While working on my new course, I have come across many things that I deem “don’ts” for golfers to avoid. One of the most irritating is the tendency for some golfers to prematurely close their clubface at impact—a tendency that creates excessive stress on the golf joints and may even lead to injuries. I have found that most golfers don’t realize that they are doing this, so they assume that something is wrong with them instead of the golf equipment. In this article, I will go over some methods that you can use to stop this bad habit before it starts, as well as some important tips for golfers to keep in mind.
Table of Contents
Use A Proper Backswing
One of the biggest mistakes that new golfers make is using an improper backswing. In order to prevent yourself from prematurely closing your clubface at impact, you must learn how to properly execute a backswing. A lot of golfers think that they need to bring their hands and arms together in a straight line, moving from the top of their backs to the top of the swing. While this may be true for some sports, such as tennis, it is not the case for golf. In golf, you must keep your hands and arms parallel to one another, with your hands slightly ahead of your body. In this manner, you can prevent your clubhead from coming in contact with the ground before you take your next shot.
Keep Your Hitting Hand In Front Of You
The other major mistake that new golfers make is keeping their hitting hand in front of them instead of underneath them. If you are used to holding a golf club with your left hand, you will naturally want to bring the club across your body with your right hand, rather than having it underneath you. This is a very unnatural motion for a right-handed golfer to attempt, and it certainly won’t improve your game. Whenever possible, you should try to keep your hitting hand underneath you, with your fingers pointing towards your feet. This will prevent your club from hitting the ground before you can take your next swing.
Practice At A Calm Pace
When you are first getting started, it is important to take your time and practice slowly and methodically. There is no need to rush and cut down your practice time as soon as you make the decision to start playing golf again. Instead, take your time and work your way up to full speed gradually. You can also practice in the morning, before the sun gets too high in the sky and heat begins to build up. The last thing that you want is to have a bad temper tantrum, because you are over-heated and irritated.
Watch How You Swing
One of the best ways to learn how to prevent closing your clubface at impact is by watching how other golfers swing. By analyzing the swings of top professionals, you can gain a good understanding of the proper way to swing. Through careful observation, you will see that they keep their hands and arms parallel to the ground, keeping their hands slightly in front of their body. They also do not bring their hands down until just before impact, and then follow through with their hands and arms. This will help you understand how to position your hands and arms at the top of your backswing, and it will ensure that your clubface stays open at the top. Additionally, make sure to practice with the same golf club that you will use at the golf course—this will prevent any inconsistencies and allow you to get the most out of your practice sessions.
Use Good Grasp
When you pick up a golf club, your goal should be to have a good grip on it. A good grip will prevent slippage and make it easier to control the clubhead, thus improving your game. The best way to create a good grip is by using your fingertips, tapping the handle of the club lightly with your nails. This will help enhance the tackiness of the skin on the end of your finger, and it will increase the stability of your grip. Never put hand cream on your hands before playing golf, as this can cause excessive slipperyness and, in some cases, even hinder your performance on the golf course! Instead, rub your hands gently with a dry cloth to remove any excess oils before setting off to the course.
Set Your Club On The Tee
When you pull your ball towards the hole, you should set your club on the tee, rather than letting it bounce around on the ground as you walk down the fairway. Setting your club on the tee prevents the head from flying off in the breeze, and it also gives you a better opportunity to practice with it. If you are right-handed, you should set your driver on the right side of the tee and your other clubs on the left. Remember, if your ball ends up in the rough, you can use your putter as a striking tool to help you get it out! Setting your clubs on the tee will also give you a better look at how the grass is growing, which can help you determine how fast you need to walk in order to reach your target time. One more thing, I find that if I set my bag down before hitting a shot, there is less chance of it being stolen. Always keep your eyes open for potential thieves while playing, and try to hit shots in a way that they cannot steal your bag without you noticing.
These tips for preventing closing your clubface in golf swing will help get you on the right foot and in the right spirit for golf. Just remember to keep your hands and arms parallel to the ground at the top of your backswing and then follow through with your hands and arms. If you keep your hands and arms in this position, it will keep your clubface open, and it will increase your consistency, which in turn will help you improve your game. With consistent practice, you will find that you are hitting the ball farther and with more accuracy, which will lead you to having more fun on the course. So do yourself a favor, try out these methods for preventing closing your clubface in golf swing, and feel free to add more tips of your own in the comments below!