Hi all,
One thing I'm surprised there is little conversation about online, is that the New Ball Flight Laws (i.e. face sends, path bends), are very misleading. Factually correct, but misleading.
They work well if you're setting up to hit a draw/fade etc. with your set-up. Aim your clubface in your chosen starting direction, choose how much fade/draw you want with your feet/body position, then grip the club and swing like normal.
The problem is, the ball flight laws are outright misleading when it comes to how you dynamically open/close the clubface throughout your swing. Most golfers are opening the clubface on the backswing, and closing it on the downswing. But this opening/closing is not happening relative to your target, it's happening relative to your path.
Imagine that due to your wrist action in your swing, you are closing the clubface in your hands by 5 degrees. This will stay 5 degrees closed, relative to whatever swing path you have. Neutral swing? 5 degrees closed to target, slight pull draw. 10 degrees in-to-out swing? 5 degrees open to target, nice push draw.
Closing or opening the clubface during your swing is already happening relative to path.
This is why when you have someone hitting pull slices, and you have them fix their over the top action, they will start hitting the ball straight or even right of target. They will not suddenly hit pull draws. Despite them pulling it previously and you not touching their clubface.
A more accurate version of the ball flight laws is this:
Starting direction = Clubface direction relative to target = Path Direction + Clubface direction relative to path.
Spin direction = Clubface direction relative to path (unchanged).
Your out-to-in swing isn't causing your slice, it's causing you to pull it, by redirecting your clubface - which is open relative to your swing path - until it is closed relative to target. Fix the clubface closing in your hands properly first (to hit pulls/pull-draws), and then fix your swing path in order to hit the ball straight.