Swinging your club from outside your shoulders to inside them creates a hook, or a ball that travels to the left, if you are a right-handed golfer. Depending on how much you swing this way, you can create less-pronounced variations of this shot, called pulls and draws. Setting up properly will help you create a more straight swing path and avoid hitting your ball off-center.
Step 1
Practice hitting balls, placing yourself closer to and farther from the ball to learn how your proximity to the ball affects your swing. Standing too close creates an inside-out swing and a slice, while standing too far away creates an outside-in swing and a hook. Stand too close to and too far away from the ball on purpose to create hooks and slices, then stand between those two setups to find your best position to the ball.
Step 2
Place the ball farther back in your stance than you do when you hit a hook, draw or pull. Setting the ball too far forward creates a clubhead angle at impact that sends the ball to the left. Experiment with different ball placements.
Step 3
Set your club behind the ball with your clubface in the direction you want the ball to go. This will give you a visual cue and might help you get back to the clubface angle during your forward swing.
Step 4
Begin your take-back by breaking your wrists backward, then turning your shoulders backward. This relieves tension in your forearms and allows your upper body to push your club backward smoothly, keeping your alignment. Let your arms separate from your body naturally during the backswing after you have rotated your torso backward completely.
Step 5
Begin your forward swing with your hips. Moving your hips forward will pull your torso into your forward swing, which will pull your arms forward in a more controlled manner by keeping your elbows closer to your body. This creates a straighter swing path than if you try to start your forward swing with your arms, pushing your torso forward.
Step 6
Finish your swing above your shoulders. It's more difficult to hit an outside-in swing if your elbows must stay in to complete a follow-through over your shoulders. "Golf Digest" contributor Rick Smith suggests finishing your swing so that your hips and upper body are to the left of your target, if you are a right-hander.
Tips and Warnings
- Experiment with your grip. A stronger grip might close the clubface too much for your swing, resulting in a hook. A more open face can cause slice. Experiment until you find a happy medium.
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