Hooking and pushing

FAULT NO.38
Hooking and pushing

In just the same way that pulled and sliced shots emanate from a similarly flawed swing, hooked and pushed shots are closely related. This time, however, the club approaches the ball on a severely in-to-out swingpath. ( Quick check: your divots, in this case, will tend to look to the right of the target. )

Again, the position of the clubface at impact ultimately determines the shape of the shot that you hit. A severely in-to-out swing will result in a pushed shot to the right if the clubface is square ( or slightly open ) at impact; or a raking hook if the clubface is closed, imparting counter-clockwise spin onto the ball. But whatever the outcome, controlling the flight of the ball with a swing that coincides with the target line for such a brief period is all but impossible. You need to work not only on improving the postion of the clubface, but on producing a swing that delivers the club on a much better line through the impact area, resulting in a straighter more accurate shot with little sidespin.

FIX NO.38
Clear your body, keep the clubface square

Another six-part fix: again, the best way to treat this fault is to work through each of the following points individually, and settle on the combination that works best for you. Ready?
    

·Weaken your right hand grip ie. turn that hand to the left on the club

(1)
. That will prevent your right hand from becoming too active, and so help to keep the clubface square throught impact.
· Open up your upper body in relation to the target line at address. Also, play the ball forward in your stance.
· Halfway into your backswing, make sure that the toe of the club points skyward

(2) If your problem is severe, try to feel that your left wrist is 'cupped' at the top of the swing.
· Work on 'clearing' your body through impact. Feel that your hips are opening up towards the target, and that your right shoulder is moving forward as you strike the ball

(3)
·Feel that the grip-end of the club is swinging left after impact, but that at the same time the clubface remains open.
· Hit shots from a sidehill lie with the ball below the level of your feet. This encourages you to swing the club on a steeper angle, thus getting it to approach the ball on a straighter line.