why i hit hooks and slice and push shot on the golf course

by Mr. Dillon Heathcote Jr. 3 min read

The Meaning of Slice and Hook Shots You will often hear a player on a golf course bemoan the fact that they have sliced or hooked their ball out of bounds or into the rough. These are the unwanted hooks and slices that occur when a player who is intending to hit the ball as straight as they can, swings poorly or mishits the ball.

Our review of a hook vs slice in golf has demonstrated that multiple factors cause you to play these torrid shots. Your equipment, grip, swing path, angle of attack, and clubhead position at impact are all factors that can cause you to slice and hook your ball.

Full Answer

What is a hook and slice in golf?

Knowing what causes a push in golf, all you would need to do is correct the position of your club face at impact and the ball would start on line with the target. The slice. A slice is a result of a swing path through impact that is moving from outside to in, or from right to left as viewed from behind the golfer.

Why do golfers push shots to the right?

A third golf swing error that could be responsible for pushing shots to the right involves the actual pressure you apply to your grips with your hands. That’s because holding on to your club too tightly with your hands can restrict the release of the clubface at impact, leaving it open to the target and making a push a possibility.

What causes a slice in golf?

Dec 11, 2013 · The real reason why he was hitting push-slices with his driver was that he was unconciously trying to avoid duck hooks. After hitting duck hooks with his driver, he tried not to close the clubface too much on the downsing and left the clubface open. It was hard to square the clubface because he had a really strong grip (to get rid of his slice).

Should you fight the push or slice in golf?

May 29, 2020 · The most common cause of a slice is an open club face. This open club face will give you contact that isn’t square and often feels like a “side swipe.” The most common cause of an open club face is...

Why do I push or hook the golf ball?

A push-hook is a pretty common miss among good players. It's essentially an overcooked draw, which is what happens when the path is pointing significantly more right than the clubface. This could be the result of your golf grip being too strong, which causes the clubface to close too much.Jul 30, 2020

What causes hooks and slices in golf?

For a right-handed golfer, a slice begins to the left of the target and curves back to the right. Once again, the definition is the opposite for left-handed golfers. What is this? While a hook is the result of a closed club face, a slice is caused by an open club face.Sep 8, 2020

How do you fix a push hook in golf?

4:028:59GOLF: 45 Degree Drill To Fix Your Pushes And Hooks - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell ideally this club is going to work more to the left because your body is opening more andMoreWell ideally this club is going to work more to the left because your body is opening more and rotating. More but you can also reverse engineer that meaning. If I feel it in my hands. And the grip.

Why am I hooking and slicing my driver?

If your ball is too far back, you'll be hitting it too soon and so you'll have to come out of it and across which is where the pushes and slices come from. Also, having the ball too far forward could cause a pull because by the time the club gets to the ball, the clubface has already begun to shut.Nov 20, 2012

Why am I hooking all my golf shots?

The better player hooks the ball for one primary reason—their swing direction is too much from in to out, or out to the right. As a result, the clubface is closed relative to the path of the clubhead, which causes the ball to start relatively close to the target line and then curve wildly to the left.Sep 24, 2013

Whats worse a hook or a slice?

In other words, the hook is usually an easier miss to fix than a slice. Sometimes golfers will have a round of golf where they slice a few shots, and they hook a few shots. This is common with players who have some inconsistencies in the golf swing and game.

Why am I hitting a push?

Some players think a push comes from shifting too far toward the target, but this spin-out move is the real cause. When you spin open, your right shoulder tilts down and the club gets stuck to the inside. From there, the ball can only go right. So close your stance, and feel your arms swing past you.Feb 24, 2013

Why do I hit my irons straight but hook my driver?

When you have your left foot sticking out further than your right foot, you will close off your body to the target. This can cause hands and arms to swing around with a slightly closed clubface and make the ball head to the left. The alignment is one of the most common causes of a hook.

How do I stop hitting the snap hooks with my driver?

2:033:58How to Eliminate A Snap Hook with Your Driver - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMeans the club gets caught behind our our hands and that and then we've got to try to flip it toMoreMeans the club gets caught behind our our hands and that and then we've got to try to flip it to square it up. So if you actually the easiest by fixing the snap hook is try to hit a little cut.

How do you stop hooking and slicing?

4:445:43STOP HOOKING AND SLICING YOUR GOLF SHOTS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipGet you shaping the ball at the less so for what you would be doing hooks and slices or deliberatelyMoreGet you shaping the ball at the less so for what you would be doing hooks and slices or deliberately hitting those little draws and fades but ultimately influence in the ball.

How do you stop a hook and slice in golf?

4:244:54This is Why You Slice and Hook Golf Shots - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI can get rid of the hook. And I can bring my ball flight now so this couple tip this drill the faceMoreI can get rid of the hook. And I can bring my ball flight now so this couple tip this drill the face control drill is going to eliminate all those and help you start playing better golf.

How do I stop slicing my drive?

How To Fix Your Slice: 7 Simple Steps To Straight Golf ShotsDon't Aim Left.Position Your Golf Ball Properly in Your Setup.Take Note of Your Divots.Fix Your Grip.Keep Your Elbow Tucked During Your Backswing.Transfer Your Weight.Release the Club Prior to Impact.

What are the factors that control the trajectory of the ball while hitting a hook or slice in golf?

Three factors control the trajectory of the ball while hitting a hook or slice in golf. These are angle of attack, club path, and clubface position. The angle of attack is the angle between the club and the ground at the point where it strikes the ball. If this angle is low, the ball is likely to shoot at a low height and hook.

What does "slice and hook" mean in golf?

You will often hear a player on a golf course bemoan the fact that they have sliced or hooked their ball out of bounds or into the rough. These are the unwanted hooks and slices that occur when a player who is intending to hit the ball as straight as they can, swings poorly or mishits the ball.

What is a hook in golf?

Similar to slices, hooks are also used to curve the ball around obstacles in the woods. The choice between the two shots depends on which direction you want the ball to ultimately go and where the optimum place to land your ball is. Hooks are best hit with a closed clubface with an inside-to-out path of the club.

Why are hooks and slices important?

They also have benefits when you need to get around obstacles on a golf course.

Why don't golfers hit straight shots?

The sole reason for this is that for such shots, their swings have to be perfectly balanced. Curved shots are where the ball turns either left or right with respect to the swing in its trajectory before landing. These shots are much easier to repeat compared with exactly straight shots.

What is the position of a clubface?

The position of the clubface is also important in whether you plan to hit a slice or a hook. When the clubface points straight towards the target , it is called a square clubface. When the clubface points inwards towards yourself, it is called a closed clubface and the ball tends to hook in this instance.

Why does a golf club hit the ball on its outer side?

When the club travels away from your body on its way down, it hits the ball on the outer side. This makes the ball hook due to the inward force experienced by it. When the club travels towards your body before impact, it hits the ball on its inner side and makes it slice due to the outward force of this motion.

How to know if you're cupping your wrist?

To determine if you’re cupping, use the logo of your golf glove for a reference point.

What is the most common ball flight for amateur golfers?

The most common ball flight for amateur golfers is typically the golf slice. The out to in swing path move is very normal and you shouldn’t feel bad if this is your usual miss. One way to try and lessen the common golf slice miss is to try to work your swing path more towards the in to out movement.

What is the best position to hook a golf ball?

Upper Body Position. If you tend to hook the golf ball, you might be tilting your upper body too far away from the target at setup. While a little tilt in this direction is a good thing and can even help you hit a nice, high draw, too much tilt is a recipe for disaster.

What is the importance of swing path?

The Importance of Swing Path. The direction in which the ball moves while in its ball flight is directly correlated to your swing path. An in to out swing path will lead to a golf draw, while an out to in club path will lead to a golf slice. The most common ball flight for amateur golfers is typically the golf slice.

What is the difference between a right and left hook shot?

If you are a right-handed golfer, a hook shot starts to the right of the target then veers toward the left mid-flight. When you hook the golf ball, it lands well to the left of the target. If you are left-handed, reverse that. A hook starts to the left of the target and curves drastically towards the right.

How to tell if you're cupping a golf ball?

To determine if you’re cupping, use the logo of your golf glove for a reference point. If the logo points toward the sky on the takeaway, your club face is open. You are going to slice the golf ball. If the logo points too far downward at the top of your backswing, once again, you’ve opened the club face.

Why does the golf ball start out to the right of the target?

For a right handed golfer, the ball starts out to the right of the target because the golf face is open and continues to move right due to the out to in club path. The pull slice has the out to in club path but differs from the push slice because it has a shut face rather than an open one.

What is a slice in golf?

Put simply, the slice is a ball trajectory which results in the ball curving towards the direction your body was facing when you addressed the ball (which is right for a right-handed golfer). Similarly, a fade follows the same general path as a slice, however, it’s not as aggressive of a curve.

Does a push golf ball have a curved trajectory?

A push, by contrast, doesn’t involve a curved trajectory at all. This trajectory does result in the ball landing in a similar place as a slice or fade but instead of the ball curving to get there, the ball travels straight to the target at an angle. The ball flight of a hook for a right-handed golfer.

Which direction does a draw travel?

A draw travels in the same direction as a hook but curves significantly less to the side. The pull, which is closely related to the push, results in a straight ball flight at an angle but travels to the same side as the hook and draw.

What does it mean when the ball shoots right of the target?

And because the ball shoots right of the target, it most likely means the clubface was open at impact, that it was aiming right of the target. But it also means the swing path was of the inside-to-in variety, resulting in a clubface that is square to the club path where both are pointing to the right of the target, and ultimately a pull.

How to fix pushed shots in golf?

The first step into fixing an inside-out swing involves the takeaway where you will want to take your club back square instead of taking it back inside.

What happens when you lie down for a shot?

The lie you face for a shot can also contribute to the direction the ball will take after being struck. Golf balls that are lying below your feet which happen when you are standing on a sidehill will naturally leave the clubface open at impact and will send the ball right of the target.

How to fix pushes?

In order to determine whether your ball positioning is to blame for your pushes simply try placing your shots a little forward in your stance , or at least more forward that you are used to.

What is push shot in golf?

In golf a push – or a pushed shot – is one that sees the ball starting right of the target initially and continuing on straight that line, without lateral spin. It is in effect a straight shot that misses right of the target. Because it ultimately misses the target it constitutes a golf shot error and should be avoided.

What happens when the golf club is too low?

Rather, in these instances the heel of the club will be sticking out, which will produce shots that go to the right of the target.

Can you see only one knuckle on your left hand?

In most scenarios you’ll simply need to strengthen your grip a little from what it was, whether it be weak or neutral. If you were used to seeing only one knuckle on your left hand at address – typical of a weak grip – then try a few shots with a grip where you now see two.

What are the challenges of golf?

One of the great challenges when studying golf is knowing when information is correct for you. The foot positions that are great for the the tour players, might not be appropriate for anyone with flexibility limitations. A square back foot and a flared forward foot will affect the swing path and produce a slice for many golfers who have limitations.

What is the purpose of a square face golf club?

One of the great stabilizers of a square club face is to keep your underarms relatively close to your body throughout your golf swing. If on your backswing or your downswing your underarms move away from your body, it is very easy to open the face.

How to rotate back on a golf swing?

If you slice the ball try the opposite. Flare your back foot and square your forward foot. This will help increase your ability to rotate back and also slow your body rotation down on your forward swing, both helping with path and sequencing of body and arms. 1. Open club face 2. Thumbs too on-top of the grip 3.

Why do I slice my golf club?

1. Open club face. The most common cause of a slice is an open club face. This open club face will give you contact that isn’t square and often feels like a “side swipe.”. The most common cause of an open club face is an incorrect grip as your hand position will directly reflect in the face. You can make this adjustment by turning one of both ...

What happens if you move your ball too far back?

Ball position that is too far back can cause a slice and/or a pop up. As your move your ball more forward it is also important that you allow your shoulders to tilt back and away from the target. Your lead shoulder should get higher and your back shoulder lower.

How does width affect golf swing?

If the lead arm stays too stiff for too long on your forward swing, this will not only hold the club face open and making the ball s lice, but also delays the release of the club face and the speed associated.

Why do I keep slicing the golf ball?

There may be no greater power loss than a slice. The ball sometimes starts out ok and then makes this depressing curve, robbing you of all of your potential distance and power.

What happens when you flip your hands?

What happens is your arms and hands can get stuck – disconnected and lagging too much behind the rotation of the torso. This leads to 2 separate mishits: If you “flip” your hands to try to correct it, you get the big old hook.

Who is Zach Allen?

About Zach Allen. Zach Allen is a PGA-certified golf instructor. He’s been voted the Southern California PGA’s Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest has named him one of the Best Young Teacher in America. Zach teaches aspiring golfers of all levels and ages.

What is swing path?

Swing path refers to the direction the club is moving through impact (more right or left). All else being equal, a swing path that is more left will send the ball more right – a game of opposites.

What is a golf slice?

The dreaded golf slice – a ball that can start any direction, but curves dramatically to the right (for a right-hander) – often into the trees or out of bounds. Amateurs try all sorts of things to fix their slice;

Can you draw a slice with a left swing path?

Sure – you can’t draw the ball with a left swing path (barring some wild gear effect – see later), but you can manage it and turn a slice into a fade (like Hogan, Nicklaus etc) by having the face LESS OPEN to the path. An “out-of -control” slice is created by a combination of a left swing path AND a face that is too open (to the right of) that path.