Help! Closing Clubface During Swing

[Slowhand]

This is a new problem that has just cropped up. I'm starting off with a Manzella neutral grip. Part of my pre-swing routine is to check that the clubface is square to the back of my left palm as Brian showed me in our last lesson. I'm also employing a "mild" twistaway in my backswing.

The problem is that I'm hitting a lot of hooks and when I check the clubface after the swing, it is often 10 - 20 degrees closed from where it started. Somewhere in the backswing or transition I'm obviously rotating the club in my grip, but, for the life of me, I'm not aware of where or how.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[HOT CHILLI]

Same Problem here

This is a new problem that has just cropped up. I'm starting off with a Manzella neutral grip. Part of my pre-swing routine is to check that the clubface is square to the back of my left palm as Brian showed me in our last lesson. I'm also employing a "mild" twistaway in my backswing.

The problem is that I'm hitting a lot of hooks and when I check the clubface after the swing, it is often 10 - 20 degrees closed from where it started. Somewhere in the backswing or transition I'm obviously rotating the club in my grip, but, for the life of me, I'm not aware of where or how.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Finally, someone that has the same problem as me...
basically this week I found the root cause for this and that's after a good 3-4 month of trial and error but first I want to know a few things:
How long you've been playing?
What's your handicapp?
Did you had a slice problem before, and have you fix it with NSA Twistaway?
Can you draw\hook the ball when you want?
Do you know how to swivel after impact?

Listen, for start check your Pressure points, try to put constant pressure on 1st and 2nd specailly through the first part of the swing, takeaway and to the top, make sure you grip it firm but with loose wrists, let me know...




I'm checking that the clubface is square to the back of my left palm as Brian teach...

Finish of my swing...

Checking the clubface...

With the long club it's more "Closed"...

"Closed" at the top...

 

[Slowhand]

Finally, someone that has the same problem as me...
basically this week I found the root cause for this and that's after a good 3-4 month of trial and error but first I want to know a few things:
How long you've been playing?
What's your handicapp?
Did you had a slice problem before, and have you fix it with NSA Twistaway?
Can you draw\hook the ball when you want?
Do you know how to swivel after impact?

Thanks for the response Chilli.

How long you've been playing? 11 Years. Five years starting when I was 13 and 6 years now after a 30 year break.

What's your handicapp? It was 10 and falling. Yesterday I shot 87 because my iron shots were so poor.

Did you had a slice problem before, and have you fixed it with NSA Twistaway? NSA and a lesson with Brian fixed my slice. During the lesson he told me that with my new pattern I'd have to accept a pull hook as my current miss, but I don't think this (twisting the club in my grip) is what he meant!

Can you draw\hook the ball when you want? Yeah, and even when I don't want. Learning to draw/hook the ball on demand was a big part of the lesson.

Do you know how to swivel after impact? Club or hips? Again, rotating the club in the follow through and getting my belly facing the target were important points Brian made.

 

[puttmad]

This is a new problem that has just cropped up. I'm starting off with a Manzella neutral grip. Part of my pre-swing routine is to check that the clubface is square to the back of my left palm as Brian showed me in our last lesson. I'm also employing a "mild" twistaway in my backswing.

The problem is that I'm hitting a lot of hooks and when I check the clubface after the swing, it is often 10 - 20 degrees closed from where it started. Somewhere in the backswing or transition I'm obviously rotating the club in my grip, but, for the life of me, I'm not aware of where or how.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Slowhand,
It appears your right hand is overworking during the impact zone, perhaps your grip (right hand) is too tight and if your left hand grip is loosish it is causing the club's grip to rotate slightly in your left hand...perhaps try a different glove, or relax your right hand grip..
You could try the three finger overlap grip (just for practice swings), which takes the right hand out of the picture and it will show up what is happening in your left hand...

 

[Brian Manzella]

Slowhand,
It appears your right hand is overworking during the impact zone, perhaps your grip (right hand) is too tight and if your left hand grip is loosish it is causing the club's grip to rotate slightly in your left hand...perhaps try a different glove, or relax your right hand grip..
You could try the three finger overlap grip (just for practice swings), which takes the right hand out of the picture and it will show up what is happening in your left hand...

Baloney!

You regrip it in the takeaway, just like everyone else.

Here is what you do:

Put the tip of a tee under your left picky after you grip it with your left hand.

Hit the ball without losing the tee.

Report back.

 

[puttmad]

Baloney!

You regrip it in the takeaway, just like everyone else.

Here is what you do:

Put the tip of a tee under your left picky after you grip it with your left hand.

Hit the ball without losing the tee.

Report back.

OK
I did that indoors (it is blowing a gale today)....
Ref: "You regrip it in the takeaway, just like everyone else."

In my own case I can get to the top with no movement of the tee peg, so I don't understand the regrip comment for the takeaway above. Pls elaborate.....perhaps I misunderstand what that statement means...?

Being indoors I cannot hit any balls, but obviously there is a difference between a practice swing and real impact with the ground and with the ball, in respect to how the clubface acts....

 

[Dariusz J.]

Baloney!

You regrip it in the takeaway, just like everyone else.

It evokes the question, why everyone tends to regrip during waggle or takeaway... I can understand a gofer who is in the process of changing the grip (e.g. from a strong one to a weaker one) and the "new" grip does not feel just right...but if someone has a fixed grip - what mistake he/she makes if it appears that the regriping process takes place anyhow ?

Cheers

 

[thefuture37]

maybe u have worn grips that are slipping during your swing

 

[benstone]

This has been driving me mad on and off for the past few months as well. I was hitting the ball well with lagging clubhead takeaway and float loading, and then this grip problem appeared. I would hit a shot that went straight left and then look down at the club in my hands and it would point to between 10 and 11 o'clock (I am right handed). I have tried the tee under my left pinky and it doesn't seem to stop it.
It is interesting that this seems to happen a lot more on the range than it does on the course, but I do get the occaisional shot going left on the course as well. Any help with this (hopefully) simple problem would really be appreciated because I don't want to practice with the way things are right now.

 

[rogerdodger]

I have the same issue, regripping and closing face. I thought the regrip came in transition, actually it occurred in takeaway according to video. I would roll, thinking I was using a startup swivel, clubface would get inside and open. Brian's takeaway instruction in soft draw is what I am using to stop this problem. Handle in, club out, no regrip. I am convinced that if the clubhead is out of position, the hands will rescue, by regripping...or some other problem. Educated hands to me means balanced club on plane, on proper arc.

 

[Mike Thomas (sunmart)]

Why is the club always closed? Why not open sometimes? I thought is was a loosening of grip in the last 3 fingers of the left hand in transition at the top. This is a very common problem that all teachers see a lot and leads to just awful shots.