Slice vs. Hook in Golf: Causes, How to Fix, And Tips To Avoid

Something that you should avoid happening more persistently during your game of golf is doing a hook or slice. Of course, you may need a hook and a slice occasionally, but it is more often a straight shot. The slice and hook shots are a nightmare for most golfers!

Many amateur golfers suffer the fate of having a golf ball flight to slice. Seasoned golfers utilize a hook or a slice to curve around a tree and other obstacles. If you are aiming a straight shot, but you experienced a hook or a slice, it does happen most of the time.

Hooks and slices are some of the most disappointing flaw shots in golf. It happens more frequently to amateur golfers, but there is something you can do to avoid these mistakes. This article brings you facts between slice vs. hook in golf and tips on fixing them.

Overview On Hook Vs. Slice

We can explain hook and slice in golf in simple terms: When a right-handed player aims straight to the target, and the ball goes to the left, the shot is called a hook. If the golf ball curves to the right, it is a slice.

Comparing the two shots to fade and a draw shape shots, the slice is a fade that does not end well. On the other hand, the hook is like a draw that goes amiss. But things are more complicated than you ever imagined! There is more to consider on what factors influence slices or hooks.

To find out more details about these trick shots, please continue reading!

Presenting The Details On Slice Vs. Hook 

One thing is sure about slices and hooks: both are curving the golf ball off target, especially when there is no rough or hazard within sight. But there are more things to consider on why these fault shots always occur. The golf hook vs. slice for left-handed and right-handed players always has the opposite reactions.

1. Slice

Many aspiring golfers suffer slices when beginning to learn golf. A slice happens when a right-handed player makes the ball sinning sideways, causing it to curve to the right. Lefties suffer the same fate, but the other way around.

The sidespin to the right happens when the clubface opens about the path the club travels upon impact. The stroke will most likely happen to beginners when letting their clubface open during ball impact.

2. Hook

A hook shot often happens to right-handed players, although left-handers also suffer this stigma in many instances. Right-handers tend to start the ball trajectory to the right and swing to the left. The ball will land more probably left of the target. The reverse happens to left-handed golfers.

Many mid and low-handicappers attempting to make a draw sometimes end up with a hook. A weak grip becomes a culprit in the occurrence of hook shots to more experienced players.

What Is A Hook?

We talk about a right-handed golfer. In golf, a hook is a shot that starts on the target’s right then swerves toward the left midair. Describing it simply, if you hook the ball, it will come down more on the left side of the target. For left-handed players, the opposite is most likely to happen.

A hook results from delivering a closed clubface to the ball upon impact. A closed clubface is a condition when the forward-striking surface of the club head rotates toward a golfer’s body.

What Is A Slice?

When doing a slice, you are doing the reverse of a hook. When a right-handed golfer does a slice: the ball flight path starts to the left then turn right midflight. The reverse happens for a left-handed player. A slice shot is the effect of an open clubface (the opposite of a closed clubface).

Difference Between A Hook Vs. Slice

The difference between the two fault shots is the curving of the ball midflight concerning the golfer’s hand orientation. Their main difference is the direction of the curving of the ball when it is airborne.

For right-handed golfers, a hook makes the ball begins its flight to the right and switch to the left midflight. In a slice shot, the reverse occurs. The ball begins to ascend on the left side of the golfer and suddenly curves to the right until reaching the target.

What Brings About A Hook And Slice In Golf?

One of the most compelling reasons for inducing a hook and a slice in golf is the face control issue. But many golf experts give credence to other problems behind these fault shots.

These include the posture of the body and wrist motion during a swing. The tips below tell the correct upper body position and wrist movement to avoid a hook and a slice.

1. What brings about a slice?

An open clubface tends to slice the ball, especially when done by amateur golfers. A slice occurs whenever a golfer leans on swinging the club from inside to outside. Moreover, your grip may also influence slicing the ball. The incorrect gripping of the golf shaft will give you minimal control of the club. Here are some of the causes of a slice.

Upper body stance

Your posture or stance would say a lot when it will lead to a slice. If the upper part of your body leans toward the target, your swing will make an out-to-in effect. This stance is more likely to result in a slice.

Wrist movement

The movement of your wrist during a swing may indicate if you are a slicer or not. You may observe if you bend your lead hand wrist backward on the take-out or top of the backswing. Have a look at your wrist during a swing first on the take-out and at the peak of the backswing.

When you experience a slice more frequently: try using the glove logo you are wearing as a reference to know if you are cupping. If the logo of your glove points upward, you have an open clubface. Most likely, it will lead to a slice shot.

2. What brings about a hook?

Most golfers believe that better players veer towards hooking the ball when hitting it with a closed clubface. Other golf experts agree that many pleasure players hook the ball when they pull the shot due to poor swinging.

Upper body stance

Leaning your top body too far from your kill during set-up may lead to a hook shot. The further tilting of the body away from the target shifts the arc of your swing. The result is a hefty in-to-out movement resulting in a closed clubface and consequently a hook shot.

Wrist movement

Checking your wrist motion during a swing will determine if you will hook a shot. Rotating your lead wrist towards the surface closes the clubface, which will result in a hook.

Can You Fix A Hook Or A Slice?

Yes, you can fix a hook or a slice. Remember that in every swing, especially from the tee, you can experience curvatures during the start of ball flights. It all depends on how you handle your club and your body. Here are some tips for eliminating those miss-hits.

1. How to Fix a Slice

You can avoid hitting the ball too hard. Also, gripping the club properly and correcting your swing path might work.

2. How to Fix a Hook

Fixing a hook might not be too difficult to do. You can do the proper grip; check your downswing path, make a better stance, and aim for the target straightly. Also, aim for the target with a relaxed body.

What Are The Swing Changes In Fixing A Hook Or slice? 

1. Tuning-up the upper body

Extreme tilting of the upper body from the kill may lead to a hook. You better lean slightly from the target to avoid this flaw.

2. Upper body workout for slicers

Utilize your iron or driver in doing the upper body drill. You can do the stance described above while resting the club behind the golf ball. Make a rotating motion on your hips before swinging. When making a swing, do it without hitting them too hard.

3. Upper body workout for hookers

There is only one drill step you can do to avoid a hook: Make a swing while your body balanced on the lead leg.

4. Improving wrist motion

Make the logo of your glove as your reference point in wrist movement. It will tell you if you are cupping. If your lead wrist points upward of the logo: you have an open clubface. The most likely to happen is a slice shot.

5. Correct wrist motion for players slicing or hooking the ball

1. Determine the movement of your wrist when you do a takeaway swing. You will notice that the logo will rotate a little bit towards the ball. Ensure that the logo does not twist towards the surface to avoid a hook.
2. Find out what is happening on top of the backswing. Aim the logo towards the target, not too far upwards or go overboard downwards.

Which Is Better: A Hook Or A Slice?

A slice or a hook is two miss-hits that you do not want hitting. In choosing between the two shots, I think it is better to hook. A hook is an easy miss to fix than a slice. Many pros and lower handicap players also attest that a hook is a better miss than a slice.

Why Do Players Hook And Slice From The Tee?

Many better golfers tend to hook from the tee because their swing direction is excessive from in-to-out or out to the right. On the other hand: an open clubface makes your shot off the tee slice. An inappropriate grip is one of the most common causes of slicing from the tee.

FAQ’s

1. Why do I always slice my driver but not my 3-Wood?

Slight tweaking of the driver and a 3-wood is required to make a successful shot. A driver tends to slice because many golfers aim for a higher upswing prompting a slice. On the other hand, a 3-wood is much easier to hit than a driver because it has a high loft with a short shaft.

Read More:What are the Best Driving Irons to date?

2. Will the tee height cause a slice?

No, it will not. The tee height might cause a sky-ball on which the ball goes higher into the air but travels a short distance.

3. Do anti-slice tees work?

Yes, anti-slice tees work for more golfers. The anti-slice tees avoid the clubface from transmitting sidespin that could make the ball slice. One of the best examples of an anti-slice tee is the Polara Self-Correcting Golf Balls (Anti Slice Golf Balls).

4. How to fix a slice with a driver

You need to set the face it needed to fix a slice with a driver. The clubface should point on the right (for right-handed players) of the target by swinging outside-in. It is one way of fixing a slice with a driver.

Watch this video on fixing a slice with a golf driver: 

Conclusion

Erratic shots like a hook and a slice are more common for beginners and amateur golfers: although some pros and seasoned players do the stroke out of necessity. You can see many pros worldwide do a hook and a slice from time to time.

But knowing the difference between a slice vs. hookin golf and the fixes they need broadens your golf knowledge. It may help you avoid those dreaded miss-hits that plagued more beginner and amateur golfers.