It just appears ???? I need help.

After four good practice sessions with the new driver all of a sudden my nasty hook showed up, did it ever ! I'm at a total loss, it even has stuck to my fairway metals and hybrids. The last practice session was brutal with the long clubs, my new driver ( TaylorMade " Burner " ) had been working out great, a nicer sound and feel over my Nickent driver.
I double checked everything, grip, stance, posture, alignment, takeaway etc. I am clueless, on the good practice sessions my drives were either straight or just a hint of a draw and good distance for cold range balls. Now its' a pull or a snap hook and I have no idea how to correct it, jump in guys and help, my first round of the year at my new club is tomorrow, any advice is welcome,,,,,,,,,,,,,Thanks, buteman.

First thing I would say, is that what happens at the range doesn't always translate into bad play on the course. I myself probably look like a 15 handicapper at the range but shoot in the low 70's. But if you have gone over everything (i.e. takeaway, alignment, etc.) one thing I used to do, and I see it a lot with other golfers, is that you might be swaying back and putting all of your weight on your back foot during the backswing. If you don't catch up and get that weight back forward the club face is closed at impact causing that hook. One other thing is that you might be "chicken winging" which is having your right elbow up too high as if it were parallel to the ground (if you are a right handed golfer). This too causes a closed club face and try to get that arm more perpendicular to the ground instead of parallel.

All that I can think of, but most of all don't let it get stuck too far in the back of your head. It could have just been a bad day, maybe you weren't loose. Remember it's just the range u go there to practice not shoot low.

__________________
Gator's Bag:
Driver: TaylorMade Burner 10.5 UST Proforce V2
Wood: Nike Sasquatch 3 Wood
Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro 3 I-Wood 20*
Irons: Nike CCI Forged 4-PW
Wedges: 52* Nike SV Tour, 56* Titleist Vokey Spin Milled, 60* Callaway X Forged
Putter: Ping Karsten Series Anser

If your grip and alignment checked out I'd recommend checking the following:

Check that your hips aren't stoping (if your hips hault there turn the arms and hands will pick up momentum and will flip resulting in the club face comming into impact shut).

Check that your hips aren't sliding (if your hips slide towards the target too much they will be blocked from clearing, and you will either hit blocks or hooks).

Check your balance and spine angle. If your weight is getting positioned too far on your back foot, or you have your spine excessively tilted away from the target you may be preset to make an inside out swing path.

You said you checked your posture, but I'd recommend you check to make sure you aren't getting too bent over at setup (the more bent over you are the more your forearms will be incuraged to rotate). Feel like you are standing tall in your posture, and that you have room near your legs for your arms to swing.

Your clubface is hitting through the ball closed. Start by focusing on what the clubface is doing and controlling its motion, try to let go completely of other swing thoughts and how you move your body.

It's worth a try and you may be surprised at the result.

I like Brian's suggestion; you already know how to hit good shots with the driver so clear your mind of swing thoughts and just let it happen - I am increasingly trying to do this based on a book I've been reading; not always successful because analysis is a deep grained habit.

If you are more into checking "grip, stance, posture, alignment, takeaway etc." then you might want to just think about the transition between back & down

I'm a long time sufferer from attacks of the snap hook and its usually because I don't complete the back swing either because I'm anxious to belt it good and proper or, paradoxically, because I've been playing well and I start forcing for those extra yards.

Good practice sessions with driver suggests the second possibility to me - so try and just think of re-establishing your rhythm.

__________________
I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.

Thanks for your reply Brian ( and to others also ) it's unusual for me to fog the brain with swing thoughts. On the course regardless of which club I have in my hands the only thought that prevails is finish the swing. I played my first round yesterday and was a bit surprised at how well ( and long ) I hit my new driver.
I was not concerned about scoring, we know how fickle this game is, I did derive a lot of satisfaction from my tee shots and short irons. My buddy commented on how smooth I was swinging with the exception of my favourite clubs, my three hybrids, every shot was low, smothered and hooked. Incredible and lost for an answer, if all else fails I could always rely on my hybrids but I could not for the life of me figure it out yesterday. I guess it will be sessions at the practice range until such times that I'm comfortable with them.

Patients............


Thats it, new driver, slightly longer than your old one, defo lighter and a great club so just chill out and focus on what Brian says hitting the ball.


Ian.

Just a thought with your hybrids. Check your ball position, it should be somewhere between your mid and long irons (a little forward of centre but not much.) They need to make a slightly downward blow so the ball needs to be back in stance from a fairway wood.

If you are hitting nasty hooks, your face is too close relative to a swing path that is too inside. To have to fix both IMO, to get rid of them.

With all due respect, happy thoughts alone ain't gonna get it done.

It *could* be that your rythmn has got off. I find this too. When I get quick from the top I start pulling and hooking everything. Key for me is to really focus on having a pause at the top. Feels like an age sometimes but in reality its not at all. I try and feel that for a whole second I hold my back to the targer and my hands still. I know that during that second my weight starts to settle back 'forwards' again so it looks like you are transitioning - Ernies great at this - its why he looks so smooth

When youre on the course or with a new club you want to whack it but as soon as you try and wrench that club back down before its even got to the top you will come OTT and drag it left. When youre on the range you dont care so youre always nice and smooth

Might be worth a try anyway