Hitting a Fade with an Open Face Slice Kill

Old Warson's Director of Instruction, Rick Ewing, offers different tips to get your golf game moving in the right direction.  If you'd like to ask Rick a question or book a private lesson (Patch reader exclusive), email him at rickewing@pga.com.

 Can you hit a draw with an open face? Yes you can. Here’s a little secret. Hitting a draw actually can be achieved with a slightly open face at impact, so long as the club head is continually closing through the impact zone.

To hit an open-faced draw, first make a few practice swings and work on excessively closing the clubface through the hitting area. In fact, it’s a good idea to go as far as hitting a series of snap hooks off the tee, again with the clubface rolling shut through the hit.

The clubface approaches the ball with an open face, then closes after contact with the ball. What that tells you is that the toe of the clubface is moving faster than the heel, meaning the toe will inflict greater force onto the ball. At impact, the clubface is slightly open, but because the toe is moving faster than the heel, the ball is still going to have some draw spin once it leaves the clubface.

The key in making this work is to keep the clubface rotating all the way through (and past) the impact zone. This phenomenon is one reason better players struggle with hooking the ball. Better players sometimes square the face too early or too soon, not realizing that you actually can hit a straight or slightly drawing shot with the clubface slightly open at the moment of impact.

Once you’ve mastered the hook, the trick is to begin dialing back your timing so you continue to rotate and release the club; only you need to learn how to initiate the rotation later in your downswing than before. 

To work on timing your release later in your swing, you’ll have to test it a few times and determine where in the swing you can go ahead and get the club rotating.

Odds are, after a few practice sessions, you’ll learn that the right spot is a few feet before the ball with a slightly open face at impact.

If you would like a private lesson with Rick Ewing, or have a question,  email him at rickewing@pga.com