A hook shot usually results from a swing path that is too much from the inside (too much from in-to-out), which starts the ball along way right of the target (for the right handed golfer). The hands and forearms then rotate over very aggressively to ‘save’ the shot – curving the ball violently from right to left so that it finishes left of your target.
The first anti hook drill below will help you get a feel for controlling the rotation of your hands. But you also want to ensure that your swing path isn’t too much on an in-to-out line – which encourages aggressive hand rotation.
The second drill will help you get the right amount of feel and timing with your hands so that you can hit the ball straight, or with a soft draw. This drill is a progression from another very simple drill, that you may want to watch first (but it’s not essential).
I do, however, recommend you see the anti hook swing path article and video in combination with the video drill below. Together, they will help you correct the two faults in most hooked golf shots.
Anti Hook Drill #1: Description
Taking one of your mid irons, make some pitching-type practice swings. Feel how your hands don’t want to rotate during the follow through phase as much as they would for a full swing.- Take the club through to hip height on the follow through and make a note of the clubface position. Try to keep the blade of the clubface aiming up to the sky and avoid letting the face roll over.
- At the range you can make quite a few of these practice swings before you hit any golf balls. It will help you to get a feel for holding your hands off from rotating. You can then move on to the drill below.
- watch a video here
Once you’ve tried this anti hook drill, you can progress to the next drill, which will help you gradually control your hand rotation back to a full swing.
Golf Hook Drill #2 – Description
Start by setting up to a ball as normal and then measure one club length down the target line, and place a ball at the end of this club.- Next, place 3 balls alongside about 4-6 inches apart (or the width of a club head).
- Start by pitching the ball you’re set up to over the furthest ball – this should produce a big block shot out to the right.
- Continue hitting pitch shots over the furthest golf ball until you feel you are competent at this block shot.
- Now increase the power and start aiming your shots over the second ball.
- Again when you feel competent, repeat the process with the next ball and then the next ball. Each time increase the power and gradually increase the amount of forearm rotation. You should feel that you gain a valuable education over how much you need to rotate your hands and when they should rotate in order to control your hooking tendencies.
- watch a video here