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How to eliminate the snap hook from your golf game forever

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I went through a rough period as a kid fighting a nasty snap hook; almost 30 years later I can still remember that dreaded feeling. I tried changing to stiffer shafts and “holding on” tighter through impact, but nothing helped. Sadly, no one at that time knew much about the real ball flight laws. I was left to guess-and-check, and basically wait it out.

Today, we are blessed with devices like Trackman that give us an instant MRI of what is going on in the swing. All I would have needed back in the day was one swing and I could have understood why I was snap hooking the ball. I could have fixed it in one range session!

Now, there’s no reason to let your snap hook run wild and poison your game. Read this article, then get on Trackman to diagnose your own swing. Let’s dive in.

StickneyHookShot

Above is a sample swing I made showing a healthy snap hook. The ball started well left of my target and continued to curve further left… not to mention that the ball launched extremely low, so the ball landed hot and keep running. That’s not ideal for hitting greens. This was my plight as a 16-year-old kid during that time period. Ugh!

The real issue here is the club path (which is -4.3 left of the target) and its interaction with the face angle (which is -5.7 degrees left of the target.) We know that the ball mostly begins in the direction of the face at impact (the red arrow) and curves away from the club path (the blue line). So, as you can see above, the face is left of the path by -1.4 degrees, which means this shot is going to curve to the left with a centered hit.

Here is the issue; if you try and manipulate the face right of your current path you will hit a fade as shown below, but if you shove the face right of the target line you will hit a weak slice. That’s a playable shot, but not ideal. The key is to fix the path so you can move the ball right-to-left.

StickneyStraightShot

Below is what we’d like your path to look like during impact to eliminate the pull hook, that is, if you want to still move the ball right-to-left.

StickneyDrawShot

The path is right of the target and the face is slightly left of the path, but it’s still right of the target during impact giving us a simple little push draw.

So what are the keys to shifting your path to the right during the transition?

  • Focus on keeping your rear shoulder back during the transition, allowing it to move slightly downward so the club falls to the inside naturally.
  • As the shoulder moves correctly, you will find that the club shaft will flatten a touch during this period.
  • From there, you will arrive in a much better delivery position to allow you to begin the ball to the right and have it curve back to the target.

It’s a transition thing: nothing more, nothing less. Fix your path and your snap hooks will go away forever!

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Tom F. Stickney II, is a specialist in Biomechanics for Golf, Physiology, and 3d Motion Analysis. He has a degree in Exercise and Fitness and has been a Director of Instruction for almost 30 years at resorts and clubs such as- The Four Seasons Punta Mita, BIGHORN Golf Club, The Club at Cordillera, The Promontory Club, and the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. His past and present instructional awards include the following: Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, Golf Digest Top 50 International Instructor, Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor, Best in State (Florida, Colorado, and California,) Top 20 Teachers Under 40, Best Young Teachers and many more. Tom is a Trackman University Master/Partner, a distinction held by less than 25 people in the world. Tom is TPI Certified- Level 1, Golf Level 2, Level 2- Power, and Level 2- Fitness and believes that you cannot reach your maximum potential as a player with out some focus on your physiology. You can reach him at [email protected] and he welcomes any questions you may have.

22 Comments

22 Comments

  1. Swiv

    Jul 10, 2017 at 3:23 am

    Not true at all

  2. SoonerSlim

    Jul 8, 2017 at 9:54 am

    This article is about a pull hook, not a snap hook! There are two entirely different fixes depending on which you suffer from. Tom is OK on how to fix your pull hook. However, to fix a snap hook, the last thing you want to do is swing more right!! That is your biggest problem, the swing path is way too much inside out, the body gets in the way on the downswing, and the hands flip over through impact, thus the “snap hook”. To fix this, first check your grip. If you weaken your grip to the point the clubface is square to the path you will see the ball start way right, the push. The snap hook almost always results from a backswing flaw of getting the club too far across the line at the top and coming from underneath on the downswing. In short, to stop the snap hook you have to get a more online swing path. Exaggerate this correction by trying to hit fades and slices. You will see better impact contact and a higher ball flight immediately.

  3. SoonerSlim

    Jul 8, 2017 at 9:37 am

    Wrong title for this article! Should have been titled how to cure a “Pull Hook”. A pull hook and a snap hook are two entirely different ball flights. They look very similar, but the swing path for a snap hook is not left of target. It is almost always too inside out and the clubface is way too closed to that path. It almost always results from the club getting way too far behind you on the downswing and the body not properly turning through the shot. The body slides too much, blocks the turn and there’s nothing for the hands to do but flip through impact, thus the “snap hook”.

  4. Anthony

    Jul 7, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    Hitting with a shut club face at impact causes the on the sweet spot pull draw. Looks great but not optimal. Everything starts at target and curves left. Misses when I get quick and out of sink with longer irons are snap hooks or 50 yard high hooks. You can try to swing inside out all you want but if the face is too shut at impact it will never be a push draw. Launch monitor at Golftech a couple years ago showed me as club face open 5-6 degrees and swing path right 10-11 degrees and that does produce a high push draw; not optimal either. So back to what I am working on to fix my pull draw. The grip can be the issue. My grip is unbalanced and thumb position when to what is easy instead of what is correct; i.e. my grip is getting sloppy so I end up re-gripping the club in the back swing/transition and it becomes shut. I hit a good clean solid shot(not fat and not digging) but hold my finish then re-setup without letting go of the club and the club is shut and pointing towards the direction my last ball took off. This always happens when I take a break from golf.

  5. BrianM

    Jul 7, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    I cured a bad hook by opening the club face at address and also rotating the club clockwise at the top of the swing (a la Ben Hogan). Using different degrees of opening or rotating, I can vary a fade. A way of stopping the left wrist from closing the club face at impact is to change the grip of the left hand so that the back of the hand is facing the ground – this helps to prevent the right hand overpowering the left. Works for me

  6. david

    Jul 7, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    sorry most here are incorrect. Besides perhaps a very strong grip, the other main reasons for a hook is: alignment way right of target so your brain has to either pull the ball back to the target or wrist it over, causing the hook. The other reason is because you slowed down your swing, perhaps because you weren’t comfortable or tried to guide it, and the upper body took over and hooked the ball. the other stuff here is way too technical and makes no sense.

    Scratch golfer

    • TG

      Jul 7, 2017 at 9:10 pm

      As a PGA pro that has taught more lessons then rounds of golf you have played in your life. I have to step in and tell you how stupid and wrong you are. The only way to hit a snap hook is have a closed face in relation to your path. Its all about the face when it comes to the snap hook. It doesn’t matter how fast you swing the club. If you have a fast crappy swing and you slow it down what do you get? A slow crappy swing. Your grip does not hit the golf ball, the face hits the golf ball.
      PGA Golf Professional

  7. Brian

    Jul 7, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    How/where exactly can you “get on a trackman”?

  8. Bob Jones

    Jul 7, 2017 at 11:25 am

    Another factor that causes a snap hook is a grip that is too strong. The hands naturally return to a weaker position that closes the clubface.

  9. JC

    Jul 7, 2017 at 9:59 am

    Man, if we could only take Trackman with us on the course……I don’t know how people played golf before Trackman. People are human and will never eliminate bad swings….maybe on Trackman…but out on the course it isn’t going to happen.

  10. Va

    Jul 7, 2017 at 2:05 am

    How do I stop hitting it on the toe and snapping a hook from there? I seem to be able to hit the toe on command

    • SoonerSlim

      Jul 8, 2017 at 10:08 am

      If your correct your inside out swing path for the snap hook, you will start hitting more the center of the clubface. The reason you hit the toe, if you are a hooker is because the face is so closed that the toe of the club is what contacts the ball first. Most people hit the toe of the club because their swing is too much up and down and they hit slices, this is not you’re problem if you are a hooker! Your problem is a swing path problem and possibly a grip fix. Exaggerate your downswing path so that you start fading or slicing the ball and you will gradually see your toe hooks disappear. The best tip I’ve seen for this is to cut a tennis ball in half, tee the ball up, put one half of the tennis ball about six inches in front of the ball and one inch outside your target line; put the other half 6 inches behind the ball and one inch inside the target line. If you are a true snap hooker I’ll bet you will not be able to miss both tennis balls on your downswing. Practice until you can miss both tennis halves and you will stop your snap hook and toe hits.

  11. coops

    Jul 7, 2017 at 12:49 am

    It is indeed more of a pull hook that he describes – which is an awful thing anyway, as i know very well…

    Get a copy of “The Perfect Swing” form the 1960’s – that’s more than 40 (!) years ago – and you’ll find the ‘modern’ ball flight ‘laws’ aren’t remotely modern or anything whatsoever to do with Trackman.

    And you don’t need Trackman to diagnose the flaw at the range, either.
    Use your eyes – and brain.

    Ball starts left of target line – therefore your face is pointing a bit left of the target line at impact.
    Ball then curves further left – your face is also closed to the club path.
    That’s all you need to know in theory – of course, in reality to fix it is another matter.

    If the curve u]is not too vicious, then indeed try to get your path out the right a bit, and the face will probably ( not guaranteed, though) follow it… so maintaining a draw curve but starting to the right of target and resulting in a nice push draw.

    A real horror snap hook is another world of pain, mind…

  12. Simms

    Jul 7, 2017 at 12:27 am

    Single plane setup and swing without a lot of hand action cures this in seconds, just need to work on the straight push right because of path, get the path right and you have a straight shot….thank you Todd Graves..

  13. Yup

    Jul 6, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    FACE TO PATH???

  14. moses

    Jul 6, 2017 at 5:54 pm

    Sorry but this article didn’t help. Most people who snap hook are ones who aim too far to the right and have a severe inside to out swingpath. That is an outside in swing path with a closed face at impact which is a recipe for a pull snap hook. Goes left and stays left.

  15. Andrew Cooper

    Jul 6, 2017 at 4:43 pm

    Sorry Tom, but what was so bad about the 2nd shot? Looks like a decent fade, with good trajectory, carry and landing angle?

  16. Andrew Cooper

    Jul 6, 2017 at 4:21 pm

    Isn’t this more a pull hook rather than a snap hook? A proper snap hook has a path to the right with a very closed face. The ball starts left and goes further left because of the very closed face, but the swing path is still to the right.

  17. Old Putter

    Jul 6, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    Hope Tom ran all this information by Observate before he posted it…
    I’d hate it if he got something wrong and misinformed the masses

  18. Matt

    Jul 6, 2017 at 2:45 pm

    Wait….the result was a face to path that is greater than the original (center to center contact this would mean more of a hook than what you started with) just starting more right……. Now toss in a toe hit because i’m coming more from the inside and the snap hook comes back.

  19. Zeke

    Jul 6, 2017 at 2:28 pm

    That’s what I thought, as well.

  20. Minnesota golfer

    Jul 6, 2017 at 12:01 pm

    From your analysis, I have to draw the conclusion that Face angle Adjustnent is the only factor to get ride of snap hook, because the face to club angle has stay pretty much the same before and after the fix. No?

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Instruction

Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

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Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

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How a towel can fix your golf swing

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This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

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You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

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