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QF Focus Magazine The clubface tells the golf ball what to do!


With this statement in mind, how many of you are aware of the position of your clubface throughout your swing and especially at the all important part of the swing, IMPACT?


At this point I would like to ask all of you readers a question. When you go on to the course or when you are practising, how many of you are focused purely on what your body is doing in your golf swing? Now I think if you answer this question honestly the majority of you out there will answer, yes I do, to this question. Now why might that be? Well plain and simply because that is what we have been conditioned to do throughout the years. This would be the case especially during and after having lessons. I know I was! We have constantly been fed lots of thoughts regarding our swing in order to move that little white ball hopefully towards the target. This may have brought success for a period of time but after a while we start to lose the feeling for that magic move and we lose all confidence in our swing because not all of the pieces of the jigsaw have fitted together or we have forgotten a crucial part. This is where I would like you to start thinking a little bit differently about the way you practise and ultimately play the game of golf.


If you have already had a lesson with me you will know that my main focus in golf coaching is to understand how the clubface works during the swing and how it will affect the outcome. If we want to achieve the outcome that we are looking for, we must be in control of the club and most importantly the face. The direction that the swing is taking will of course have an effect on the outcome but ultimately the clubface is the key.


So if we start to look at some simple examples hopefully you will see the logic behind what I am saying.


You hit the dreaded slice on the golf course. What’s the first thought that comes in to your mind? I would imagine a multitude of things anything from, ‘I didn’t turn’, ‘my swing was too upright’ etc. etc.


You hit a hook on the course. Again what do think? ‘I didn’t get through it’, ‘I swung too quickly’ etc, etc.


Admittedly some of these things can have an effect on the outcome, but how often have you said to yourself, the slice came because my clubface was open and the hook came because my clubface was closed? I would guess not many of you. But to hit these shots this has to be the reason. It would sound almost too simple to think of things in this way, but it’s fact. There is one thing in golf that is non negotiable and that is, The golf ball always does as it is told and the clubface tells the ball what to do.


So how can we start to feel how the club face should be moving in our swing, without having to be too technical about the golf swing and most importantly too technical about our thoughts?


The movement of your hand will represent the position of the clubface throughout the swing. In an instinctive movement with


your hand you would not consciously change the position


to


hand to make a simple movement


of the make


contact with something, it would remain square.


So why would we consider changing the position of the clubface in order to make contact with the ball and to deliver it squarely? I think you will agree it could be quite complicated. The only reason I can think of is because that is what we have been told. As soon as the hands become too active in the swing, especially by rotating them we will start to lose the control that we need.


So to get the ball back under control we must first of all have the clubface under control and the best way to do this is to use our instincts and not get tied up with too much technique. In order to achieve this we have to become more absorbed in the feeling for how the clubface is moving in our swing than how we are moving physically.


If you follow this simple idea you will start to notice a difference in your game straight away.


Article by Adrian Rudge, PGA Advanced Golf Professional.


If you would like any information about lessons with Adrian please contact him on 670 291 788 or by email at: adi.rudge@yahoo.com. Adrian is based at Greenlands Golf and Vistabella Golf Club.


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