This year was an interesting one for me. After years of being able to play quite a lot, my job and the need to care for my Grandfather resulted in a lot less time on the course. I was forced to abbreviate my practice routine and play more 9 hole rounds. Early on, my game held up well, I had some of my lowest scores and made some of my longest drives this season but in the dog days of summer I found that I developed a killer draw-hook. It started when I put the new Taylormade RBZ 3 hybrid in play this spring. I had a terrible tendency to draw that club big off the tee. From there I set off to fix just that one club and just about the time I had the hybrid figured out, I started drawing my 7 then my 9 iron. Drove me nuts.
This week I had something of a breakthrough on the range. Sunday I took the dog for a walk and hit a bucket of balls at Jack Tone Golf in Ripon, and after a stretch and some warm-up swings, I teed up my 8 iron and bam big time draw on every shot. Very consistent, very powerful but indeed a big draw. Worst of all it was there with every club but my driver, that one was a nice big power fade. I was scrambling, what could it be? The driver gave me the clue I was looking for. I hit a 7 iron followed by a driver and I noticed that my right shoulder was driving far faster and further under my chin with the driver than with the irons. So I focused on driving my right shoulder under my chin as fast and as far as my driver and it straightened me right out. I even managed to frame a fairway on the range in my mind and put the majority of shots in it with my long and short irons.
If you are suffering from an uncontrollable draw-hook, try the drive the right shoulder move and see if it works for you.