short game confusion - open stance, open clubface

[subirnag]

I have some doubts about and arising out of the phrases such as “ opening the stance ”, “ opening the clubface ” and “ back and ahead in the stance ” etc. esp. when playing the short game.

Firstly, opening the stance automatically opens the clubface. So is the openness of clubface is in relation to the stance or the target? Does one open stance pointing to the left of target and further open clubface to the right of target? Or just open the stance only? And how much should one open? Opening by 45 degrees gives quite disastrous results to me.

Secondly, about the ball position. Say the golfer starts with the ball in the middle of the stance. Now, on opening the stance by moving the left foot behind, if one sees at the golfer from in a line perpendicular to the line from ball to target, the ball will still look reasonably in the middle of the stance. However, at line perpendicular to the open stance line, the ball will look closer the right foot, i.e. back in the stance. So which viewing angle does golf literature mean, when it says back of the stance after opening the stance?

Then, let us say one has opened the stance towards left, and the clubface is opened towards right, WHAT IS the line of the shot – parallel to the stance? From ball to target? Or the line of the clubface? Or even if the stance is open towards left and clubface is square, which is the line of the shot?

[JetFan1983]

Stan Utley's method from the Art of Scoring on the basic pitch:

1. The stance is square to the target (not open), and slightly narrower than standard

2. The grip should be neutral, with the V's created by the thumbs and the sides of the hands pointing at the right collar bone

3. When setting the grip, be sure to hold the club in the fingers -- not across the palms, which restricts wrist action.

4. The narrower stance promotes lower-body rotation -- the key to a successful pitch. You don't want to feel as though your legs are encased in concrete.

5. Your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders should all be parallel to the target line. The tendency is to open the stance and keep the shoulders square, a position that produces inconsistent contact.

6. The shaft should be set neutral -- straight up and down -- not leaned forward, toward the target.

7. Weight distribution is 65 to 70 percent on the left foot at address, and it should stay there during the swing.

8. Avoid letting the right shoulder get low at address -- this is a symptom of trying to help the ball into the air by scooping at it.

9. In the swing, the hands stay close to the body and the weight of the clubhead generates all the energy.

Iacas also has a video on this as well:

This video is discussed in this thread .

[weavej2]

Dr Feel....

[ohiolefty]

You can read books and watch videos until you're sick.

The main thing is to learn, for yourself (imparting a lot of what you learn from books, videos etc.) how to get a ball high and stopping quickly, how to hit a low spinny one, how to hit a pitch that'll run out, etc. It's a feel thing, which takes time.

The thing that's really important is being consistent with whatever you do. If you've got stuff that you do consistently, when you really need to get up and down from 45 yards to save par and make sure your buddy has to pay for lunch instead of you, or that you can beat your handicap, or whatever...you've gotta have something to fall back on. As long as your hands are ahead of the clubhead at impact, there are a lot of different ways to get it up and down.