Club Face Control

[rprevost]

If I want to focus on improving clubface control, with what would you recommend starting? Twist-away?

I have always worked on the premise that the clubface would square itself without any conscious effort on my part. That tactic has resulted in misses on both sides. Focusing on the tumble has helped a bit because it has improved hand path, but I still see the occasional OB-right. Reading all this D-Plane information suggests to me that I should have more control over the clubface.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Kevin Shields]

If the face is opening, the hands at some point are still working too high and not enough left. Of course thats without the luxury of seeing any of your other components.

 

[SteveT]

rprevost .... You are correct in saying the clubface should square itself without any conscious effort, because it happens automatically and unconsciously.

Kevin may also be correct based on his teaching experience. I can't give you a quick fix, because like Kevin, I can't see your swing ... but neither can you see your swing.

Whatever you may attempt to do on the conscious level to square the clubface may or may not be happening. To change your golfswing, you must practice on a conscious level and after enough repetitions, it may establish itself on an unconscious level. That's why it's important to practice the correct moves.

If you attempt to make changes on your own, you run the risk of doing the wrong thing .. and that's why an outside objective opinion by a qualified instructor is best.

Changing your golfswing when it is reaching it's highest speed and power is risky. You can make a pre-swing change at Address, or in the slow backswing, or even at the start of the downswing ... but when you get deeper into the downswing and attempt to impose conscious change, you are asking for more problems. You may be lucky, but chances are you won't.

 

[spktho]

rprevost .... You are correct in saying the clubface should square itself without any conscious effort, because it happens automatically and unconsciously.

Kevin may also be correct based on his teaching experience. I can't give you a quick fix, because like Kevin, I can't see your swing ... but neither can you see your swing.

Whatever you may attempt to do on the conscious level to square the clubface may or may not be happening. To change your golfswing, you must practice on a conscious level and after enough repetitions, it may establish itself on an unconscious level. That's why it's important to practice the correct moves.

If you attempt to make changes on your own, you run the risk of doing the wrong thing .. and that's why an outside objective opinion by a qualified instructor is best.

Changing your golfswing when it is reaching it's highest speed and power is risky. You can make a pre-swing change at Address, or in the slow backswing, or even at the start of the downswing ... but when you get deeper into the downswing and attempt to impose conscious change, you are asking for more problems. You may be lucky, but chances are you won't.

Wow! must have had a good night's sleep or "got some", if you know what I mean. No what's your body type or the swing is freewheeling you can't control it sarcasm?

 

[softconsult]

Does anyone ever just go to the range and work on hitting different shot shapes as a way to improve clubface control? I read a lot of posts in the search for some technical wonder cure and
wonder whether it ever actually works.

 

[ScottRob]

I hit 'em all, or at least I try to! I able to execute some better than others but it is a fun practice drill. I start with a push-slice (first one is a tracer, or just out there somewhere on the range, the next one I aim as though I trying to play for it on the course. I end up with hitting a pull-hook (which does not seem to be a handy shot!) It it like going around the clock. Toughest shot for me to hit is a straight pull...great piercing ball flight though.

 

[SteveT]

ScottRob .... Which club do you stop at for shot shaping and just go straight? Wedge? 9-iron? 8-iron?

 

[ScottRob]

Good question. For left to right shot-shaping - 7 iron, right to left shot shaping-sand wedge! I have been toying with a low sliding wedge that I call the "Merry-Mex!" Post d-plane I try to hit a lot more shots straight thru the bag. I do my half-moon drill with a 5 iron.

 

[birly-shirly]

Does anyone ever just go to the range and work on hitting different shot shapes as a way to improve clubface control? I read a lot of posts in the search for some technical wonder cure and
wonder whether it ever actually works.

Yep - I've done this. I wouldn't say it's a wonder cure, but I think it's good practice - with the caveat that I think you get better results if your swing is fairly "neutral" to begin with. Start with fairly short shots - though not necessarily high-lofted clubs or you might not get the ballflight feedback that you want. If I can get my path through impact somewhat straightened out, then this is how I would like to practice.

 

[Ringer]

The only way that a clubface closure rate would be "automatic" back to square, is if the kinetic sequence was absolutely perfectly timed for it to do so.

It is the humble opinion of this poster that the clubhead's center of gravity (or CG) will continually try to stay on the same plane as the shaft it is attached to as long as no unbalanced force acts upon it that would throw it off of this plane. The ultimate result is then that if this relationship stayed the same (sweet spot trailing the shaft) that by the time we reached impact, the clubface would have no closure at all and we would present the shank of the club to the ball instead. Something MUST rotate the clubhead's CG around the axis of the shaft. (Some people argue the CG still stays in line with a "sweet spot plane")

Since the club shaft is still in flex, sometimes when we do this rotation it will cause shaft droop which is merely the rotation of the shaft while still in flex. The clubhead CG is still trying to stay in line with the shaft and the forces acting on the shaft.... but that's for another shaft droop thread.

Now back to my original statement.

If the kinetic sequence is timed just right so that the shoulder rotation slows down slightly throwing the arms out away from the right shoulder, then extension of the right arm may cause there to be rotation of the arms which rotates the club axially along the shaft. In other words, as your right arm extends, it likes to rotate due to natural muscular and joint alignments.

This again though requires a perfectly timed kinematic sequence. Your right arm would have to be extending at just the right amount to coincide with the grip to clubface relationship you developed. Hence, the faster your pivot the stronger your grip has to be in order to be "relaxed".

 

[softconsult]

I would just get bored hitting the same shot over and over. There is a line of trees along the left side of our practice area that provide some targets for reference. I will hit Sand Wedge through 7 iron with the target being say 15 yards right of a certain tree trunk.

I generally take 3 different irons out on a given day and vary them from session to session. May hit 150 balls. So maybe 51, 9, 7. I'll hit some cuts, some straight, and some draws and vary the clubs. I will also work on making a 51 fly the same distance as the SW, for instance. One of the fun, and effective shots is a draw Sand Wedge played from a back ball position. It doesn't draw much, but it is crisp and penetrating.

 

[footwedge]

What's a 51? is that the loft?

 

[softconsult]

Yes, gap wedge.

 

[footwedge]

Yes, gap wedge.

Okay, mines a 52.

 

[billmckinneygolf]

Does anyone ever just go to the range and work on hitting different shot shapes as a way to improve clubface control? I read a lot of posts in the search for some technical wonder cure and
wonder whether it ever actually works.

One of the most insightful "tips" I ever got was from Scott McCarron at a clinic at Lakeside CC. He was hitting one beautiful draw after another with his 5 iron. I asked him if he always played a draw and he said, "no, but I hit about 95% of my range shots with a draw then go on the course and hit fades until I feel confident enough to hit the draw. When I practiced all the shots, I felt like I could miss it in any direction. When I practiced fades, it turned into a very weak spinny slice on the course."
My opinion is that this is superior practice to the 9 shot drill to develop consistency.

 

[Kevin Shields]

One of the most insightful "tips" I ever got was from Scott McCarron at a clinic at Lakeside CC. He was hitting one beautiful draw after another with his 5 iron. I asked him if he always played a draw and he said, "no, but I hit about 95% of my range shots with a draw then go on the course and hit fades until I feel confident enough to hit the draw. When I practiced all the shots, I felt like I could miss it in any direction. When I practiced fades, it turned into a very weak spinny slice on the course."
My opinion is that this is superior practice to the 9 shot drill to develop consistency.

Wow, this is weird. I thought I was the only one. I fear a weak, high fade so on the range I practice almost exclusively full tumbled draws yet rarely play one on the course. Stock shot from all the "draw" practice turns into a very straight ball. I guess you over exaggerate your tendencies in practice so they are neutralized when the gun goes off and you tend to go back to what you know.

 

[ScottRob]

Tough to argue with a tour player! This is a drill, not the sum total of a range session.

I have logged many hours eye-balling tour-types from the stands behind driving ranges and I have NEVER seen a player move it a lot in their practice and warm-up sessions. People always comment on how straight they hit it.

My every shot drill is about knowing where the face is on every concievable shot I know how to hit. With a much better understanding of ball flight laws one the challenges for me is to learn how to aim EVERYTHING!

It must be the Bubba in me! Sans the club head speed, spin rate and launch angle!

 

[ej20]

Well so much for club face control for the amateur player.Even with pros it's about keeping negative natural tendencies at bay and then hope they don't rear it's ugly head under competition pressure.

Plenty of people can hit all the shots on the range where they can groove their swings.Can their "clubface control" carry over to competition?

Reminds me of a Jacky Burke story.There was a member at Burkes club who was playing particularly well,kept bragging and challenged all the pros to a money game.Burke took him up on it saying he would play him on one leg for 10 times the wager.Well,after 6 holes Burke was 4 under playing on one leg and the member was hopelessly over par and out of his league.The match ended there and then to avoid further embarrasment.

 

[Steve Khatib]

Wow, this is weird. I thought I was the only one. I fear a weak, high fade so on the range I practice almost exclusively full tumbled draws yet rarely play one on the course. Stock shot from all the "draw" practice turns into a very straight ball. I guess you over exaggerate your tendencies in practice so they are neutralized when the gun goes off and you tend to go back to what you know.

So true Kev. Under the gun we all steer a bit in someway. It is just the feel v real stuff. You need that feel to produce what is the real.

 

[softconsult]

I'm perfectly willing to have my eyes opened to a different approach. I never would
have dreamed that up on my own.