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Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

post #1 of 18
6/29/09 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 
I have a problem with a fade (right handed) and not getting good distance off the tee.

I am 6' and 200 pounds and my 150 club is my 7 iron, my driver is about 220, 240 if I feel I hit it good. I know it doesnt matter about size, but there should be no reason why I cant get another 10-15 yards out of each club. Ideally I would like my 150 club to be a nice 8 iron.

I feel like I am loosing distance due toa few things, one being a fast back swing and two not a complete back swing, meaning my back doesnt face the target at the top, rather its about 45 degrees.

My question is, would not completing the back swing result in my club face being open at impact resulting in the fade at lack of distance?

I am hoping I found a solution to my swing, curoius on thoughts and I hope to try this at the range today or tomorrow.
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post #2 of 18
6/29/09 at 2:26pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

send a video
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post #3 of 18
6/29/09 at 3:04pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

It could be a number of things. My take is that some people arent flexible enough to make as big of a shoulder turn as others. That shouldnt result in the open face at impact though. I dont feel like I have a huge shoulder turn at all, but I feel like a lot of my power comes from my hip turn. I dont think it's necessarily how much of a turn you get, it's how much torque you're getting when your going through the downswing. Some can build more torque with a smaller coil than others do with a larget coil.

Usually the open face is caused by not properly releasing the club, which comes from either an overly weak grip (as in top hand is turned too much in a clockwise position on the grip) or squeezing the grip too hard (which overly tightens the muscles in your forearms and hinders the fluid motion of the hands on impact). At address, when you look down at your top hand, how many knuckles do you see?
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post #4 of 18
6/29/09 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

I usually see 2 or 3 knuckles. My grip is strong. I probably do hold the club to tight, but no matter how much I tell myself to relieve that pressure I still tighten up and try to HIT the ball instead of through it. Soemtimes I feel that I try ot hit the ball more iwth my arms rather than my body, but lately I have been consicouslly trying to get that out of my head.

I am only thinking that the loss of power I have and that my club face is open at impact (ball path is straight and then fade, so its not an over the top) is that my back swing is so short in the turn I am not giving myself time to release the club face fully. I might be over looking something but just trying to figure why I dont have the distance and still have a fade.

I will try and post a video soon.

By the way I am 30 and in decent shape, so flexibility shouldnt be a big problem.
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post #5 of 18
6/29/09 at 3:50pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Originally Posted by antney79 View Post
I usually see 2 or 3 knuckles. My grip is strong. I probably do hold the club to tight, but no matter how much I tell myself to relieve that pressure I still tighten up and try to HIT the ball instead of through it. Soemtimes I feel that I try ot hit the ball more iwth my arms rather than my body, but lately I have been consicouslly trying to get that out of my head.

I am only thinking that the loss of power I have and that my club face is open at impact (ball path is straight and then fade, so its not an over the top) is that my back swing is so short in the turn I am not giving myself time to release the club face fully. I might be over looking something but just trying to figure why I dont have the distance and still have a fade.

I will try and post a video soon.

By the way I am 30 and in decent shape, so flexibility shouldnt be a big problem.
I'd say the distance (or lack of) is a result of the lack of a full turn then. Driving your hips through the swing, and your shoulders will get you that. The motion of the arms should to an extent be a byproduct of the coil, and bringing the club back on the proper plane. So yeah, you're right about that part.

I still dont think that would be responsible for the fade/slice though. With the proper tempo, it shouldnt matter how far back you're bringing the club, as the club should always be able to return to square, no matter if it's a half swing, full swing, etc.
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post #6 of 18
6/29/09 at 4:09pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

try the following and see if it works for you.

1. off the tee, slowly bring your swing back.
2. at 3/4 swing, turn your hip (no full swing)
3. swing down fast without changing your hand position.

be sure to keep your head down and maintain tempo all all time.

Once you are able to get the feel, then slowly change to a bigger swing.
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post #7 of 18
6/29/09 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Alpine
You are basically saying take 3/4 swings only until I get the feel of the swing?

Take it back to 3/4 and from that point try swining with my lower body with out doing anything with my hands/wrists?

What is considered 3/4? The height of my left arm? Or is it my turn? I would think 3/4 would be my left arm parrallel with the ground.
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post #8 of 18
6/29/09 at 4:38pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Originally Posted by antney79 View Post
Alpine
You are basically saying take 3/4 swings only until I get the feel of the swing?

Yes at the beginning first get used to back swing slow, down swing fast. If you start with a big swing, it is much harder to control your ball.

Take it back to 3/4 and from that point try swining with my lower body with out doing anything with my hands/wrists?

like a 4 step. 1. slow back swing, 2. get to about 3/4, 3. turn hip, 4. swing down. The hip will control your power and ball direction.


What is considered 3/4? The height of my left arm? Or is it my turn? I would think 3/4 would be my left arm parrallel with the ground?

This you have to feel for yourself. It's estimate counting your Right hand just below your shoulder should be 3/4. (right hand above shoulder is about full for much average golfer)
I hope this will help.
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post #9 of 18
6/29/09 at 4:47pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

btw, if you are hitting the ball open face, it mostly because you are either opening your club face when swinging down, or your club is swinging faster than your hip....

just my $.02
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post #10 of 18
6/29/09 at 5:39pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

These people who hit irons a long way also deloft the club a lot in their swing through a great hands ahead impact position, whereas we mortals allow the club to play to loft, if we are lucky, or worse, hit early and up loft that 7 iron to a 9 iron at impact with just a slight left wrist fold at impact. Ball goes nowhere, no matter what you do.

Practice chipping a fair distance and feel the hands staying ahead through impact and continue to enlarge to a full swing. There is a load of backswing drills you can do to make a fuller turn back and not just pick up the club.
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post #11 of 18
6/29/09 at 6:04pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

You can get solid distance without a full 90 degree turn. Be aware of what your body will let you do and go with it. Making a proper turn is more effective than a big one. As for the face, I cant say why it would be open or closed in relation to your backswing.

I concentrate on turning my chest away from the ball. I feel as if my left shoulder and upper back are doing the work during the turn away from the ball. My right side is reletivley dead. It seems to work for me.
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post #12 of 18
6/29/09 at 6:09pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

The clubface being open is a sign that the hands have not released. Make sure that your knuckles turn down on the lead hand which closes the clubface. When you use your hips to start the downswing, the club will naturally be pulled on plane. Then you have to make sure you release the club. Think of what the back of your lead hand is doing....that will be the same thing your clubface is doing
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post #13 of 18
6/30/09 at 1:49pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Shouldn't have to try to release the club. It will happen naturally with the proper motion. Trying to flip them over will cause inconsistency.

You talk about fade and open clubface at the same time, those two cannot work together. An open clubface will cause the ball to spin off to the right, regardless of swing plane. A fade will start a bit to the left and spin back on the target line. If you are doing the latter, it's because of a swing coming over the top, but the clubface is square.

Before you adress any problem with the swing you have to know the terminology of the different shots. Trying to fix a fade by working on the clubface will probably end with a pull.
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post #14 of 18
6/30/09 at 3:16pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Well I gues I have both, but majority of my shots are straight with a tailing off to the right side. Is this from not releasing the club head?
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post #15 of 18
6/30/09 at 3:39pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Could be, but I'd rather put my money on cupped left wrist, perhaps a weak grip.
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post #16 of 18
6/30/09 at 3:44pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

I know my grip is strong so it might be the cupped wrist.

Woudl that make my wrist bend toward the palm or away from the palm? Also your saying I might have a cupped wrist at impact I assume. Would this result in lost of distance as well?
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post #17 of 18
6/30/09 at 3:47pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Originally Posted by antney79 View Post
I know my grip is strong so it might be the cupped wrist.

Woudl that make my wrist bend toward the palm or away from the palm? Also your saying I might have a cupped wrist at impact I assume. Would this result in lost of distance as well?
It needs to have a bow at impact. Yes you would lose distance as the cupped left wrist actually adds loft to the club and you can't really get any compression hitting it with a cupped wrist.
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post #18 of 18
6/30/09 at 3:52pm

Re: Open face at impact cuased by non full turn?

Originally Posted by antney79 View Post
Well I gues I have both, but majority of my shots are straight with a tailing off to the right side. Is this from not releasing the club head?

I believe that is all from your swing.
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