics meets gardening.
 
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