Avoiding An Open Or Weak Club Face

We all want to strike the ball solidly and send it on an intended, accurate path.

However, one of the most common issues that can derail our shots is an improper club face angle at impact.

The position and angle of the club face is absolutely essential for making quality, consistent contact and controlling the direction and trajectory of the ball.

In the early downswing, getting the club face properly set is crucial.

If the face is overly open or weak, it can cause the ball to slice off to the right for right–handed golfers (or hook left for lefties).

Conversely, if the face is too closed or strong, it will lead to hooks, pulls and other mishits.

Let’s take a closer look at what happens with an open/weak club face versus a closed/strong club face:

Open/Weak Club Face

When the club face is open or weak at impact, it creates an out–to–in swing path. This causes the ball to start to the right of the target line (for right–handed players) and then slice off even further to the right. The open face also imparts sidespin that makes the ball curve dramatically. Shots with an open club face tend to fly lower and lose distance as well.

This is an extremely common problem, especially for high–handicap and beginner golfers.

A weak grip, over–the–top swing and coming “over the top” in the downswing can all contribute to an open club face.

Some golfers also struggle to release the club properly, holding onto it too long and failing to rotate the face to a square position.

Closed/Strong Club Face

On the other end of the spectrum, a closed or overly strong club face can also wreak havoc on your shots. With a closed face, the ball will start left of the target and then hook sharply back in. This results in poor accuracy and inconsistent distance, as the ball’s trajectory is highly unpredictable.

A strong grip, an inside–out swing path and hanging back on the right side in the downswing can all lead to a closed club face.

Some players also have a tendency to “shut” the face too quickly through impact.

So how do you ensure you consistently deliver the club face square to the ball at impact? Here are some key tips:

• Check your grip. Make sure your grip pressure is light and your hands are in a neutral position, not overly strong or weak.

• Focus on an inside–out swing path. Avoid coming over the top, which promotes an open face. Instead, feel like you’re swinging from the inside and releasing the club properly.

• Maintain good posture and balance throughout the swing. Staying centered and avoiding excessive weight shifting will help keep the face square.

• Practice drills to ingrain the proper club face position. Try swinging with an alignment stick or other training aid placed just in front of the ball to encourage a square face at impact.

• Stay connected and rotate your body aggressively through the shot. Passive hand and arm action can cause the face to open up.

By mastering the club face angle, especially in the critical downswing phase, you’ll be well on your way to hitting straighter, more consistent shots that find the fairway or green.

It takes practice, but the payoff in terms of your scores and enjoyment of the game is immense.