Instruction
Fix your hook with the “bucket drill”
The great majority of articles on how to fix a ball flight are based around what? People who slice the ball. It’s justifiable. Stats are thrown around that say about 90 percent of golfers slice the ball.
But what about the other 10 percent? That’s still a lot of people. This article, as is evident in the title, is geared toward those who struggle with the opposite of the other 90 percent of golfers. They struggle with a hook!
Generally speaking, a hook is a “good” problem. Many of the pieces that eventually lead to the hook are conducive to solid contact and distance.
First, let’s make sure we are on the same page with that a hook actually is. We will define a hook as a shot that curves excessively to the left from where it starts. There are three categories of a hook:
N0. 1 — The push-hook: The ball starts to the right of the target and curves too far left.
No. 2 — The straight hook: The ball starts straight at the target and then curves too far left.
No. 3 — The pull-hook: The ball starts to the left of the target and curves even farther left.
See the common denominator here? Too much curve to the left. So, why does it happen and how do we fix it?
Why it happens
There are really two main components as to why the ball hooks. Either your path (the direction you swing the club) is too far to the right, or your club face is too “closed” to your path. That means the club face is pointed too far to the left relative to the direction you swing the club. So if you are swinging the club too far to the right, your club face is pointed some amount to the left of that.
How to fix it
So we have two options in terms of what we can attack. We can work on your path to make sure you aren’t swinging too far to the right, or we can work to make sure your club face isn’t pointed as far to the left of your path.
I would HIGHLY suggest fixing No. 1 (path) first. Just about every time you correct the direction you are swinging the club, the club face will eventually take care of itself.
I suggest using the “bucket drill” to fix this problem. I first saw this drill being used by my former coach, Paul Viola, who coaches out of Bethlehem, Penn. Odds are, if you were to walk up and down our range, you would see multiple people with this in action.
The drill is pretty simple. It is designed to ensure that you do not swing too far to the right or “in-to-out.” The bucket is positioned as such that it does’t allow you to do it.
The beauty of this is that when you go to practice, you will always get something from the range that holds the balls. The training aid is always included. You don’t have to use a bucket or basket for this. You could also use a range ball bag if they use that or even a towel that is folded on the inside of the ball.
The positioning of the bucket is key. From the face on view, the front edge of the bucket is in line with the middle of the back foot.
From the down-the-line view, the bucket is placed just below the shaft line.
If you are someone who struggles with a hook, there is going to be a huge difference here with that you “feel” and what is “real.” When you put the bucket there, it will most likely feel like you are swinging “over the top,” or way from the outside. But you know that you are not since you positioned the bucket yourself. That is the key.
Take this “feel” that you get with the bucket and start to transfer that to practice without the bucket. This is what you need to “feel” for now while you are practicing and playing until you train it into a habit!
I would suggest starting with the bucket slightly closer to your feet so it is a bit easier until you get used to it.
Once you get a bit better, make it a bit tougher and put the basket slightly farther from your foot so it is just barely below the shaft plane.
Typically, when we start someone with this drill, we also make sure the ball position is slightly more forward and definitely not back!
See how the ball position is more forward here, in line with the logo of his shirt. This is what we are looking for.
This ball position is more in line with his shirt buttons. This position is fine for a normal situation, but too far back for the drill.
If you hit a few slight pulls to start (that aren’t curving) that is fine. If you do this drill and the ball is still curving too much to the left, which is unlikely, you need to look at reason No. 2 above: the club face angle.
There are certainly lots of other ways to go about fixing a hook, but this is by far the best one I have come across.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Alex Perez
Nov 28, 2018 at 6:37 am
Hi Eric, I’m having problems with straight hook in my short irons, Wedges,9,8, but no issues with 7-down. How can fix it? Thank you.
leftright
May 28, 2014 at 10:17 am
This is a great article, especially for lower handicappers who are fighting a hook. It works for me as my biggest problem in golf since I started playing fairly well has been “laying it off” or taking it too much to the inside. Perhaps this is why I can hit low draws/hooks with the best of them but prefer high straight balls. Look at the PGA tour, I bet on any given weekend you will see half a dozen guys practice swing taking that club back more outside before hitting their shot.
Eric, I consider this the best article for me in WRX in a long while, thanks.
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marcel
May 25, 2014 at 9:29 pm
there is only one way how to fix it – get yourself AAA+ coach in your area and stop watching/reading quick fixes that are not for your specific fault…
as my old man coach told me once – “i love this instructions from magazines – they helping my business to flourish as they confuse everyone to come back to me for more lessons”
Break80
May 25, 2014 at 9:23 am
I fix #1 by calling it a draw.
perisho
May 24, 2014 at 10:12 am
A concept that helps me more than anything is ball position. Grab a 7 iron and put the ball a few inches OUTSIDE your left foot – way forward. You have to come around the get it. You never dump it inside or you won’t get to the ball.
Eric Cogorno
May 24, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Yup, that one works great!
perisho
May 24, 2014 at 10:10 am
great drill but then I just pound the bucket down the driving range for an hour.
Eric Cogorno
May 24, 2014 at 4:05 pm
That’s motivation to not hit the bucket 🙂
Josh
May 24, 2014 at 7:25 am
The pull hook is an OTT move with a shut face is it not?? This drill would only make it worse.
Eric Cogorno
May 24, 2014 at 4:07 pm
So, we will define a pull hook as a shot that starts left and curves left.
That’s a clubface thats pointing some amount left of the target at impact and a path some amount to the right of the face. It’s a face-to-path issue. Chicken or the egg thing usually.
The pull hooks aren’t coming from swing “over the top”, though.
Josh
May 25, 2014 at 6:40 am
I agree with the club face/path point, but the pull hook has always been an OTT move for me, confirmed by launch monitors. Regardless, no drill can be considered a bad one in golf as it gets the golfer experimenting to fix issues. Even if its some crazy Martin Hall drill with pool noodles, balanced one one foot and an egg under your armpit.
Thank you for the article Eric and the simple drill for us to try at the range.
paul
May 24, 2014 at 1:15 am
“its all in the take away”… Take the club to the outside = fade/slice. Take the club inside is usually straight or a draw. To get a feel for it is just like putting, push the club back with the left hand, and then switch at the top to pushing through with the right. Easiest way to think of it. I have been playing the best golf of my life since I figured how to take the club back that way.
paul
May 24, 2014 at 1:19 am
If I am wrong about the pushing concept please let me know. I would love to chat about it with a knowledgeable instructor.
perisho
May 24, 2014 at 10:04 am
No. It’s not that simple. The pull hook simply means the face angle is seriously closed to the swing path – whatever the path may be.
Typically the prime offender is “inside-out”
Eric Cogorno
May 24, 2014 at 4:08 pm
For some, it can be as easy as that feel. For others, it isn’t. All depends!
nikkyd
May 24, 2014 at 6:23 pm
I never thought of it that way! I like it
nikkyd
May 23, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Rntolent, ill have to give that a try. Its just scary when opening up left when you you already Hit a nasty hook out of nowhere
nikkyd
May 23, 2014 at 4:50 pm
And im a forum idiot, wow
Ken
May 24, 2014 at 4:28 am
I play with an open stance and it works well
I am a bit confused about this drill.. I am sure this will help fix the in to out path but I don’t like a drill that requires you to hit balls with improper ball position. Your asking for more swing band aids or slight adjustments to hit the ball that may find it’s way in your swing
Eric Cogorno
May 24, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Open stance can really help, agreed!
nikkyd
May 23, 2014 at 2:12 pm
I find that my release or closing action of the club face causes me to hook too much. I find it nearly impossible now to hit a fade or slice after teaching myself how to release the club for power. Maybe i need to use a kung fu grip with my leading hand and possibly hit a power -push fade ala nicklaus
rntolent
May 23, 2014 at 4:00 pm
Have you tried just opening your stance? I hit draws (and hooks sometimes) but when I absolutely need the ball to stay straight or leak right, I open up a bit. It still lets me release and as long as I don’t hang back, its fading (instead of duck hooking). I wouldn’t caveman grip it, you may tear a muscle!
Eric Cogorno
May 24, 2014 at 4:11 pm
Opening the stance can really help with someone who has a tendency to have a path excessively to the right. I do that in my own swing…Bubba Golf!