closed clubface during backswaing

I have been having trouble with my club face being closed at the top of my backswing. This is then causing me to hook quite badly. Im not sure how to get rid of this problem. Can anyone tell me what the correct takeaway technique is to give me a square clubface at the top of my backswing.

Cheers

Lee.

weaken your left and right hand grip, that is one way

Check your left wrist cup at the top, if it is pronounced then try flattening it. If you have a neutral grip then it should be flat, if you have a stronger grip then a small amount of cupping is good.

I have a strong grip which feels natural to me, but im unsure as to whether me hands/arms should be rotating when at waist height or not??

Please help

Lee.

I can appreciate that you play with a strong grip and it feels natural, so either change your grip strength or change your wrist position at the top. the only other thing that could chage your club face at the top is coming out of spine angle. SO you only have three options
a cupped wrist will get you toe down, a flat wrist will get you more face to the sky

If you swing in to out, have stiff enough shafts and don't swing to fast you should be able to keep it to a draw.

Would being bent over too far cause the clubface to remain closed. I don't know about the top but when my club shaft is parallel to the ground and at waist height, the clubface is definitely closed. I also have a slightly strong grip. So a flatter left wrist for a strong grip? I get that confused.

Hi Jamb,

A strong grip normally needs a small amount of left wrist cup at the top to keep the face square. At the halfway down position in the downswing the clubface should be pointing straight forward, neither open or closed, the same at it should be at the end of the takeaway. If it is closed you should look at a more neutral grip. Do you have problems with hooking?

This video explains the relationship between strong and neutral grips and wrist cupping:

http://www.ritson-sole.com/golf-tips...ing-your-grip/

I would say I have more of a problem blocking the ball. I have a cup in the left hand at address but don't know what it looks like at the top. I am basically trying to maintain the grip throughout the backswing so assume I have a cup in the left hand at the top as well. But the clubface is definitely closed at the halfway point back.

Hey

This might of already been said in a different way but-you can have a strong grip and a square face at the top by cupping the left wrist.........But too much cup it can actually become open at the top-same with a neutral or weak grip-needs to be flatter at the top but too flat and the face is closed.

I've experienced this myself-just be careful

Golfone takes the position that it doesn't matter if the clubface is closed at the top, because one can correct for that problem during the downswing and ensure a square clubface at impact. I would be interested in learning how one accomplishes that feat.

It is my opinion that there is great advantage to having a neutral clubface at the top and a left hand that is flat and in line with the clubface. The advantage from my perspective is that one can then concentrate on performing a standard downswing movement (lower body movement first, shoulders second, arms/hands passive) without any need for compensatory downswing moves to correct for a closed clubface (presuming that you use a modern, total body swing rather than an arm swing or upper body swing style).

The question arises as to why the clubface is closed at the top. My questions - Is the clubface closed at address with a neutral grip? Or, does the clubface become closed during the takeaway, so that at the end-takeaway position (when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground and parallel to the ball-target line) the clubface is tilted towards the ground? Or does the clubface close during the rest of the backswing (from the end-takeaway position to the end-backswing position? I can only suggest potential causes/solutions if I know where the problem lies.

Jeff.

Hi Cmays,

I don't get the picture of the left hand knuckles facing the sky? (That picture is a bit small) Does this mean the left wrist is pronated or the back of the wrist facing the target?

I agree that the backswing does not create power in the swing, it is only to position the club correctly at the top so the downswing can start on path and plane. I do think it is important the club should be correctly positioned at the top and the clubface is kept square throughout the swing though.

Hi Cmays,

Thanks for the info. OK, so you mean the left hand knuckles towards target. I can see what you are saying and it is absolutely correct in the clubface must return to the same position as address.

I would not agree that it is OK to forget about other positions in the swing though, particularly the takeaway, position at the top, start of the downswing, weight transfer, etc etc. The thinking you have just posted (in my humble opinion) will work with someone who has grooved a sound swing sequence over a long time and needs a way of solving a problem at impact, I do not subscribe it is a way for beginners or high handicappers to consider.

Respectfully
Brian

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

Golfone

I personally don't think that you provided an explanation as to how the clubface becomes square at impact if the clubface is closed at the end-backswing position.

Let's presume that one has a neutral grip, but some how has a closed clubface at the end-backswing position. To get the clubface to be square at impact, the left hand has to be in the neutral position at impact (back of the left hand facing the target and ulnar border of the left hand facing the ground). How does one get to that left hand position at impact if the clubface was closed at the end-backswing position (with the left wrist abnormally bowed/arched at the top which is the only way the clubface can be closed with a neutral grip).

Jeff.

Please answer the question about the knuckles facing the sky. Do you mean at address? halfway point? at the top? follow through? How many knuckles? etc. It really confuses people when they ask a question and you go off on an explanation of something related but not answering the specific question. You may have some really good advice in there somewhere but frankly I feel like I'm reading something that is a poor translation of another language to English. Or it seems you don't understand the question. People would like to put what you suggest into practice or at least try your tips but your explantations are very vague. No disrespect intended but I would like to break through this langauge barrier.