A simple cure for golfers who hook

If watching the ball curve right too many times is driving you nuts, try this cure. Maybe it's all in your grip.

It's possible that you're doing everything right in your swing and you still hit those draws that get out of control. If that's so, the reason is likely that your left hand is overpowering your right just before impact, which makes both hands rotate clockwise, closing the clubface. Hello, hook. If you have what is called a neutral grip, with the palms facing each other, and the Vs between the thumb and forefinger of each hand point at your left shoulder, keep reading.

Your right hand is too weak. It's in a position where it cannot resist the rotation of the left hand trying to hit the ball. As well, the left hand cannot resist rotating clockwise in the effort to hit the ball. Both hands are to blame, so we have to correct each one. First, the right hand.

Put your right hand out in front of you, thumb up. Now push gently on the base of the thumb, pushing to the right. You will notice that the thumb rotates away from the push quite easily. This is exactly what's happening in your swing. The left hand pushes on the right, and the right hand cannot resist. To cure that, turn your right hand on the grip counterclockwise, strengthening it, so you can see three knuckles on the back of that hand. Keep the left hand where it is. Do NOT rotate it to match what you did with the right hand.

Now, the right hand is acting as a buttress against the left hand. Now push against the right hand, at the base of the thumb, in this position. The right hand does not move because it cannot. Even if your left hand is pushing hard against it, the right hand will hold its position and keep the clubface square.

See photos of this grip at A Grip Fundamental.

When you try this new grip, rest the clubhead on the ground, take the grip, and look at it to make sure it's right. Then step up and hit the ball where you're aiming.

Now let's correct the left hand.

We do not have to change the position of the hand, but its action. Reduce the function of this hand to nothing more than holding on to the club. Do not try to hit the ball with this hand. That causes problems that go beyond the point of this article, but what is relevant here is that if it does not push against the right hand, the right hand will not feel the need to push back.

Your hands are supposed to be working together to hit the ball, not fighting with each other. If you reduce the left hand to a passive role, you will find that you hit the ball with a squarer clubface, and hit it farther, too. And, it goes straight, which was our primary goal.


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