This article is about that that downward spiral that can leave you wondering where your game went.  Usually, sadly, it comes from misunderstanding the role of the clubface.

So many golfers think the face should be square, and remain square, going through the ball.  Their mistake is that they are trying to be square to the target line, which is straight. But the arc of the swing is round; the face remains square to the arc, not to the line.

When I taught in Bhutan, at first communication was a problem, even though everybody spoke English.  I had to find ways to get the point across, in their world.  On my walk to the course every day, I noticed people kicking around a ball everywhere, in fields, in parking lots, even on the course.

It dawned on me that the club and your shoe are similar; a toe, a heel, and a sole.  If the toe passes the heel at the right time, the soccer ball will go straight.

In golf, the clubface will produce straight shots if it is clos-ING, like a door that swings on its hinges not clos-ed or open.  It is.  The result is a successful ball flight.

Back to the flaw(s); having a face that doesn’t rotate the correct amount produces hooks and slices, usually slices.  So the swing that hits the ball to the right all day long, will begin to aim and swing to the left, naturally.  Now you have 2 problems, an open face, and a compensating swing to the left.  The result is weak fades, a mediocre, wimpy way to play golf.

So the evolution of this swing flaw was 1) misunderstanding the proper motion of the club face, 2) open clubface through impact, 3) compensating aim and swing path

THE FIX

Just as the swing evolved into a dead-end, it can also de-evolve into a powerful, efficient motion, but there are 3 steps.  1) understanding the proper motion, 2) clos-ING the face through impact, 3) aiming and swinging according to the new ball flight.

Step 1 is not hard; if you agree with what has been said so far, then you have already begun unraveling the flaw(s).  Step 2 is a matter of making a bunch of little swings, and learning the feeling of rotating the forearms the right amount.  If you do it right the toe will pass the heel, and the ball should start going to the left, following the aim and old swing path.

Step 3 will have to wait for evolution to happen again.  If you start hitting left, it won’t take long to realize that the aim and path don’t match the clubface, and as quickly as the problem started, it will end.  But you can help it along.

Swing path exercise: Put a board, preferably at least 8 inches high and 2 or 3 feet long, next to your ball.  Angle it very slightly to the right for right hand golfers.  Place the ball 3 inches from the board, and start learning to swing less to the left.  WARNING: be careful not to swing hard at first, as you may break your club or hands if you whack it on top!

Good Luck.