Golf: Causes Of Accidental Hooks

Step 1: A "strong grip"

A strong grip normally results from the right hand gripping too far beneath the club.

As you make your down swing, the weight of the club tends to stretch your arms out.

Your right arm looks straight when hanging relaxed from your shoulder and just the same when it is stretched out.

So if you have your right hand bent too far under the grip the club head closes, or turns to the left, as your arm stretches, so the club spins the ball to the left as it hits it.

Step 2: Poor set-up

If you set up with your weight on your heels, or shift your weight onto your right heel during the back swing it is harder for your body to turn through the swing.

The swing will travel flat around your body and the action of your arms and hands curves the ball to the left.

Step 3: Fear of the left-hand side

This reason is more psychological than technical.

Let's suppose you have hit a few shots too far to the left, and then you come to play a shot with an out of bounds or a hazard such as water on your left hand side.

When you swing, you will make an instinctive effort not to hit the ball to the left, and may stop your body from turning through like you should.

If you stop your body from turning into the follow-through, you force your arms to swing around you, hooking the ball even more.

See how to correct these problems in our video "how to stop hooking", which will help you hit straighter, further shots.