Giving up!

Nozebleed

Lads,my spirit is broken..I think ive had enough..ive developed a smother hook which has killed my game altogether..the problem is with the driver & 3 wood only. Ive tried everything to cure it but no good. The head ia totally gone now..cant even address the ball without thinking about hooking it. What can I do?

ForeRight

Use irons off the tee for a while

denishurley

Try to play a fade off the tee? Set up with an open address, body aiming left and club aiming middle/slightly left. Swing along the body line then

Russman

Lesson ?

Get your weight forward on the shot, you can't hit a smother hook if you've moved forward.

Or try keep your wrists solid at impact and not let them flip over.
Try to intentionally play a fade with the driver, pick the shot in your mind, visualise hit, then just hit it without thinking.

jamesbondings

Russman wrote: »

Lesson ?

Or try keep your wrists solid at impact and not let them flip over.
Try to intentionally play a fade with the driver, pick the shot in your mind, visualise hit, then just hit it without thinking.

This.

I developed the same thing. Can't hit woods straight off the tee for some reason so I just aim way left. Works wonders for me but hitting woods on a fairway is perfect I'm at a loss as to why it happens but have embraced it and helps on dogleg rights!

mafc

Lesson Lesson Lesson
Nothing more needs to be said

Nozebleed

Just to add..im playing off 8. Paying for a lesson would break my heart..

PARlance

Nozebleed wrote: »

Just to add..im playing off 8. Paying for a lesson would break my heart..

Even the Pros get lessons/ have full time swing coaches.
Can't understand the reasoning behind it breaking your heart, guess it's to do with getting low by yourself and not wanting help? Ie doing it all on your own.

I hope you get over that, at your level a 10 min lesson may be all you need for someone qualified to put you back on track.

Hope you get back enjoying it but my only advice would be a quick lesson.

mafc

Nozebleed wrote: »

Just to add..im playing off 8. Paying for a lesson would break my heart..

Playing off 8..... Makes no difference, go and pay for a lesson, pro will spot what's wrong immediately. Surely better to pay for a lesson rather than giving up !

Russman

Nozebleed wrote: »

Just to add..im playing off 8. Paying for a lesson would break my heart..

You serious ??
You're off 8 and willing to take "advice" from randomers on the internet but don't want to go to a pro who will actually know what he's talking about ?
No offence intended, but that's crazy stuff.

Montgolfier

You clearly need new clubs, don't know what everyone else is on about...:-)

Nozebleed

Montgolfier wrote: »

You clearly need new clubs, don't know what everyone else is on about...:-)

Ha..i got a good laugh out of that post. I guess you guys are right..lesson is needed.

PARlance

Nozebleed wrote: »

Ha..i got a good laugh out of that post. I guess you guys are right..lesson is needed.

Just stay away from the How did you score thread too for a while. Most posts are good scores and it's depressing when things aren't going good.

I was in tears reading it at the start of last summer. Developed a short term and irrational hatred for anyone posting half decent scores

Ben1977

Grip it and rip it!

Had the same issue was down to my body alignment. Too closed and hands taking over. Pro spoted it in seconds.

Don't stand over the ball too long.

Barnaboy

Funny enough, that's my problem off the tee as well. Just had a lesson tonight. Turns out my feet are too far apart on address (they should be in line with shoulders). Also noticed that my back swing was too shallow, need to get my hands up straighter. Hope this helps!

shane 007

Come on the Boards society outing. We'll sort ya out!

Slicemeister

OP looking to get rid of a hook, not a hooker.

Milkers

Nozebleed wrote: »

Just to add..im playing off 8. Paying for a lesson would break my heart..

I don't get it, does the 8 mean you're too good or too bad for a lesson?

Nozebleed

Milkers wrote: »

I don't get it, does the 8 mean you're too good or too bad for a lesson?

What I meant was..i understand the mechanics if the swing..and feel I shiuld be able to work the problem out myself without having a lesson.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

billy3sheets

What colour shoes do you wear?:D

GreeBo

Check your setup, grip, ball position and have at address.
If all normal then get a lesson...

dcmm

Hubbie says focus on finishing your swing, with your hands up as high as you can bring them.

dan_ep82

If you ever feel like you'd prefer a slice come see me at my office from 9-5 Monday to Friday.

Seriously, I was watching a Mark Crossfield video the other day, he's a teaching pro for those who don't know, and he's currently fighting a hook so it can happen to anyone, even the pro's who teach it day in day out.

John Divney

I'm the same at the moment, I have to have the club 45 degrees open at address on my irons to hit baby draw.

My woods and drivers are immense hooks, so I have just given up with a draw and hit fades with the driver and woods

It's very easy to do as it's such an exaggerated move for me, I have no problems off the tee since.

My irons are still over drawing which is demoralising to the point of just being fed up.

I don't agree lessons are the cure use, I know closing the face is the problem, I'd stop if I could , I'm not paying to be told the face is closed to path, try not to do that


I think it might be time to fade the irons as stock shot, as Hogan said, I can always still hook the damn thing if I need too.

Kevinmarkham

A lot of golfers are anti-lesson (I include myself in that list) for any number of reasons, but I'd agree that a lesson may be the first step to help you get things sorted out. What I would add, however, is that you stress to the Pro that you only want this one thing fixed... assuming you're happy with the rest of your game.

I was playing off 13 a few years back and went to the Pro for a lesson. He tweaked this and that and I was happy with the progress but at the end of the lesson he said - and I quote - "Next time we'll sort out your real problems". Guess what? I never went back.

In terms of giving up the game, don't be daft. We've all been there. I almost threw my clubs in the river at the end of last year. Swore I'd never play again.

One other thing to consider... a bit of golf psychology. I went to a Karl Morris night a few weeks back and was very surprised by how much I took away from it.

Good luck

Ernest Oreo

Have you ever heard of Bob Rotella?

Loire

.

BraveDonut

Off 9 and recently had lessons for driving problems.
I told the pro that what I wanted was something to focus on when standing on the tee that meant that I was not having negative thoughts about what could potentially go wrong.

He worked on my take-away and helped to better get through the ball.

I am well on my way back to hitting more fairways.

peepee

I really like how Monte Scheinblum http://montescheinblum.com/blog/
explains the swing. Good search function on his blog. Its helped me a lot.

Russman

Op, there's no magic fix or quick tip for a fundamental swing issue (if that's what it is). However well intentioned we all are here on Boards, one man's tip or "band-aid" that worked for him could ruin someone else. Most swing tips only work for a couple of shots anyway because of the placebo effect, and then the fault returns.

If you're determined to go it on your own, check your grip, stance, set-up and alignment. If they're ok, try taking 20% off your drives and feel like you're almost just patting the ball down the fairway and see does that work.

rollotomasi

As mentioned above, it sounds like an alignment and/or grip issue.
Easy to check and not a big fix for someone off 8.

blue note

As an alternative to a lesson;

Try taking a break from the game for a month. You might go back to it and have gotten out of whatever bad habit you're in without ever finding out what it was.

Loire

Russman wrote: »

Op, there's no magic fix or quick tip for a fundamental swing issue (if that's what it is). However well intentioned we all are here on Boards, one man's tip or "band-aid" that worked for him could ruin someone else.

Having re-read my earlier post I take what you're saying and have amended it

Russman

Loire wrote: »

Having re-read my earlier post I take what you're saying and have amended it

?
Not sure if I've offended you or not, apologies if I have, it was unintentional.

Montgolfier

I've played with a few hookers now and again, one thing I notice they always set up slightly closed with the club face open.
They usually have a very strong righthand grip too (for a righthander).
I've seen slicers with open setups and closed club faces and usually the same strong righthand grip issue.
Guess my point is the more you try to avoid doing a certain thing. the worse it gets. Your mind is still trying to square that club face even if your setting up for something else.
I play off 19 so please don't take this advice.

Nedser101

I don't get it .i would love to be able to hit the ball right to left
Your lucky your not shanking your irons now that's heartbreaking stuff
Btw I can show you how to slice a putt if you want!

Loire

Russman wrote: »

?
Not sure if I've offended you or not, apologies if I have, it was unintentional.

Not at all! It's just the stuff I was rambling on about barely (if at all) works for me!!

Loire.

Loire

Montgolfier wrote: »

I've played with a few hookers now and again, one thing I notice they always set up slightly closed

Any hookers I've played with tend to set up slightly open

Rikand

Loire wrote: »

Any hookers I've played with tend to set up slightly open

Zing!

slave1

Do take a break if it's getting to you and come back with a thirst, I'd say wait until after the Masters maybe as after watching that on TV you'll have some hunger to get back on the course.
My expectations are enjoyment and fresh air, playing well is a nice bonus when it happens.

Rippeditup

So without seeing the guys swing or setup we have about 20 different things to work on.. Getting advice from anyone (including a pro) without them looking at your swing is just plain madness. Low hook can be casued by a few different issues which either get someone you trust/do it yourself or go to a pro about looking into.

Lessons for me are invaluable for my game as it is great to have someone who knows my swing look at it and tell me whats up. Also I learn why my bad shots happen so I can look at it in the future. Pro's get them on a regular basis and they have well groomed swings so an amateur who gets to play a few times a week should really get it checked out.

benny79

If you do get a lesson you will know what is causing it and be able to fix it in the future plus you will learn more about your swing I certainly have i was in a really bad place last year golf wise and have got around ten lessons since and am starting to see the effects now yes over a year later! still early days but my confidence is starting to come back I am getting more consisdent. I was nt a fan of lessons before but defo recommend getting 1 every couple of months!!

oh and find a good pro! took me awhile for this, alot of chancers out there!

Russman

benny79 wrote: »

oh and find a good pro! took me awhile for this, alot of chancers out there!

True !!

geeksauce

Why wouldn't you get a lesson? Just because you are off 8 does not in any way mean you are too good for a lesson, maybe when you are winning every tournament on the PGA Tour by ten stokes you would be deemed too good for a lesson.

At the very least you should get a lesson on how to hit your second from the left rough.

John Divney

geeksauce wrote: »

Why wouldn't you get a lesson? Just because you are off 8 does not in any way mean you are too good for a lesson, maybe when you are winning every tournament on the PGA Tour by ten stokes you would be deemed too good for a lesson.

At the very least you should get a lesson on how to hit your second from the left rough.

I think he wants a good lesson, not turning up and within two minutes know you've wasted your money.

You can't even get lessons on a launch monitor in this country in any way easily.

Just saying get a lesson isn't good advice

Russman

John Divney wrote: »

I think he wants a good lesson, not turning up and within two minutes know you've wasted your money.

You can't even get lessons on a launch monitor in this country in any way easily.

Just saying get a lesson isn't good advice

What's a "good" lesson ?

John Divney

Russman wrote: »

What's a "good" lesson ?

Yes, what exactly, I've never had one.

neckedit

John Divney wrote: »

Yes, what exactly, I've never had one.

Sometimes its the Student, not always the Teacher.

stockdam

Are your smother hooks starting right, straight or do they start left and go further left?

I went through a spell of snap hooking which I cured by quieting my hands which were rolling open on the backswing and then closing during impact. I was also swinging far too fast.

If you don't want a lesson then go to the range and experiment with your setup, grip and swing thoughts. Maybe try to exaggerate everything so that you can slice the ball wildly then back off towards straight. Try to swing at 80% and don't try to bust every shot.

agusta

In my opinion a lesson should consist of..
A/ Be shown "what you are doing right now",not what the golfer thinks he is doing or hope he was doing.This is why video analysis is important
b/ Be shown what you should be doing "instead" of what you are doing right now.This gives the golfer a very clear picture of what needs to be happening as opposed to what you are doing
C/How to make the change,This is where a good teacher comes in..